SQL - How to verify MSDE/SQL2005 Express password
Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 1:24 pm
How to verify and change the system administrator password in MSDE or SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322336
How to verify if the SA password is blank
This step-by-step article discusses the steps you can use to change the SQL Server sa (system administrator) password.
You can configure Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express, Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) versions 2000, or
earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server to run in Mixed Authentication mode. The sa account is created during the
installation process and the sa account has full rights in the SQL Server environment. By default, the sa password is
blank (NULL), unless you change the password when you run the MSDE Setup program. To conform with the best
security practices, you must change the sa password to a strong password at the first opportunity.
How to verify if the SA password is blank
1. On the computer that is hosting the instance of MSDE to which you are connecting, open a command prompt window.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER: osql -U sa
This connects you to the local, default instance of MSDE by using the sa account.
To connect to a named instance installed on your computer type: osql -U sa -S servername\instancename
You are now at the following prompt:
Password:
3. Press ENTER again. This will pass a NULL (blank) password for sa. If you are now at the following prompt, after you press ENTER, then you do not have a password for the sa account:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322336
How to verify if the SA password is blank
This step-by-step article discusses the steps you can use to change the SQL Server sa (system administrator) password.
You can configure Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express, Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) versions 2000, or
earlier versions of Microsoft SQL Server to run in Mixed Authentication mode. The sa account is created during the
installation process and the sa account has full rights in the SQL Server environment. By default, the sa password is
blank (NULL), unless you change the password when you run the MSDE Setup program. To conform with the best
security practices, you must change the sa password to a strong password at the first opportunity.
How to verify if the SA password is blank
1. On the computer that is hosting the instance of MSDE to which you are connecting, open a command prompt window.
2. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER: osql -U sa
This connects you to the local, default instance of MSDE by using the sa account.
To connect to a named instance installed on your computer type: osql -U sa -S servername\instancename
You are now at the following prompt:
Password:
3. Press ENTER again. This will pass a NULL (blank) password for sa. If you are now at the following prompt, after you press ENTER, then you do not have a password for the sa account: