Microsoft KB Archive/322988

= PRB: sp_grantlogin &quot;NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM&quot; Fails on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 =

Article ID: 322988

Article Last Modified on 10/9/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q322988



SYMPTOMS
When you try to add the Local System Account to Microsoft SQL Server on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (for example, sp_grantlogin 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM'), the attempt fails and you receive the following error message:

Server: Msg 15401, Level 11, State 1, Procedure sp_grantlogin, Line 41 Windows NT user or group 'NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM' not found. Check the name again.

NOTE: By default, the Local System Account is a member of the local Administrators group and is therefore a member of the sysadmin group in SQL Server.



RESOLUTION
The only way to grant &quot;Local System Account&quot; (NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM) access to Microsoft SQL Server is to use the post-Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a (SP6a) Security Rollup package.

For additional information about this fix, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

299444 Post-Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6a Security Rollup Package (SRP)



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, upgrade the operating system from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 to a more recent platform. For example, upgrade the operating system to Microsoft Windows 2000 or to Microsoft Windows XP.