Change my local named SQL Instance from 'localhost\sql05' to just 'localhost'

Question

I currently have a SQL Server 2005 instance installed on my local machine, and at the time of installation I named the instance 'localhost\sql05'

Can I easily change this to just 'localhost'

Answer 1

From what I can tell, the best option is to simply install the instance with the name you would like, move the DB's over, and then remove the instance you want to replace. While the link to CodeJournal seems promising, I don't believe it will yield positive results.

http://www.coderjournal.com/2008/02/how-to-change-instance-name-of-sql-server/

Also see this post (duplicate here on SO)...
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/907851/change-sql-server-instance-name

Answer 2

Would creating an alias help? http://www.mssqltips.com/tip.asp?tip=1620

Answer 3

The only way to rename an instance is to uninstall it and re-install it under the correct instance name. Tricks that try to work around the name like creating an alias or making the named instance listen on the default port but they sometimes work sometimes don't, and they can fail in seemingly random manner, eg. due to the SPN (Service Principal Name) requested by the client during authentication.