Comments on: SQL SERVER – FIX : Error: 18486 Login failed for user ‘sa’ because the account is currently locked out. The system administrator can unlock it. – Unlock SA Login

By: siva

siva — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:57:45 +0000

Hi All,

in one of my application i am running multiple reports in singleshot, but the issue is after running about 20 to 30 reports the ‘sa’ account of sql is getting lockedout. please help to fix this issue.
thanks in advance.

By: jani

jani — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:14:13 +0000

Dear All
i am using os win server 2003 enterprise edition, Sql server 2000 and Vb 6.0
Dear and install all supported applications crystal report Bism etc now when i am going to open vb exe file or application at that time i got this error

and try to search resolve this issue but still failed so please kindly help me as soon as possible
me waiting all of your reply

By: ReneVilleda

ReneVilleda — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:06:20 +0000

Hi, maybe too late, but personally I found another issue with some users that can not login with sa account
For some reason I do not know, I found a sa account with no default database, so they can not login with sa account, I just change the default database and “voila”, they can login again with no trouble
Hope It helps anyone

By: Sumesh

Sumesh — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:27:59 +0000

Hello,

Im using asp.net2.0 and sql sever 2000 in my windows server 2003 system. While im run my asp program the following error message arise.”Login failed for user ‘sa’.”. I have change my authentication mode to mixed mode,but the issue is still persisting.Could you plese look into this and tell how to fix this problem.

By: Dora

Dora — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:49:43 +0000

Hi,

This article is very interesting !
But there’ s something that i need to know :
You talked about how to unlock an account locked because of wrong passwords but what i need to know is how to enforce password policy to lock an SQL login as ‘sa’ after multiple numbers of failed attempts for example 3 attempts ?
How can i do this ??
I want to lock the account user with SQL authentication after 3 times of wrong passwords ? HOW ?
Thank you to help

By: manisha

manisha — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:08:11 +0000

it works@@@ Thanks a lot!!!

By: Shiju

Shiju — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 08:47:23 +0000

Really helpful….thanks a ton

By: hemu

hemu — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:10:37 +0000

Really useful……grt :)

By: Chalapathi Pinisetty

Chalapathi Pinisetty — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:36:28 +0000

Hi Pinal,

Can you explain how Active directory users can use SQL Server in a domain

Thanks.

By: Susan Van Eyck

Susan Van Eyck — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:32:39 +0000

Thank you so much for clearing up a big mystery!

I’ve had SQL-authenticated user accounts apparently locking and unlocking themselves for no good reason, and without DBA-assistance.

It’s good to finally understand that the server’s local security settings affect my SQL logins!

By: Arun Prasad

Arun Prasad — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:44:36 +0000

Worked like a charm!!!

Thanx a lot!

By: lgpadilla

lgpadilla — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:25:41 +0000

Hello!!!

The fix worked great, tks!!!

By: Rajiv Singh

Rajiv Singh — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:13:09 +0000

Hi Pinal,

As in your entire article 4th & 5th option are valuable for security purpose. If the application running on web then It should follow to all DBA for security purpose.

Regards,
Rajiv Singh

By: Dustin

Dustin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:13:02 +0000

@ Imran Mohammed

Thanks a lot! That worked for me!!!!

->Connected to the Management Console, logged in with Windows Authentication instead of SQL Server Authentication! So i had Administrative rights and was able to set the ‘sa’ account back on! Thats it!

Great :-)

By: Imran Mohammed

Imran Mohammed — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:56:57 +0000

@Kunal.

SQL Server provides two types of Authentication,

Windows Authentication and SQl Server Authentication.

You can have Windows Authentication and
You can have Windows + SQL Server Authentication.

In no case you will have only SQL Server Authenticatication, you are talking about a hypothetical example which would never exists.

If you have an exception other than what I explained above, please provide more details or ask your friend to write a reply to this post.

Thanks,
~ IM.

By: Kunal

Kunal — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:59:41 +0000

Dear Pindal,
My Friend Forgot the SA password in SQL SERVER 2005

Is there any way to Reset “SA” password if the SQL Server is in SQL Server Authentication Mode Only….
and there is no other sysadmin account.

Is there any way to change the Sql Server Authentication mode from Sql to Mixed Mode.

By: Brian Tkatch

Brian Tkatch — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:02:14 +0000

Good idea for #5.

Is there a way to restrict the source for a login? For example, to restrict sa to be a local login.