WordPress on Windows 2012 using SQL Server 2012 Standard

HELP!!! I’m tearing my hair out.

WordPress 4.4.1
Wordpress-Database-Abstraction 1.1.4

Windows 2012 Datacenter
SQL Server 2012 Standard

Had to manually create (using the sample file) wp-config.php

/** MySQL database username */
define('DB_USER', 'userid');

/** MySQL database password */
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');

/** MySQL hostname */
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

/** Database Charset to use in creating database tables. */
define('DB_CHARSET', 'utf8');

/** The Database Collate type. Don't change this if in doubt. */
define('DB_COLLATE', '');

/** The Database Type. */
define('DB_TYPE', 'pdo_sqlsrv');

When I try to run the install.php, I continually get the “Error establishing a database connection”.

SQL Server Mixed Mode authentication: yes
PHP Manager shows the pdo_sqlsrv.dll among all the other prerequisite dlls are enabled.

I’ve run a test db connection web page and it show a valid connection. So I don’t know what to do. Help!!!

sample test.php code snippet to test db connection (this works!)

$serverName = "localhost";
$conn1 = new PDO( "sqlsrv:server=$serverName ; Database=mydbname", "userid", "password");
$conn1->setAttribute( PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION );

if( $conn1 ) {
     echo "Connection1 established.<br />";
}else{
     echo "Connection1 could not be established.<br />";
     die( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true));
}