In order, here are questions to answer to narrow down database problems.
Is MySQL (or MariaDB) installed?
Go to Start Menu, All Programs, and look for MySQL, which should have MySQL Server and MySQL Workbench. (Some computers may have MariaDB instead of MySQL.)
- If missing, install (directions).
Is MySQL running?
Try connecting using CSPM or MySQL Workbench.
If that fails, see if the "service" is running: at the start menu, type "services" and click on the ...Window services icon
Check there there is a service named MySQL, and that its status is "Started."
- If MySQL is not there, it has not been properly installed. Uninstall and reinstall from new (hopefully you have a saved database backup file).
Can you connect to the database in Workbench?
Open MySQL Workbench, click on the gray box ("Local instance MySQL")
Can you connect to the database in CSPM?
Go to CSPM, Options, Local settings; make sure the username, password, database name, and computer are correct. Click the Test button (see item 10 in cspm_local page).
Use "localhost" for the server name if you installed MySQL on your machine.
In SPM8, "sidata" was the usual name, and in SPM12, it's "sidata14".
Is the database configured with the correct structure (the correct tables)?
Simplest is to open the CSPM Subjects GUI; if this fails, most likely the database structure has not been loaded (see restore/new page).