The target principal name is incorrect. Cannot gen

Question

I am struggling to get a SQL Server connection from machine A to machine B which is running the SQL Server.

I have Googled extensively and all the things I have found have not worked. Nor do they lead you step by step through the process of solving this.

We are not using Kerberos, but NTLM where configured.

The machines involved are (xx is used to obscure some of the machine name for security purposes):

• xxPRODSVR001 - Windows Server 2012 Domain Controller
• xxDEVSVR003 - Windows Server 2012 (This machine is generating the error)
• xxDEVSVR002 - Windows Server 2012 (This machine is running SQL Server 2012)

The following SPN's are registered on the DC (xxPRODSVR001). I have obscured the domain with yyy for security purposes:

Registered ServicePrincipalNames for CN=xxDEVSVR002,CN=Computers,DC=yyy,DC=local:

            MSSQLSvc/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local:49298

            MSSQLSvc/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local:TFS

            RestrictedKrbHost/xxDEVSVR002

            RestrictedKrbHost/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            Hyper-V Replica Service/xxDEVSVR002

            Hyper-V Replica Service/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            Microsoft Virtual System Migration Service/xxDEVSVR002

            Microsoft Virtual System Migration Service/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            Microsoft Virtual Console Service/xxDEVSVR002

            Microsoft Virtual Console Service/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            SMTPSVC/xxDEVSVR002

            SMTPSVC/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            WSMAN/xxDEVSVR002

            WSMAN/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            Dfsr-12F9A27C-BF97-4787-9364-D31B6C55EB04/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            TERMSRV/xxDEVSVR002

            TERMSRV/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

            HOST/xxDEVSVR002

            HOST/xxDEVSVR002.yyy.local

Registered ServicePrincipalNames for CN=xxDEVSVR003,CN=Computers,DC=yyy,DC=local:

            MSSQLSvc/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local:1433

            MSSQLSvc/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            Hyper-V Replica Service/xxDEVSVR003

            Hyper-V Replica Service/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            Microsoft Virtual System Migration Service/xxDEVSVR003

            Microsoft Virtual System Migration Service/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            Microsoft Virtual Console Service/xxDEVSVR003

            Microsoft Virtual Console Service/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            WSMAN/xxDEVSVR003

            WSMAN/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            TERMSRV/xxDEVSVR003

            TERMSRV/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            RestrictedKrbHost/xxDEVSVR003

            HOST/xxDEVSVR003

            RestrictedKrbHost/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

            HOST/xxDEVSVR003.yyy.local

Now if only the SQL Server error message was more descriptive and told me what principal name it was trying to connect to I might be able to diagnose this.

So can anyone step me through how to solve this one or can you see anything in what I have provided that is wrong?

I would be happy to generate more debug info, just tell me what you need.

Answer 1

I just ran into this and fixed it by doing 2 things:

1. Granting read/write servicePrincipalName permissions to the service account using ADSI Edit, as described in https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/811889

2. Removing the SPNs that previously existed on the SQL Server computer account (as opposed to the service account) using

   setspn -D MSSQLSvc/HOSTNAME.domain.name.com:1234 HOSTNAME
   

   where 1234 was the port number used by the instance (mine was not a default instance).

Answer 2

I was trying to connect to a VM running SQL Server 2015 from my laptop in a Visual Studio 2015 Console App. I run my app the night before and it is fine. In the morning I try to debug the app and I get this error. I tried ipconfig/flush and release + renew and a a bunch of other garbage, but in the end...

Restart your VM and restart the client. That fixed it for me. I should have known, restart works every time.

Answer 3

Make sure that "Named Pipes" are enabled from "SQL Server Configuration Manager". This worked for me.

1. Open "SQL Server Configuration Manager".
2. Expand "SQL Server Network Configuration", from the list on the left.
3. Select "Protocols for [Your Instance Name]".
4. Right click on "Named Pipes", from the list on the right.
5. Select "Enable"
6. Restart your Instance service.

Answer 4

I too had this problem on SQL Server 2014 while logging with windows Authentication, to resolve the issue i have Restarted my server once and then try to login, it worked for me.

Answer 5

In my case, restarting SQL Server 2014 (on my development server) fixed the issue.

Answer 6

Seems to be issue is related to DNS Server. To resolve this issue change the IP Address to ComputerName.

Example: Change the value "10.0.0.10\TestDB" to "YourcomputerName\TestDB"