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Change passwords for SQL Server services (SharePoint Server 2010)

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Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010, SharePoint Foundation 2010

The SQL Server service and the SQL Server Agent service must be associated with Windows accounts in order to run. If the accounts have passwords -- that is, if they are anything other than the Local System account, the Local Service account, or the Network Service account -- then you must update the password for the service when the account's password changes.

Important

Perform these procedures during a scheduled maintenance period. When you change the password, you will have to restart the service. SharePoint Server will be unable to connect to the database while the service is unavailable.

Important

Do not change the passwords for the service accounts when a failover cluster node is offline. If you do this, you will have to reset the password again when all nodes are back online.

In this article:

  • Change the password for the SQL Server service

  • Change the password for the SQL Server Agent service

Change the password for the SQL Server service

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • To change the password for the SQL Server service, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the computer that is running SQL Server.

  2. Click Start, and then click Server Manager.

  3. In the navigation pane of the Server Manager window, expand Configuration, and then click Services.

  4. In the middle pane, right-click the service named SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER), and then click Properties.

  5. In the Properties dialog box, on the Log On tab, type the new password in the Password and Confirm password boxes.

  6. You must restart the service for the changes to be saved. On the General tab, under Service status, click Stop to stop the service.

  7. If a dialog box appears that notifies you that other services will also stop, click Yes to stop the dependent services.

  8. When the service has stopped, click Start to start the service.

  9. Click OK to save the changes.

To change the password for the SQL Server Agent service

  1. Verify that you have the following administrative credentials:

    • To change the password for the SQL Server Agent service, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the computer that is running SQL Server.

  2. Click Start, and then click Server Manager.

  3. In the navigation pane of the Server Manager window, expand Configuration, and then click Services.

  4. In the middle pane, right-click the service named SQL Server Agent (MSSQLSERVER), and then click Properties.

  5. In the Properties dialog box, on the Log On tab, type the new password in the Password and Confirm password boxes.

  6. You must restart the service for the changes to be saved. On the General tab, under Service status, click Stop to stop the service.

  7. If a dialog box appears that notifies you that other services will also stop, click Yes to stop the dependent services.

  8. When the service has stopped, click Start to start the service.

  9. Click OK to save the changes.