Otdfbt

I'm trying to log in to a SQL Server 2005 Express instance using the following command:

osql -S .INSTANCE -U sa -P password

I get the error: Login failed for user 'sa'.

I can connect just fine using the -E switch. I must add that it's been working for months. I think someone changed something but I cannot figure out what is it.

This is what I tried:

• 
  

  Login using Windows authentication and changing the sa password:

  
  
  

  sp_password NULL, newpassword, 'sa'

  
  


• 
  

  Enabling 'sa' login:

  
  
  

  ALTER LOGIN sa ENABLE ;
  GO
  ALTER LOGIN sa WITH PASSWORD = 'newpassword' ;
  GO

  
  



• Checked the Windows Registry to ensure that mixed authentication is enabled. The value was correct: LoginMode=2

What else should I check? Thanks in advance.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

This is a Windows 2003 Server. They have some password policies enabled, I remember that I needed to change the default 'sa' password my application uses when it installs SQL Server to another one more complex.

I'm connecting using VNC, so I can't really use SSMS

My application can connect using another SQL Server login, but no 'sa'

Finally, if we don't find a solution I will remove this instance and install it again, but I'd really like to find out what's the problem. Just in case it happens again and just for plain curiosity.

Like @SpaceManSpiff said, don't forget to check if Mixed mode is enabled. Someone changed that setting for me and I had the same problem. Here is how to solve it:

1. Login to the MSSQL Server Management Studio with Windows Authentication.


2. In SQL Server Management Studio Object Explorer, right-click the server, and then click Properties.


3. Under the Server Properties, select a page of "Security".


4. Select the Server authentication as "SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode" and click Ok.
   


5. Restart the SQL Services and then try to login with 'sa' details.

Source:
http://forums.eukhost.com/f15/login-failed-user-sa-microsoft-sql-server-error-18456-a-12544/

Ok, I've been able to figure out what was happening (kind of) and got a workaround.

It seems that one week ago they were playing with the Windows Security policy. They were adding/removing permissions but they can't give me exactly what they did because they really didn't know (ouch!).

Anyway, I connected using Windows authentication (-E switch) and run the following query:

ALTER LOGIN [sa] WITH PASSWORD='newpassword', CHECK_POLICY=OFF
GO
ALTER LOGIN [sa] ENABLE
GO

The key here is CHECK_POLICY=OFF. That made the trick. I hope this will make 'sa' immune to future changes in their domain setup.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Things to check

Password on SA account

Mixed mode enabled

Is the SA account disabled?

Create another SQL account and try it (since you can get in with -E you dhould be able to do this)

Test using an ODBC connection, you can create this connection to see if the SA works

Oh and the always catch all in windows, reboot (seriously, this helps my test SQL server after I've done stuff to it)

I had that problem some years ago after installing a Windows ServicePack (no SQLServer Update, but Windows), the SQLServer refused connections, until the SQLServer ServicePack was installed also! I found a message in the eventlog after some hours.

I think they did this, because they knew there is a big security hole and wanted to force all admins to install the pack. However, since it is some time ago, I don't no the exact versions and so on. I would recommend, you double check you event log and install all/newest service packs.

Assuming you have Management Studio or Management Studio Express installed, can you connect the Management Studio to the instance using sa?

JR

Did you make sure that you restarted the SQL Server service after you made the registry change?

Did somebody remove the database which was the default database for "sa"?

If that is the problem, try

EXEC sp_defaultdb 'sa', 'New default database'