SqlException: A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process.

I downloaded the nopCommerce project from Github and on the first run, this is the error I get:

An error occurred while starting the application.
Win32Exception: The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.
Unknown location

SqlException: A connection was successfully established with the server, but then an error occurred during the login process. (provider: SSL Provider, error: 0 - The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.)
Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, bool breakConnection, Action<Action> wrapCloseInAction)

DependencyResolutionException: An exception was thrown while activating λ:Nop.Core.Domain.Common.CommonSettings.
Autofac.Core.Resolving.Middleware.ActivatorErrorHandlingMiddleware.Execute(ResolveRequestContext context, Action<ResolveRequestContext> next)

Win32Exception: The certificate chain was issued by an authority that is not trusted.

Please assist. I see on the internet some solutions suggest setting the Trusted Server Certificate to True but that seems to be the case already. I'm also a bit unsure where such a connection string would be located in the code.

Hi,
The "Trusted Server Certificate = True" or "Encrypt = False" can be added (or be found) inside the  connection string in the \App_Data\appsettings.json file.

For the first run, this file \App_Data\appsettings.json does not exist.

Yes, true.
I have mentioned the appsettings.json file because of this (" I'm also a bit unsure where such a connection string would be located in the code").

Are you using the latest version of nopCommerce? - i can see autofac (IoC) in the error info which is quite strange.
   -Trusted Server Certificate =True or (Encrypt = false) params are only related to the nopCommerce version 4.50.

Also please check out this link https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/connect/error-message-when-you-connect

I'm using the latest from the develop branch in the nopCommerce repo. I also went to the mentioned azure documentation. It didn't help.

I'm seeing more info that can help debug this. The error is being thrown at line 234 in nopCommerce\src\Libraries\Nop.Data\EntityRepository.cs. When I look at the query object on that line, it has a DataContext object  (of type LinqToDB.DataContext). That object has a ConnectionString attribute in it that looks like the following: Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=nopCommerce;Integrated Security=True;Persist Security Info=False

That's where the error is being thrown at. Could the connection string be the issue?

This is a link to the debugging session image that has the info aforementioned:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bZgxtcgrtlm5Snzc8AjM-MiBNW7csJJX/view

I have just downloaded the code from the develop branch too.
I'm using Microsoft SQL Server 2019 (RTM) - 15.0.2000.5 (X64)   Sep 24 2019 13:48:23   Copyright (C) 2019 Microsoft Corporation  Express Edition (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro 10.0 <X64> (Build 19044: ) .

This is how i have configured the /install step:
https://prnt.sc/miendiMKoMft

The install process went ok without a problem (Visual Studio 2022).
The generated appsettings.json file:
https://prnt.sc/tPYD33IAfxRx

Nop its running without a problem:
https://prnt.sc/iBmj_hIu8XWO

Thanks for your help, Daniel. I was able to run the project after deleting the project and downloading it anew. I had an old copy of the repo to which I git pulled the latest changes. It probably didn't update to the exact latest copy of the repo. That's why I was getting the errors but it's all working fine now.