sa\Admin password unknown -- trouble...

  • We have an application that has been running for several years and people rely on it. It used an Access database but now uses MSDE 2000 instead.

    The company won't give us (the local staff) the "sa" password (I've tried blank) and <Domain>\Administrator doesn't work either. I can't acces it via QA or under EM.

    What can I do? Password crackers?

    Bill

    P.S. The company recommends we back up the database by stopping the sql services then copying the mdf and ldf file. Thank them for nothing!

  • Who's maintaining the user logins for SQL Server? Can you ask them to give you sysadmin access instead of giving out the sa password?


    Darren

  • dgermundson,

    Unfortunately, no one is giving out logins! The "sa" password is apparently hardcoded in the app and users are not expected to be added!

    Bill

  • Don't they perform a backup to a local device?

  • Guess you don't have source for the app? Tried browsing the .exe with Notepad? How about just overwriting master with a clean copy and reattaching the db, call tech support tell them the app quit working, they'll have to cough up the password!

    Andy

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/awarren/

  • Try this, have not tried it myself but it might be helpful

    http://www.nextgenss.com/papers/cracking-sql-passwords.pdf

  • There are different kinds of softwares which you need to buy licences to install. One is call Advanced password recovery tool. Try to search for downloads on google search.

    Good Luck.

  • Ask for your Lan Id to be added to the local administrators group on the box - if they haven't changed the BUILTIN\Administrators login - that might give you Sysadmin access there.


    Stanislav Petkov

  • Thanks to everyone for their help.

    Those bas****s have stripped the BUILTIN\Admins group form their database. Backup? They say Stop the Sql service and copy the mdf\ldf files. What a piece of **** software. I will be looking for password cracker.

    Bill

  • Can you stop the application? What is the account of SQL services? Normally this account have administratives privileges on SQL Server. You can change the password of the account and in the service too. I did it once and worked fine. You need a special care because you don´t know what is the application´s account (i.e. can be the same of account service)

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