Can it be the firewall? Check http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc646023.aspx (and be sure to read the section titled "To add a program exception to the firewall using the Windows Firewall item in Control Panel")


>Hi,
>
>I've installed SQL Express 2008 R2 on a server and created a named instance: SQLExpress.
>
>In trying to connect to this server from PCs on the network I get this error during setting up an ODBC connection:
>
>Connection failed:
>SQLState: '01000'
>SQL Server Error: 11004
>[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][TCP/IP Sockets]ConnectionOpen (Connect())
>Connection failed:
>SQLState: '08001'
>SQL Server Error: 6
>[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][TCP/IP Sockets]Specified SQL server not found
>
>I have:
>
>1. ensured that ports 1433 and 1434 are open in the firewall on the server
>
>2. Ensured the SQL Browser service is running
>
>3. Double checked the name of the server (GFSL01\SQLExpress) by looking in SSMS
>
>4. Ensured that remote connections are allowed by looking at the Server Properties in SSMS
>
>What else could I be missing?