Newbie, can't find my database

Question

Hi, I just took over a cold fusion site and am in the process
of updating. This is my first experience with cf and databases.
I have installed CFMX7.0.1 on mac ox 10.4 and have put the
site in the wwwroot folder. When I try to test the site I get an
error stating "Error Occurred While Processing Request
Data source xxx could not be found." - (am using dreamweaver
with cf setup as the testing server)
I have not set the data source in "Data Sources" of the admin
control panel because frankly I can't find it. On the server there
is a folder called database (above the www folder) and in the www
folder there are several files with names starting with sql_xxx.
the contents of the files are like this..."
<cfparam name="contestid" default="">
<cfquery name="getcontest" datasource="#request.dsn#">
SELECT *
FROM Contest
WHERE
0=0
<cfif len(contestid)>
AND id = #id#
</cfif>
</cfquery>
this seems like a db query to me?? but I can't find the
"request.dsn".
any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

hi - For a start, #request.dsn# will simply contain the DSN
name (the one you masked out with XXX in the error message).
If you go into CF Admin, I assume this DSN does not exist?
Do you have any idea what type of database was installed? If
Access, you'll be looking for file with the .MDB extension, if SQL
Server, there'll be a directory under Program Files (if running
Windows) called MSSQL or Microsoft SQL Server, if MySQL there'll
most likely be a directory under Prog Files called 'MySQL'. For
MySQL you should find a directory called 'Data'. Any folders
therein are databases. For MSSQL , also look for a 'Data'
directory. The databases here are contained in MDF/LDF files. You
should be able to work out the name of the actual database from
this.
Now simply log into the CF Admin and create a new datasource
with the driver appropriate to the type of database.
I hope this gets you at least a little closer!
regards
Jon