Have you ever forgot or lost your MS SQL Server password? Did you reinstall MS SQL Server or change SQL Server Password by some ways at that time? I once forgot my MS SQL Server password and I reinstalled My MS SQL at last as I failed to find some good methods to solve the problem. What annoying and terrible experience it is! In order to avoid reinstalling SQL Server for a second time due to the same reason, so I collect some methods to change SQL Server password for sa account.
Method 1: Use Command Prompt to Change SQL Server Password
Step 1. Open a command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd)
Step 2. Type the follow commands, and press Enter after each line:
Osql -S yourservername -E
1> EXEC sp_password NULL, 'yourpassword', 'sa'
2> GO
The yourservername is the name of your server, yourpassword is the new sql sa password.
The command line 1> also can be changed to other command, the model is
EXEC sp_password 'oldpassword', 'newpassword', 'sqlaccount'
.
Method 2: Use the Query Windows in Management Studio to Change MS SQL Server Password
Step 1. Open SQL Server Management Studio
Step 2. Open a new query
Step 3. Type the follow commands and excute:
GO
ALTER LOGIN [sa] WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE=[master]
GO
USE [master]
GO
ALTER LOGIN [sa] WITH PASSWORD=N'NewPassword' MUST_CHANGE
GO
The NewPassword is set for your SQL Server sa account.
Method 3: Change SQLServer Password by Windows Authentication
If Builtin/Administrator is present in SQL Server, you can login with an ID which is member of Administrators group and change sa password in SQL Server. Just do as follows:
1. Login into SQL server using Windows Authentication.
2. In Object Explorer, open Security folder, open Logins folder. Right Click on sa account and go to Properties.
3. Type a new SQL sa password, and confirm it. Click OK to finish.
After restarting SQL Server and all its servers, you can log into SQL Server by sa login with new SQL sa password.
Method 4: Change MS SQL Server Password with Third Party Software
In addition to the methods above, you can aslo choose some SQL Server password recovery tool to change SQL Server password. MS SQL Server Password Unlocker is one of the good MS SQL passwrod reset tools which can help you change SQL Server password in a few seconds. It allows you to chage MS SQL password on SQL Server and Express 2000/2005/2008.
Following is a guide for you to change MS SQL password with MS SQL Server Password Unlocker.
Step 1.Download and install MS SQL Server Password Unlocker.
Step 2. Run MS SQL Server Password Unlocker, click Open, import your master.mdf file. All the user names of your MS SQL Server will be displayed.
Step 3. Select an SQL account, click Change password button.
Step 4. Type a new password, and then click OK.
This SQL account password has been reset. You can login with it.
Well, the four solutions are the easy-to-use MS SQL Server Password Reset ways.
