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SQL Server connection lost when SA password is changed

Learn why SQL Server 2000 connection is lost on the client side when database administrator changes 'SA' password on the SQL Server domain.

Steven Andres
Special Ops Security
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I'm having a problem with SQL Server 2000 connectivity. I have a domain and this SQL Server is on the same domain. But, whenever I change the administrator password, the SQL Server loses its connectivity with its clients. Can you tell me what the problem is?
Without seeing any of the source code, this is hard to troubleshoot. However, it sounds like the password to the administrator account (and here I'm assuming you mean the "SA" account) is hard-coded into whatever client-side application you're using. When you change the password on the server, the clients all fail because they are unable to login. Check the SQL error log to confirm this (look for authentication failures). You may need to re-write the client-side application to make the password configurable instead of hard-coded.

This was last published in December 2007

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