Connectivity
The server was not found or was not accessible (SQL error 40)
Power BI dataset refresh error: what it means and how to fix it.
What this means
SQL "error 40": wrong instance, server down, remote connections disabled, or a firewall block.
How to fix it
- Verify the instance name, that the server is running, and that remote connections are enabled.
- Open port 1433 and the SQL Browser service.
- Add retries for transient failures.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the "The server was not found or was not accessible (SQL error 40)" error mean?
- SQL "error 40": wrong instance, server down, remote connections disabled, or a firewall block.
- How do I fix it?
- Verify the instance name, that the server is running, and that remote connections are enabled. Open port 1433 and the SQL Browser service. Add retries for transient failures.
- Where does this Power BI refresh error appear?
- It appears in a Power BI semantic model's refresh history when a scheduled or on-demand refresh fails.
Related connectivity errors
Catch this automatically
RefreshRadar monitors every Power BI dataset refresh and emails you when one fails, with the likely cause and the fix, so you are not hearing about a broken refresh from your stakeholders first.