I forgot my SA password for my instance of SQL 2000

Question

Hi all,

I have SQL 2000 and I forgot my SA password and cannot login as administrator using windows authentication.

Is there any way to reset SA password?

"Mixed Mode" authentication is enabled.

If I change authentication mode in register to Windows only and then after restarting SQL change it back to Mixed, will it reset SA password to "null"?

Thanks in advance.

 

Answer 1

 

If you log onto the machine with the Database server installed and use the local administrator account or a network administrator account you should be able to reset the password.

Answer 2

Just in addition to Glenns post and your qustion: It won´t reset the password to null with changing the authentication type back and forth. If you don´t have any GUI to administer your passwords you can use the procedure sp_password passing in a NULL for the old password parameter, as you don´t need the old if you are logged on as a user with sysadmin / securityadmin rights.

HTH, Jens Suessmeyer.

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Answer 3

As I said before I can't login even with local Administrator. I don't know what is going on. It is so weird.

Answer 4

 

Try

 

sp_password NULL,NULL,'sa'

 

Assuming you never created password at the first place. parameter 1 is Old password, parameters 2 is new password, parameter 3 is user.

Answer 5

Anubis7179,

Did you resolve the login problem? I have one sql server MSDE 2000, I don't have sa password and I login sql box using local admin account, still cannot connect to the instance, the instance is running under "LocalSystem".

Thanks,
beijingwazi

Answer 6

you'll need another sql server instance & be able to stop the db & copy the master data /log file but try this: http://nick.kavadias.org/2009/04/re-setting-the-sa-password-without-admin-privileges/

Answer 7

Nick,

Thank you very much for your reply. I believe your method will work. I just need to persuade bussiness users to give me some server downtime to do that.

I will try.

Beijingwazi