Microsoft KB Archive/931976

= You may be prompted to enter the old password when you try to reset the password of a SQL Server login by using a SQL Server login that is a member of the securityadmin fixed server role in SQL Server 2005 =

Article ID: 931976

Article Last Modified on 11/20/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard X64 Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise X64 Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Workgroup Edition
 * Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services

-



INTRODUCTION
This article discusses a scenario in which you may be prompted to enter the old password when you try to reset the password of a login by using a SQL Server login that is a member of the securityadmin fixed server role in Microsoft SQL Server 2005.



MORE INFORMATION
When you try to reset the password of a login (target login) by using a login (current login) that is a member of the securityadmin fixed server role in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), you may be prompted to enter the old password in the Login Properties -  dialog box.

You are prompted to enter the old password if the current login is not a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.

However, if you use a Transact-SQL statement or managed code to reset the password of the target login, you do not have to provide the old password if the following conditions are true:
 * The current login is not a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.
 * The target login is not a member of the sysadmin fixed server role.
 * The target login does not have the CONTROL SERVER permission.

The following table illustrates the difference in behavior between using the graphic user interface (GUI) of SSMS and using code such as a Transact-SQL statement or managed code when you reset the password of a SQL Server login.

In Scenario 1, the behavior is different when you use the GUI to reset the password and when you use code to reset the password.

