After installing SQL Server 2014 Express can't find local db

Question

I have downloaded and installed SQL Server 2014 Express (from this site:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server-editions/sql- server-express.aspx#Installation_Options).

The problem is that I can’t connect/find my local DB server, and I can’t
develop DB on my local PC. How can I reach my local server?

My system consists of Windows 8.1 (no Pro or Enterprise editions) 64 bits

Checking the configuration of SQL Server with SQL Server 2014 Configuration Manager tool, I see an empty list selecting “SQL Server Services” from the
tree at the left. Below you can find a screenshot.

In the Windows Services list, there is just only one service: “SQL Server
VSS Writer”

EDIT My installation window of SQL Server 2014 is the following:

Answer 1

Most probably, you didn’t install any SQL Server Engine service. If no SQL
Server engine is installed, no service will appear in the SQL Server
Configuration Manager tool. Consider that the packages
SQLManagementStudio_Architecture_Language.exe and
SQLEXPR_Architecture_Language.exe, available in the Microsoft
site contain,
respectively only the Management Studio GUI Tools and the SQL Server engine.

If you want to have a full featured SQL Server installation, with the database
engine and Management Studio, download the installer file of SQL Server
with Advanced Services. Moreover, to have a sample database in
order to perform some local tests, use the Adventure Works
database.

Considering the package of SQL Server with Advanced Services , at the
beginning at the installation you should see something like this (the
screenshot below is about SQL Server 2008 Express, but the feature selection
is very similar). The checkbox next to “Database Engine Services” must be
checked. In the next steps, you will be able to configure the instance
settings and other options.

Execute again the installation process and select the database engine services
in the feature selection step. At the end of the installation, you should be
able to see the SQL Server services in the SQL Server Configuration Manager.