Installation of GSS on SQL 2016 Express Server fails with unable to login error

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to install GSS (Ghost Solution Suite)  on a fresh installation of SQL 2016 Express an error is received at the step where the installer authenticates with the SQL server.

Installation Error Message:

We're unable to login to the SQL Server <server name> using Windows NT Authentication. Make sure that you have specified a supported SQL server. 
You may need to use SQL Server Authentication

Environment

Windows 2016 Server
SQL Express 2016*
Ghost Solution Suite (GSS) 3.3

Other environments may also be affected

* The use of SQL Server Express is supported for smaller implementations of GSS.  However, customers using GSS with SQL Server Express that encounter performance issues which may be related to the scalability of SQL Server Express will be asked to upgrade from SQL Server Express to SQL Server.

Cause

TLS Authentication was disabled in the registry

Resolution

First, verify that you are using a supported version of SQL Server Express:
SQL Server for Ghost Solution Suite Database

Then, you should work through these steps for more common connectivity issues to the SQL DB:

By entering the Sql Server Configuration Manager you can edit the default SQL Server port. Blank out the field in the dynamic section and enter in 1433 in as the "TCP port" field for the tcp/ip settings. This will allow the DS or GSS to install correctly.

How to change SQL Configuration settings, Please find the below steps:

 

1. 1. Install SQL Server Express Edition. (With Mixed Mode)
   2. Go to "Start -> Program Files ->Microsoft SQL Server [version] -> SQL Server Configuration Manager" dialog.
   3. Select "SQL Server [version] Services" on "SQL Server Configuration Manager" dialog.
   4. Check "SQL Server (SQLExpress) and "SQL Server Brower" state is in "Running" mode  or not . If services are not running , we need to start the services.
   5. Expand " SQL Server [version] Network Configuration" link and select "Protocols for SQLEXPRESS" and check status is enabled for  " Named Pipes,TCP/IP ".
   6. We need to restart Service SQL Server (SQLExpress)  after enabling the above protocols.
   7. Expand "SQL Native Client Configuration" link and select "Client Protocols" and verify all client protocols are enabled except "VIA" protocol.
   8. We need to verify SQL Related services are running or not. (Please find the attached Image5 screenshot for the same.)
      
      Now go to Query Analyzer and try to login with SQL Authentication as well as Windows Authentication.If user is able login then we can install DS or GSS.

If the above article does not resolve the issue, enable TLS 1.0 by entered a 1 in the corresponding DWORD keys under the registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols