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SA Passwords

  • January 27, 2011 at 2:14 am

    #144449

    Our DBA has left the building and with them goes all the SA passwords for all SQL instances. They have not written them down and there is no way the DBA can be found.

    Is there a way of:

    a) finding out what the password is

    or

    b) changing the password

    SQLCMD is also NOT active

  • January 27, 2011 at 2:50 am

    #1278964

    As long as you have a single sysadmin login (windows authentication one is probably good) you can change the passwords. If you don't, then restart SQL in single user mode and any windows login that's a member of the machine's administrators group will be considered sysadmin

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

  • January 27, 2011 at 3:04 am

    #1278969

    I will try that...thanks for your help

  • January 27, 2011 at 10:29 am

    #1279216

    You can't find the Sa password but you can change it as Gail mentioned. Follow that approach.

    Thank You,

    Best Regards,

    SQLBuddy

  • January 27, 2011 at 10:35 am

    #1279221

    Or use the service account to connect to your sql instance and change the sa password.

    Before doing this, double check no application connects using sa for login. (modify pwd needed in that case)

    Johan

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  • January 27, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    #1279306

    After changing the password, write it down and put it in a safe or save it in an electronic password safe. Then don't use it except for emmergencies. In 17 years as a DBA teh number of times I've actually needed the sa password have been few and far between. Ideally no one should know or have easy access to the sa password.

    Cheers

    Leo

    Leo
    Nothing in life is ever so complicated that with a little work it can't be made more complicated.

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