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For anyone who has run Microsoft SQL Server under a domain account, the first thing that comes to mind upon thinking about changing the account or the account password is planning for downtime. However, starting Microsoft SQL Server 2008, this does not have to be the case.
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and below
In Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and below, changing the account password for the Microsoft SQL Server service normally involved:
Restarting the SQL Server means downtime for your applications – a message which no administrator wants to take to the rest of the organization.
Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and above
Starting Microsoft SQL Server 2008, this is no longer the case. If the above steps are followed, then one might end up with at least one of the following issues:
If the following steps are followed, then the Microsoft SQL Server service does not need to be restarted and the appropriate Windows Registry permissions also set automatically.
The right way:
Alternatively, you can run the following on the “Run” prompt:
Within the SQL Server Configuration Manager, go to the “SQL Server Services” node, in the right-hand side pane, you will see all the SQL Server services listed.
Simply right-click on the required SQL Server Service and go to “Properties”:
Next, change the domain service password and click OK:
Once the password has been changed – there is no need for the SQL Server service to be restarted.
If ever you need a service restart
Let’s say you need a service restart because of a configuration change. Instead of heading over to the Services.msc console, one should be using one of the following options:
Using SQL Server Configuration Manager
Right click on the SQL Server Service and click on “Restart”:
Using SQL Server Management Studio
In the Object Explorer pane, connect to the server in question right-click the server name and click “Restart”:
Click on “Yes” on the following Message Box that comes up (beware, this message box might appear in the background):