By Hally | Last Updated
Forgot SQL Server SA password 2014? But you want to login SQL Server 2014 database now? Follow the two methods to recover or reset SQL Server 2014 SA forgotten password.
Two authentication modes can be used to login SQL Server database, Windows Authentication mode and SQL Server Authentication mode. If you don't want to take any other tools to recover SQL Server 2014 SA password, login SQL Server with Windows Authentication mode and you can recover SA forgotten password in SA account properties settings window.
Step 1: Open SQL Server 2014 Database Engine, and choose the authentication mode Windows Authentication. Connect to SQL Server 2014 Database.
Note: If "Windows Authentication" mode is not available, please refer to Method 2 to reset SQL Server SA forgotten password with SQL password recovery tool.
Step 2: Navigate to the SQL Server Logins, select SA and right-click on it to choose Properties.
Step 3: In Login Properties window, select General option and type new complex password in Password and Confirm password box. Or you can delete the old forgotten SA password and let it to be blank.
Please make sure that SQL Server allows SA account to connect to database. If you are not sure, navigate to Status option and choose Grant and Enabled in the right side of the window.
Step 4: Press OK and exit Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.
While only SQL Server Authentication mode is available to connect to SQL Server 2014, I think SQL password recovery tool would be the best method to reset SA forgotten password. Without access to SQL Server with old SA password, you still can easily reset SA password, as long as you have SQL Server password recovery tool in hand, such as SQL Password Genius.
Step 1: Download and install SQL Password Genius on your computer.
Step 2: Run SQL Password Genius and click Open File button to import master.mdf file.
Before running SQL Password Genius to import password protected MDF file to reset SA password, please stop SQL Server services. Point to Start - All Programs - Microsoft SQL Server - Configuration Tools - SQL Server Configuration Managerto stop it.
And master MDF file is typically located in the folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data
Step 3: Select SA account in user list and tap Reset button.
Step 4: Type new password in pop-up dialog and click OK to reset SA account password for SQL Server 2014.
If SQL Server 2014 SA password reset is successful, you would receive a message like this after Step 4.
Click OK to confirm that you have successfully reset SQL Server 2014 SA password, and you can see new password in user list. SA password has changed to be new one you just set.
After resetting SQL Server 2014 SA password with SQL Password Genius, before login SQL Server 2014 with SA account, please start SQL Server Services in SQL Server Configuration Manager at first, and then you can access SQL Server 2014 with SA account and new password.
Related Articles:
