Why is SQL Server 2008 Management Studio Intellisense not working?

I'm being driven to insanity trying to figure out why Intellisense just fails to work at all. The server I'm using is local and is 2008, the database is set to 2008 compatibility, Intellisense is on in every menu I can find, and yet no member list will pop up even with a CTRL-J.

Has anyone experienced something like this and found a way to fix it? I really can't bring myself to start work unless I have Intellisense working.

I understand this post is old but if anybody is still searching and has not found a solution to the intellisense issue even after re-installing, applying the cumulative updates, or other methods, then I hope I may be of assistance.

I have Applied SQL 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 which you can download here

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

32 Bit: SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x86-ENU.exe

64 Bit: SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x64-ENU.exe

I have applied this SP1 and now my intellisense works again. I hope this helps! (:

Visual Studio 2010 SP1 breaks SSMS 2008 R2's IntelliSense. There is a connect about that, and fortunately there is also a fix for that.

(In short, you will need to install Cumulative Update package 7 for SQL Server 2008 R2 by requesting SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86or

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

from this hotfix request page.)

EDIT: As @Paul Lemke noted, one might need to get the latest CU package. This blog contains the SQL server releases. (As of this writing, the latest is CU14)

For SQL Server 2008 R2, installing Cumulative Update 7 will fix the problem. The file you need is

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86
or
SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

I also had to uninstall and re-install SQL Server 2008 first (which didn't fix it, but the CU did).

No need to reinstall.

Click on the setup file. Then go to maintenance and click on Repair. This should correct the intellisense problem.

I just the had same problem. I figured out that Intellisense stopped working after I took some databases offline and doing an Intellisense refresh (Ctrl-Shift-R). I brought the offline databases back online, did a refresh (Ctl-Shft-R) again and VOILA! Intellisense is working again.

What a crappy design. Maybe the population of Intellisense's lists chokes when a database exists but is offline. Thanks Microsoft.

I don't want to suggest a product out of turn, since getting Intellisense running is probably the best option, but I've struggled with the accursed no intellisense on Management Studio for months. Reinstallation, CU7 update, refreshing caches, sacrificing chickens to pagan gods; nothing has helped.

I was about to pay for RedGate's SqlPrompt (pretty damned pricey, $195 US), when I found SqlComplete.

http://www.devart.com/dbforge/sql/sqlcomplete/?gclid=CN2xs_Lw7akCFcYZHAodpicXXw

There is a free version which does the basics, and the full version is only $50!

I'm a database architect, and while I can remember the commands, auto complete saves me heaps of time. If you're stuck and can't get Intellisense to work, try SqlComplete. It saved me hours of hassle.

I recently wrote a tip about troubleshooting IntelliSense. The title says SQL Server 2012 but most of the techniques can be applied to earlier versions of Management Studio as well.

• Troubleshooting IntelliSense in SQL Server Management Studio

I ended up fixing it by reinstalling SQL Server 2008. This wasn't at all optimal, but if someone comes across a similar problem be sure to know this route will probably work.

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 !

I'm posting this here as I am sure more people will be comeing across this issue. I installed Security Update for microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1 (KB2565057) and lost Intellisense in SQL Server Management studio 2008 (not R2).

An uninstall of the SP restored Intellisense .. Don't you just love Microsoft????

After finding this thread, I discovered that my Intellisense only broke after taking a database offline, and any offline database(s) on the instance would kill Intellisense.

In this thread, explaining that in order to restore Intellisense, you must

• take the necessary databases offline, then
• restart the server instance, and finally
• refresh the Intellisense cache.

This procedure has worked for me and Intellisense is now working again.

I've had the same problem too. Searched everywhere online and can't find a solution. I did install Redgate's SQL Prompt which functions similarly to Intellisense, so maybe there was a conflict. I've since stopped the Prompt from running, but now no intellisense at all. Using SQL Server 2008 will SQLCMD mode off, no luck at all. This has happened before, a reinstall of SQL Server was the only thing that I could get to work.

Same problem, but just re-installing SQL Management Studio 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 worked for me. I left my DB engine alone. The DB engine is not the problem, just SQL Management Studio getting hosed by Visual Studio SP1.

Installers here...

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

I installed SQLManagementStudio_x86_ENU.exe (32 bit for my machine).

When trying the accepted answer, I was getting an installation error: A failure was detected for a previous installation, patch, or repair blah, blah, blah...

To fix this, in my registry, I changed all DWORD values to 1 in the following Keys: (As always be careful modifying the registry and [create a backup of the key][1] before changing anything)

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\100\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\ConfigurationState HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\ConfigurationState

See my full post about [Fixing Intellisense issue in SSMS][2].

[1]: http://antivirus.about.com/cs/tutorials/ht/regkey.htm "create a backup of the key" [2]: http://www.someguyssite.com/technology/intellisense-not-working-in-sql-server-management-studio/ "Fix SSMS Intellisense"

Here is the official word on this from MS.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2531482

Their solution is the same as above, install the SQL Server 2008 R2 updates with the version 10.50.1777.0.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2507770

I did all of the above and ultimately gave up. Then one last resort was a third part SQL Intellisense add-on I found SQL Complete Express by devArt.

It's Intellisense plus more. Intellisense is back and all is well.

Supports SSMS 2005 - 2012 also includes Visual Studio Add-In.

SQL Complete

For SQL Server 2008 R2, installing Cumulative Update 7 will fix the problem. The file you need is

SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x86 or SQLServer2008R2_RTM_CU7_2507770_10_50_1777_x64

I also had to uninstall and re-install SQL Server 2008 first (which didn't fix it, but the CU did).

this is Direct Link From MS that i was got it Hot Fix