Microsoft Sharepoint Services 3.0 with seperate MSSSQL Server.

When you try to access http://sharepointserver/site after finishing site setup, you might get the following

message “Cannot connect to the configuration database”

And when checking out locally Event viewer might reveal

Event Type:Â Â Â Error
Event Source:Â Â Â Windows SharePoint Services 3
Event Category:Â Â Â Database
Event ID:Â Â Â 3351
Date:Â Â Â Â Â Â 08-09-2008
Time:Â Â Â Â Â Â 14:19:10
User:Â Â Â Â Â Â N/A
Computer:Â Â Â COMPUTER
Description:
SQL database login failed. Additional error information from SQL Server is included below.

Login failed for user ‘Domain\COMPUTER$’.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

and on the MSSQL server

Event Type:Â Â Â Failure Audit
Event Source:Â Â Â MSSQLSERVER
Event Category:Â Â Â (4)
Event ID:Â Â Â 18456
Date:Â Â Â Â Â Â 08-09-2008
Time:Â Â Â Â Â Â 14:06:02
User:Â Â Â Â Â Â DOMAIN\COMPUTER$
Computer:Â Â Â MSSQL_SERVER
Description:
Login failed for user ‘DOMAIN\COMPUTER$’. [CLIENT: 10.100.x.x1]

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 18 48 00 00 0e 00 00 00Â Â .H……
0008: 0c 00 00 00 53 00 4b 00Â Â ….S.K.
0010: 49 00 44 00 42 00 4c 00Â Â I.D.B.L.
0018: 41 00 44 00 4e 00 49 00Â Â A.D.N.I.
0020: 52 00 00 00 07 00 00 00Â Â R…….
0028: 6d 00 61 00 73 00 74 00Â Â m.a.s.t.
0030: 65 00 72 00 00 00Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â e.r…

Since the account was used for creating the main tables etc. on the mssql server, the account permissions should be correct.

Problem occours in selection of “predefined” in Security Account tab. this selects “Network Service” as the account
used to communicate with the MSSQL database.

(i was following instructions for installing a CRM system, hence my selection)

Simple solution for this is….

Under IIS, select “Application Pools – DefaultAppPool – Default Application” or whatever Application pool is associated with the Sharepoint
Web site.

Select properties, and select “Identity”

Choose, Configurable, and enter a Domain user with adminsitrative permissions (domain\user)

Save and restart IIS.

And horay! problem solved.

(yes, im aware that theres a bunch of other problems that throw out same error message like this, but answer for those are easy to google :) )