Resetting the Directory Admin password in Security Center - Security Center 5.7 - 5.11

If you forgot the Admin password that is used to log on to the Directory in Security Center and you need to reset it, you must first perform a few prerequisite steps, such as backing up your Directory database.

1. Secure the SQL server. For more information, watch this video about best security practices.
2. Make sure that you have sysadmin privileges to the Directory database. If you cannot get sysadmin privileges, make sure that you at least have the role of db_owner.
3. Back up the Directory database.
4. Obtain the SQL instance and database name as follows:
   1. Open Server Admin.
   2. Select the Directory service.
   3. Click the Database tab.
   4. Note the names in the Data Server and Database fields.

If you forgot the Admin password for the Directory in Security Center, you must reset the password to blank before setting a new one. The simplest option to clear the old password is to run a batch file on the server that SQL is running on.

1. Open a new file in Notepad and paste in the following text:

   UPDATE [user] set Password = 'd41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e' where name = 'Admin'

2. Save the file as SC_deleteadminpass.sql in a temporary folder (for example, c:\genetec).
3. Open Windows Command Prompt.
4. In the command window, open the temporary folder you created (for example, c:\genetec).
5. Run the following command:

   sqlcmd -S .\SQL2008 -d Directory -i SC_deleteadminpass.sql -o output.txt

   To get the SQL Instance and Directory database name, see Before resetting the Directory Admin password in Security Center.

6. In the temporary folder you created, open the file output.txt.
   If the script was successful, the following text appears in the file: (1 rows affected).

   The password has been cleared. You can log on to the Directory without a password.

7. To set a new password, open Config Tool, and then go to User management > Administrators group > Admin user.

If you forgot the Admin password for the Directory in Security Center, you must reset the password to blank before setting a new one. If you do not want to run a batch file to reset the password, you can reset it in SQL Server Management Studio Express.

1. Download and install SQL Server Management Studio Express. You can download the software at the following links:
   • SQL 2014: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=42299
   • SQL 2012: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=29062
   • SQL 2008: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=1695
   • SQL 2005: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=21844
2. In Windows, click Start > All Programs > Microsoft SQL Server > SQL Management Studio.
3. In the Server name drop-down list on the login page, select the name of the Data Server you noted in Before resetting the Directory Admin password in Security Center.
4. To log on to SQL Server Management Studio, click Connect.
5. In the Object Explorer window, expand the Databases folder and find the name of the Directory database you noted in Before resetting the Directory Admin password in Security Center.
6. Right-click the Directory database and select New Query.
   A new tab with a blank window appears.
7. Create a script by pasting the following text into the window:

   UPDATE [user] set Password = 'd41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e' where name = 'Admin'

8. Click Execute.
   If the script ran successfully, the following text appears in the Messages window: (1 row(s) affected).

   The password has been cleared. You can log on to the Directory without a password.

9. To set a new password, open Config Tool, and then go to User management > Administrators group > Admin user.