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Cannot transfer my Access tables using the new SSMA 10.4 version

James Johnson 5 Reputation points
2025-12-27T19:33:44.8766667+00:00

I would like to get SSMA 10.3 (Access → SQL Server edition) since I cannot use the current version which gives me the "Error Bad parameters for connection” regression in 10.4."

I am running SQL Server Express, SSMA and VStudio 2022 Express so I need to get my Access tables into an SQL database.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Jim Johnson

SQL Server Migration Assistant
SQL Server Migration Assistant

A Microsoft tool designed to automate database migration to SQL Server from Access, DB2, MySQL, Oracle, and SAP ASE.

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  1. David Beck 10 Reputation points
    2026-01-26T11:19:15.7166667+00:00

    This process worked for me:
    Go through the conversion process
    When the error shows click Close on the pop up
    Go to File and Save the project
    Close SSMA (Not sure if this is required)
    Load the newly saved Project from the File menu
    This should now connect to the SQL correctly and create the DB

    Microsoft should have really fixed this by now.

    2 people found this answer helpful.

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  1. Kalpesh Nardekar 0 Reputation points
    2026-01-05T05:26:15.4766667+00:00

    This looks like a known regression issue in SSMA 10.4 rather than a problem with your setup.

    A practical workaround is to roll back to SSMA 10.3 (Access → SQL Server). Many users have reported that 10.3 works correctly, while 10.4 throws the “Bad parameters for connection” error in certain environments, especially with SQL Server Express.

    What you can do:

    Uninstall SSMA 10.4 completely.

    Install SSMA 10.3 along with the matching SSMA Extension Pack.

    Retry the migration—this usually resolves the issue.

    Also, just to be safe, double-check:

    Your SQL Server instance name (e.g., .\SQLEXPRESS)

    TCP/IP is enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager

    SQL Server service is restarted after any changes

    SSMA is run as Administrator

    If downgrading is not an option, an alternative approach is to export the Access tables (CSV/Excel) and import them into SQL Server using the Import and Export Wizard, but reverting to SSMA 10.3 is the simplest and most reliable fix right now.

    Hope this helps.This looks like a known regression issue in SSMA 10.4 rather than a problem with your setup.

    A practical workaround is to roll back to SSMA 10.3 (Access → SQL Server). Many users have reported that 10.3 works correctly, while 10.4 throws the “Bad parameters for connection” error in certain environments, especially with SQL Server Express.

    What you can do:

    Uninstall SSMA 10.4 completely.

    Install SSMA 10.3 along with the matching SSMA Extension Pack.

    Retry the migration—this usually resolves the issue.

    Also, just to be safe, double-check:

    Your SQL Server instance name (e.g., .\SQLEXPRESS)

    TCP/IP is enabled in SQL Server Configuration Manager

    SQL Server service is restarted after any changes

    SSMA is run as Administrator

    If downgrading is not an option, an alternative approach is to export the Access tables (CSV/Excel) and import them into SQL Server using the Import and Export Wizard, but reverting to SSMA 10.3 is the simplest and most reliable fix right now.

    Hope this helps.

  2. Erland Sommarskog 133.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-12-27T20:07:09.8966667+00:00

    A few more people have run into this problem, which you can see if you look at older posts for this exact tag SQL Server Migration Assistant. If you look at these posts, it seems that the answer seems to be that the only way to get it resolved is to open a support case. The answers for these posts have some links for how do to that.

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  3. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-27T19:33:53.89+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    If you are experiencing issues with SSMA 10.4, such as the "Error Bad parameters for connection" regression, it may be helpful to check for any updates or patches that Microsoft has released for SSMA. Unfortunately, I cannot provide a way to revert to SSMA 10.3 directly, but you can consider the following steps:

    1. Check Compatibility: Ensure that your SQL Server Express version is compatible with SSMA 10.4. Sometimes, mismatches can lead to connection issues.
    2. Review Connection Parameters: Double-check the connection parameters you are using in SSMA to ensure they are correct. This includes server name, database name, and authentication method.
    3. Consult Documentation: Refer to the official documentation for any known issues or troubleshooting steps related to SSMA 10.4.
    4. Community Support: Consider reaching out to community forums or Microsoft support for assistance with the specific error you are encountering.

    If the issue persists, you may want to wait for a future update or patch that addresses the regression in SSMA 10.4.

    References:

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