SQL SERVER – 2008 – IntelliSense Does Not Work – Enable IntelliSense

« SQLAuthority News – Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2009

SQL SERVER – Reseed Identity of Table – Table Missing Identity Values – Gap in Identity Column »

SQL SERVER – 2008 – IntelliSense Does Not Work – Enable IntelliSense

March 31, 2009 by pinaldave

While I was working with SQL Server 2008 IntelliSense, I realized that it was not functioning as I expected. Even after I had enabled IntelliSense it was still not opening any suggestions at all. After a while, I figured out some vital information regarding how to make sure IntelliSense smoothly works all the time without you giving any trouble.

Given below are four different ways through which you can enable IntelliSense.

1) Make sure you are connected to SQL Server 2008 Edition.
IntelliSense does not work with the previous versions of SQL Server.

2) IntelliSense should be enabled.
There are two ways to verify whether IntelliSense is enabled or not.
a) From Toolbar

b) Go to Tools >> Options >> Text Editor >> Transact-SQL >> IntelliSense

3) IntelliSense should be refreshed with the latest changes in database.
a) Press CTRL+SHIFT+R
b) Go to Edit >> IntelliSense >> Refresh Local Cache

4) Go to Tools >> Options >> Text Editor >> Transact-SQL >> General >> IntelliSense
Select Auto List Members and Check Parameter Information.

Reference : Pinal Dave (http://blog.sqlauthority.com)

About these ads

Posted in Pinal Dave, SQL, SQL Authority, SQL Error Messages, SQL Query, SQL Server, SQL Tips and Tricks, SQL Utility, SQLServer, T SQL, Technology | Tagged IntelliSense | 128 Comments

128 Responses

on May 22, 2009 at 7:02 am | Reply annonymous

nice
- on April 9, 2013 at 6:05 pm | Reply myprogrammingexp
  
  There’s one more reason why this feature doesn’t work or works intermittently. If you’re using SQL Server Management studio as a published Citrix Application, then intellisense may or may not work for you. This is not a SQL Server Management Studio issue, it is a Citrix Issue.
on June 27, 2009 at 1:54 am | Reply Clinton Pierce

Not working with down-rev servers (2005) really blows. I saw this demo’d with the pre-release version of SSMS and was sorely disappointed after installing it.

It will be years before some companies get around to SQL Server 2008.
on July 10, 2009 at 7:43 pm | Reply Shankar

Hi,

I have all the options for making the intelliSense work in sql server 2008, but its not working. Please help. Thanks in advance.
on July 17, 2009 at 3:47 pm | Reply Caroline

It worked for a couple of days and suddenly it didn’t work anymore. I tried your steps, but without success.
on September 26, 2009 at 12:03 am | Reply nedshah

After all the above mentioned settings, If IntelliSense still does not work then try the following one more setting:

Verify that the T-SQL Editor does not launch in SQLCMD mode Under Tools->Options->Query Execution->SQL Server->General, make sure “By default, open new queries in SQLCMD mode” is unchecked

Cheers,
-Ned
- on February 1, 2011 at 8:11 pm | Reply Philip
  
  Thank you, Ned. Turning off SQLCMD mode solved my problem.
  - on November 10, 2011 at 9:02 am | Reply Arun
    
    Thanks, this was causing a problem for me.
- on May 17, 2012 at 7:56 pm | Reply tamil
  
  Thanks now its working
- on June 19, 2012 at 12:20 pm | Reply Timm
  
  Thanx Ned, your solution worked after all else had failed.
- on August 30, 2012 at 11:03 am | Reply Ravichandran
  
  I tried SQLCMD approach and all the above approach too. Though Intellisense not working :(
  - on February 4, 2013 at 1:22 pm | Reply glarea
    
    After SQLCMD approach you should restart SQL Server.
  - on February 12, 2013 at 2:23 pm | Reply Ahad Zubair - Principal Software Engineer - Team Lead (.Net)
    
    THAT WORKS…if your SQLCMD mode check box is already unchecked then mark it checked -> DONE -> then unchecked again and after reopening the New Query – window you will find the working Intellisense. Thanks
on November 9, 2009 at 2:59 am | Reply HariKrishnan.K.S

I am able to get the intellisense in the development server, but in the productin servers it is not getting , any settings to be enabled to get it..Please reply
- on July 29, 2011 at 2:09 am | Reply Ashok Vaghani
  
  I have same problem with PROD and found that prod user has more restriction than DEV user. Try giving more access to PROD user. Sometimes in PROD env, they have tighten the security and closed some of the options.
on December 10, 2009 at 3:56 pm | Reply Abdul Rahman

I have tried all above mentioned tips but intellisence not enabled.

any one help

Thanks in Advance
Abdul Rahman
- on January 12, 2010 at 1:09 pm | Reply DJtracer
  
  I found if you need this feature on SQL server 2005, rather use “Toad”, it works the same, but is not restricted to SQL 2008.
on January 12, 2010 at 10:19 pm | Reply Ravi Joshi

Nice.
Why reason why this weird behavior? I would have expected quality of SSMS to be on par with Visual Studio.
on January 17, 2010 at 3:06 am | Reply praveem

nice…

Thank You
on January 18, 2010 at 8:36 am | Reply janvi

i have already mark the options still IntelliSense is not working??? And SQLCMDMode is also unabled.
- on March 5, 2013 at 6:27 pm | Reply sahil bangerwa
  
  press ctrl+q then ctrl +i then it will start working…
on January 18, 2010 at 8:44 am | Reply janvi

i have checked intellisense is does’nt woking in production server, in my server it is working but in other’s server is doesn’t working????
could u plz help me????
on January 23, 2010 at 1:12 am | Reply MG

I tried the above mentioned steps initially on a newly installed client, and initially it didn’t work. (It works on the host server).

I think closed Studio Management, and re-opened it. For those of you that try the above steps, and appear to still have trouble, trying closing it down and restarting.
- on November 26, 2012 at 9:59 pm | Reply Maurice Pelchat
  
  Closing and re-opening worked for me. Also Intellisence doesn’t try to auto-complete on a TRUNCATE TABLE instruction.
on February 3, 2010 at 2:56 am | Reply Rob

I’ve been having this problem for months. consitently on one server, sporadically on others. I’ve checked and tried all steps above, and everything short of reinstalling, and currently intellisense doesn’t work at all. I have a feeling if I reboot it may work with some servers sporadically again. There’s not a lot of helpful info on this out there yet. Seems like it stops short at “Make sure it’s turned on”. Sorry, I know this isn’t helpful, I’m just venting now.
on March 22, 2010 at 3:10 am | Reply Sebastian

Thanks a lot, your blog is always a source of good things.
on March 31, 2010 at 4:05 pm | Reply Arshan Khan

Thanks a lot Boss.Solved my problem
on April 9, 2010 at 10:48 am | Reply Engin Uzuncaova

A-W-E-S-O-M-E..!

Thanks,

–engin
on May 4, 2010 at 6:24 pm | Reply Troy Anderson

Everybody else’s client has intellisense working, and I have it working on my desktop, but my laptop just doesn’t work. I’ve tried all of the above mentioned things. They’re all set and refreshed and it still doesn’t work.
on May 18, 2010 at 1:58 am | Reply Rick in Atlanta

Thanks so much, Pinal! This was a great help! You Rock!
on August 3, 2010 at 7:47 pm | Reply Adnan Khan

If you are using SQL server 2008 and connecting to the server which is running on SQL server 2005, Intellisence wont work and vice versa.

Thats my understandability and probably is the right thing….
on August 12, 2010 at 9:49 pm | Reply wb640

Same here after upgrading from SQL 2008 to SQL 2008 R2: Intellisense + auto list members not working anymore. Tried everthing mentioned, even uninstall/repair.

Fixed by complete uninstall of SQL 2008 R2 and install again from scratch. Weird …
on August 16, 2010 at 6:54 pm | Reply drp37

Works like a charm.
I was hoping that it would with SQL server 2005 when I connect to it using MSSM 2008 but no luck.
on August 17, 2010 at 2:01 pm | Reply Chalapathi Pinisetty

Thanks again
on August 19, 2010 at 2:21 pm | Reply Igor

I noticed on my SQL Server that if I had databases that I took offline using the context menu on the database container in the Object Explorer “Tasks -> Take Offline” then IntelliSense would stop working all together for the entire server. I have not tried to take the databases offline using other options in the Studio or using sql commands but the result would probably be the same.
- on August 27, 2010 at 9:51 pm | Reply Rob
  
  We just noticed the same thing Igor. As soon as you bring the database online again, then IntelliSence will resume working.
  - on September 9, 2010 at 12:45 pm | Reply BertB
    
    We had the same issue, one offline DB stopped IntelliSense.. weird…
    - on September 29, 2011 at 7:05 pm | Reply BillVo
      
      See Microsoft Connect issue on this topic:
      SSMS: Intellisense breaks when a database is taken offline
      http://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/566786#details
- on June 28, 2012 at 9:21 am | Reply nghia
  
  work with me, i had data take offline – thanks Igor
- on November 20, 2012 at 11:13 am | Reply Maya
  
  THIS IS THE ISSUE!!
  I did all the above steps and nothing helped. only after I brought on-line the DB were of-line the IntelliSense start working!!
  Thanks a lot :)
on August 24, 2010 at 3:09 pm | Reply Chris H

Pinal, You are a ledged!
on September 15, 2010 at 12:40 am | Reply Russ

Ugh, what a great feature! We had two databases offline and once we deleted them not-so-intellisense started working again. You may want to add that little tidbit to your article Pinal. Thanks again, your blog has been a blessing…
on October 20, 2010 at 11:16 pm | Reply Bill Kuhn

Nice BUG! I’ve tried everything including completely uninstalling and reinstalling R2 but still had no intellisense on 1 2008 server (intellisense worked OK on all others). Still had no intellisense.

Then read Igor/Rob/BertB’s comments about intellisense not working when a database is marked Offline.

That was it – there was an offline database!! Put the database online and intellisense works for all databases on the server.

Thanks guys!
on November 6, 2010 at 6:04 pm | Reply JohnN

I’m using SS2008 Developer edition on my laptop and when I upgraded from Vista to Win7 Intellisense stopped working.
The only advice I could find online was to re-install SS2008.
Very inconvenient.
on December 13, 2010 at 3:28 pm | Reply mohammad komaei

If you are using SQL server 2008 and connecting to the server which is running on SQL server 2005, Intellisence wont work and vice versa.
on December 20, 2010 at 11:58 am | Reply sohel

Hi All..
I too had the same problem about intellisense not working in SQL Server 2008 and it was driving me nuts. Then i read Igor/Rob/BertB’s comments about intellisense not working when a database is marked Offline.

As soon as i bought it online (right click on the db->task-bring online), it worked like a charm.. very very weird though..

thanks guys for your help.. really appreciate it
on January 2, 2011 at 6:08 am | Reply Strannik

Yes you are right:
If you are using SQL server 2008 and connecting to the server which is running on SQL server 2005, Intellisence wont work and vice versa.
on January 4, 2011 at 2:30 am | Reply Donna Segni

For me, the fix was to apply SP2, disable Intellisense and close SQL, restart SQL and reenable Intellisense.
on January 6, 2011 at 12:05 pm | Reply Utehn

(right click on the db->task-bring online), it worked like a charm.. very very weird though..

Wow, it’s worked!!!
on January 13, 2011 at 7:30 pm | Reply meytale

AMAZING – thanks :)
on February 3, 2011 at 12:30 am | Reply Joseph

It works on my case after i have removed the SQLMODE check mark.

I have all the other options as mentioned on the blog. I changed the option when i installed the AdventureWorks Sample database.
on February 7, 2011 at 3:54 pm | Reply kokoska

I had similar problem too, all settings properly set, yet intellisense did not work. For me installing SQL Server update did the trick.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2261464
on February 10, 2011 at 3:59 pm | Reply rwr

I had similar problem too, all settings properly set and intellisense did not work. For me installing SQL Server SP1 helped (SQLServer2008SP1-KB968369-x64-ENU.exe) and now intelliSence is working fine.
on February 18, 2011 at 9:27 pm | Reply Howdy

Thanks, this did the trick!
on March 7, 2011 at 12:36 pm | Reply ravindra

Thank u Pinal……keep goin on helping……
on March 10, 2011 at 2:29 pm | Reply Raghavendra Patil

Thanks , the trick works
on March 15, 2011 at 6:04 am | Reply anonymous

I try it with my SQL server developer edition R2 but it’s not woked after doing thing you show in post.

are their any method to get intellisense worked.
on April 13, 2011 at 2:38 pm | Reply Igor

I found another problem with Intellisense. It appears that if you also use Visual Studio 2010 on the same machine as your installation of SSMS and install Service Pack 1 for Visual Studio then Intellisense stops working inside SSMS!

After searching the Microsoft SQL Server website I came across this bug post, looks like this is a known issue.

https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/650569/ssms-2008-r2-is-losing-intellisense-after-installing-visual-studio-2010-sp1
on April 26, 2011 at 3:38 pm | Reply Igor

CU7 fixes the conflict with the Visual Studio 2010 service pack 1 installation I mentioned above.

CU7 page – http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2507770
on April 27, 2011 at 2:06 pm | Reply mesut

After installing VS 2010 SP1 , the SQL 2008 R2 intellisence was not working anymore. I tried above suggestions but no results.
on April 28, 2011 at 3:35 am | Reply Nestor O Lopez

Here’s a surprise! I have SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise installed in my notebook, and an instance of Express just because it’s a requirement of MS Lightswitch.
Tools->Options->Query Execution->SQL Server->General, doesn’t show any “By default, open new queries in SQLCMD mode” checkbox! Why it doesn’t show?
on May 26, 2011 at 3:24 pm | Reply Michael

I have come across something a bit strange.
My enviroment is as follows.
I am learning SQL 2008, am still in the beginner stage.
I have got a Vmware practise domain at home.
Installed in the Vmware enviroment is the following:
1 x MS server 2003 which acts as a Domain Controller, this DC does not have SQL installed on it.
2 x XP pro SP3 machines running SQL Server 2008, these two pc’s authenticate to the DC.
I could not get intellisense to work even though I had done everything suggested above.
I then powered off the DC and tested to see if that would make a difference to intellisense on the two XP pc’s. All of a sudden intellisense started working
Is this logical?
on June 14, 2011 at 4:17 am | Reply Jose Rocha

When we a have a database with RESTORING status, IntelliSense will also stop working. Really weird
on June 18, 2011 at 6:14 pm | Reply Azim

your tips are always perfect
on June 29, 2011 at 12:08 pm | Reply chrisB

i was using SQL server 2008 and connecting to the server which is running on SQL server 2005, and vice versa…
thats why it didnt worked..
on July 6, 2011 at 12:38 pm | Reply rajesh gupta

THANX A LOT…………
on July 14, 2011 at 2:37 am | Reply Tim Coalson

Very helpful! Thanks for posting!
- on July 14, 2011 at 2:38 am | Reply Tim Coalson
  
  The “Edit…Intellisense…Refresh Local Cache” did the trick for me!
on July 17, 2011 at 10:27 pm | Reply Marcelo Echeverria

I dont realy understand how works the trick.
Maybe there’s nothing to understabd It just another bug microsoft.
- on July 18, 2011 at 4:33 pm | Reply madhivanan
  
  This is not a bug. You need to make sure that you are connected to SQL Server 2008 or more and Intellisense is enabled
on August 4, 2011 at 4:40 am | Reply Serge

After reading this blog , I realized that having database offline caused intellisense to stop working. I put the database back online and refreshed intellisense cache ( Edit >>Intellisense >> Refresh Locale Cache) and everything is back to normal. If your database is anything but online , you will get this problem with intellisense. Is there a fix for this from MS ???
on August 22, 2011 at 3:15 pm | Reply David Carrillo (@dacanetdev)

I have already applied the tricks in this, by the way this is great, unfortuntely after that my SSMS Intellisense was not working. I realized that SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 is there since July and had not installed in my machine. I installed it and it is working fine. This SP contains the Cumulative Updated including the one that fix the Intellisense after install VS 2010 SP1
on August 23, 2011 at 5:20 pm | Reply AspNet

I still have same problem after all :(
on August 27, 2011 at 1:31 pm | Reply db

I am on SQL 2008 R2 on 64 bit windows 7, using SSMS.
In my case, enabling “open new queries in SQLCMD mode” helps.
on September 15, 2011 at 2:39 pm | Reply leading concepts uk ltd

Hi there. As I found this a good starting point to my issues with intellisense Only fair to add my resolution that may help others. All the settings were as you mentioned already but did not fix my issue.
eventually with further searching for win 7 pro – was advised to install SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x64-ENU
Restart required – i did refresh cache. I have intellisense!!!!! thanks a stack
on September 16, 2011 at 2:29 pm | Reply VIDYASAGAR

THANKS, ITS VERY USEFUL TO ME
on September 21, 2011 at 5:00 pm | Reply arun

Goto TOOLS – OPTIONS and Reset everything to Default.
on October 2, 2011 at 1:21 am | Reply R2

THX guys but only after installing the SP1 update intellisense come back to life.
on October 5, 2011 at 5:55 pm | Reply kamlesh

Taking a database offline on a SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 instance will break intellisense for all databases on the instance when using SSMS 2008 R2 once the local cache is refreshed (either explicitly or through a new connection).

This only has an affect when taking a database offline that was online when the instance was last restarted. After a restart with the database offline, intellisense works again as expected.

This does not affect intellisense when using SSMS 2008.

–Kamlesh Samnani
on October 9, 2011 at 12:30 pm | Reply Yuran Shrestha

Apply the following fix from microsoft to resolve the problem you face in intellisense.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2507770
on October 20, 2011 at 5:51 pm | Reply cihan

there’re lots of command above,i didnt read them all,maybe you have found your answer.
i faced with this problem today.why intellisence doesnt work?

i found a solution and the reason for the problem is insalling VS SP1.when you install it,sql server 08 rtm intellisence stop working.

to fix it you can download the cumulative update for sql server 08 rtm.
link is here :
http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=2507770&kbln=tr

this is in turkish.but you can easily understand what you need to download.

good luck
on November 9, 2011 at 2:28 pm | Reply sirish

Thankx Pinal it works like a magic!
on November 12, 2011 at 2:01 am | Reply Syd

Works for me too. Good job! Up until now I was trying out with the previous versions of SQL.
on November 20, 2011 at 9:40 pm | Reply mahesh

sir ,
i have problem while accessing the intellisense i used the mssql 2008 R2
sql express 9.0 sp2 on window operating .
on November 20, 2011 at 9:45 pm | Reply mahesh

i follow the all step are given but not solve the problem
on December 24, 2011 at 11:58 pm | Reply Vijay

Nice Article…
I was using sql server 2008 but accessing sqlserver2005 instance.
After getting connect to sqlserver2008 via connect window=>server=>browse=>select the right instance=>OK=>Connect
After getting connected, intellisence start working.

thanks a lot.
Vijay
on December 28, 2011 at 12:04 pm | Reply Sachin

I tried it all, But still it is not working with SQL Server R2
on December 30, 2011 at 8:42 pm | Reply Matt

I add a tab after typing the word SELECT to make my queries easier to read. Well…using SQL Server 2008 R2 when you type SELECT and hit tab it replaces the word “SELECT” with “@@CONNECTIONS”. That’s just what you want. Maybe with the next release they could replace the word “WHERE” with “@@ANNOYING”

/rant
on January 16, 2012 at 9:55 pm | Reply Kelly

I found on my machine and a coworker’s that if you install VS 2010 SP1 it will break intellisense for SQL server 2008 R2. In my case we did not have SP1 installed for SSMS at the time. We installed SP1 on SSMS and intellisense began working again.
on February 1, 2012 at 11:46 am | Reply Vikas Kumar Gupta

I have installed first Visual Studio 2010 and then Sql Server 2008 R2 Edition, but got this SQL Server Setup failure error.

TITLE: SQL Server Setup failure.
——————————

SQL Server Setup has encountered the following error:

Unable to generate a temporary class (result=1).
error CS0009: Metadata file ‘c:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\mscorlib.dll’ could not be opened — ‘An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format. ‘

Error code 0x84B10001.

——————————
BUTTONS:

OK
——————————

After googling, I found that I installed Microsoft product in wrong order, the correct order should be first installed SQL Server 2008 R2 and then Visual Studio 2010, so I uninstalled the Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate Edition , and then try to install SQL Server 2008 R2, but I got this error instantly. Please try to solve this problem.
on February 3, 2012 at 9:59 pm | Reply Jimmy

hey,
I follow all the given option here, but still i’m fail to activate Intellisense in SQL Management Studio (i’m using Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 10.50 SP1). Please Try to solve this problem :( :(
on February 4, 2012 at 2:28 pm | Reply Terence

ive spent days installing hotfixes, uninstalling, reinstalling.. im tired.. Im going to bed and play with my iPad.
on February 14, 2012 at 9:48 pm | Reply kori

Thanks a million. It worked on mine!
on February 23, 2012 at 4:44 am | Reply Ragu

I tried all the fixes – taking databases offline and then bringing them online, installed Cumulative update 10, repaired SQL Server Installation, refreshed local cache, made changes to the required settings on SQL Server Management Studio but everything was in vain. Finally installing the correct service pack (SP1) did the trick for me !

Follow the link below, and download SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x86-ENU.exe (or the x64 file for a x64 bit instance of SQL Server)

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26727

Finally i have Intellisense enabled !
on March 9, 2012 at 12:59 pm | Reply vinod.andani@gmail.com

I just restarted the services SQL Server in services.msc and all continued fine
on March 14, 2012 at 1:34 pm | Reply Nageswar

Download and install
Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
on March 21, 2012 at 1:56 am | Reply PR

I was on 2008 R2 and after installing VS2010, intellisense on MSSMS stopped working, Installing SP1 fixed the issue for me.

Thanks
on April 27, 2012 at 3:20 pm | Reply Marina Nastenko

Therer’s also a good-workingtool from Devart that can fix those issues with bbga, it’s calles SQL Complete and i’ve been trying it for long enough to state that it’s always performing on the level. Try it out here – http://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/sqlcomplete/ordering.html
on May 15, 2012 at 1:50 am | Reply Eric Russell

OK, I’ve just discovered a fix for an issue that can break Code Folding (Code Outlining) in SSMS 2008. I have this 5,000 line script that I’ve been working on for past several days. This afternoon I encountered an issue where the folding of code blocks simply stopped working about half-way down. I tried closing the script, shutdown/re-open SSMS, clear the Intellisense cache; all of the common reccomendations. What I found interesting was that code-folding was broken within the same code black that I had last modified.
I opened up the script in Notepad++ and discovered that there were some lines within the block which had [CR] but not the usual [CR][LF]. After deleting and re-inserting the line breaks in Notepad++, I saved the script, and then re-opened it in SSMS. The problem has been corrected. So if you encounter code-folding strangeness, confirm that your script has proper line terminations.
- on May 15, 2012 at 12:42 pm | Reply pinaldave
  
  Simply great additional to original post.
  
  Thanks @Eric.
on May 15, 2012 at 10:48 pm | Reply Sal

@ Eric Russell. Great catch!! Thanks for the fix Eric, very annoying bug. You just saved me a bunch of time.
on May 24, 2012 at 11:20 pm | Reply stucifer

Installing SP1 fixed this for me — on Two machines!
SP1 for SQL 2008 R2, can be found here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26727
on May 25, 2012 at 6:37 am | Reply ItJustDoesntWork

I have tried all the above suggestions and Intellisense does not work. All the other developers have it working on their machine but mine won’t. SQLCMD is turned off. Intellisense is turned on. Auto List Members and Parameter Information are turn on.
on July 2, 2012 at 7:34 pm | Reply sana

heyy please help me, i want to install both sql server 2008 SP2 and visual studio 2010 ultimate, but i did’nt understand which software i need to install first
to avoid further installation errors……what should i do???????
on August 4, 2012 at 2:46 pm | Reply solid

Everyhting above didnt work for me, except to install the SP1 of SQL server 2008R2… After i installed it it worked immediately.. So everyone… do install the SP1…
on August 10, 2012 at 7:24 pm | Reply Sky

After some Windows/Office/VS2008/VS2010 updates, as well as some updates for TFS, I lost Intellisense (again). I couldn’t install SQL2008 SP1 again for some strange reason but SP2 installed fine…and I now have it working again!
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30437

Thanks for this very useful post!
on August 16, 2012 at 6:03 pm | Reply himanshu

open on dev edition 64 bit machine
not on std edition at all , done all steps above
on August 25, 2012 at 6:07 pm | Reply Bita

if all regular setting have been done but it still doesn’t work, u might need to install sp1 for sql server 2008
on September 12, 2012 at 12:50 pm | Reply RichardRichard

I also had a data base offline. As soon as I took it on-line or deleted it, Intellisense worked again.
on September 25, 2012 at 9:24 am | Reply Dan

Found new solution which is a variation of Donna’s suggestion. Even though my Windows login is an Administrator, I ran SSMS as Administrator, disabled Intellisense, closed SSMS, opened SSMS as Administrator, and enabled Intellisense. Intellisense now works for me, regardless whether I run SSMS as Administrator. Previously, same process without running SSMS as Administrator had failed to resolve issue for me.
on November 22, 2012 at 1:36 am | Reply Daniel Ratte

Had the problem today… fixed it.

- Make sure your db dropdown points to the correct db! Sometimes you do something and you look and it’s pointing to master or some other db…
on December 14, 2012 at 3:38 am | Reply Andy Data

awesome, thank you sir.
on December 17, 2012 at 4:28 pm | Reply npazhani

Hi, Today I Installed SQL Server 2008 service pack 2, Now Intellisense is working perfectly.
on December 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm | Reply Haseeb Ahmed

I have tried all the options which you define above but intelliscence still not working please help, I’m using sql2008R2 (10.50RTM)
on January 22, 2013 at 3:25 pm | Reply raja

My problem was not solve still,what can i do pls suggest?
I’m using sql2008R2 (10.50RTM)
on January 28, 2013 at 8:59 pm | Reply Sue

I have tried all of the mentioned steps and I still cant get Intellisense to work.
SQL 2008 (10.0 SP3)
It was working and then all of a sudden it stopped.
Any other suggestions. Wven when I checked to see if the databases were offline teh Bring online was greyed out
on February 1, 2013 at 1:13 pm | Reply Peaceful Salman

Thanks Dave!
Really Cool post mate!
Best Wishes,
~salman~
on February 1, 2013 at 6:09 pm | Reply Joe

Simply running the following latest update to SQL Server (Service Pack 2) fixed everything for us. Enjoy.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/D/C/3DC6663D-8A76-40A6-BCF2-2808C385D56A/SQLServer2008R2SP2-KB2630458-x86-ENU.exe
on February 13, 2013 at 10:16 am | Reply Abhaysingh Narpatsingh Rajpurohit

i have used all step u metioned above still Intellisense is not working
on February 19, 2013 at 3:34 pm | Reply zahid

Thanks, nice Work , it solves my problem…
on February 27, 2013 at 5:10 am | Reply Alexander L.

thank you. excelent Post!
on March 8, 2013 at 1:33 pm | Reply patan

Thanks ,,Its Working super

__________
Patan
on March 28, 2013 at 9:04 am | Reply Sock Hooi

Try all the way.. but seem only re-install Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 work. :) Thanks for suggestion.
on April 6, 2013 at 7:01 am | Reply SQL SERVER – Weekly Series – Memory Lane – #023 | SQL Server Journey with SQL Authority

[...] IntelliSense Does Not Work – Enable IntelliSense While I was working with SQL Server 2008 IntelliSense, I realized that it was not functioning as I expected. Even after I had enabled IntelliSense it was still not opening any suggestions at all. After a while, I figured out some vital information regarding how to make sure IntelliSense smoothly works all the time without you giving any trouble. [...]
on April 11, 2013 at 7:23 pm | Reply Greg

ctrl + shift + R was what I needed… Pinal saves the day!
on April 22, 2013 at 10:11 pm | Reply Jaime

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about %meta_keyword%. Regards
on May 3, 2013 at 10:50 pm | Reply Fabian Hänggi

Only thing that fixed it for me was to run a repair for SQL Server 2008 R2
on May 16, 2013 at 4:30 pm | Reply sangeetha

Thanks a lot!!!
It worked for me…

Sangeetha.