help! connection to SQL express

i have downloaded and set up SQL Express on my desktop. When i click connection, it only shows server on the network (in the office). i want to connect to the sample database on my machine (don't want to connect to servers in the office), how can i do that?

hi,

just fill the Server property with the actual instance name you want to connect to.. if you installed a named instance "named" SQLExpress, the default for SQLExpress installation, you can locally connect to it specifying "(Local)\SQLExpress" or "ComputerName\SQLExpress" as the server...

regards