When you forgot SA password and could not access SQL server 2000/2005/2008, you have to reset SA password at that moment. To change the password, we can use a third-party commercial tool, or take advantage of a trick.

Tip 1 MS SQL Server Password Unlocker

For computer newbie, we suggest you utilize the easier way- MS SQL Server Password Unlocker.

SQL Server Password Unlocker could reset password for SQL server 2000/2005/2008. It works to modify the master.mdf file which stores SQL login password, in that way, it resets SA password.

The procedures are simple too: once you import the master.mdf to SQL Password Unlocker, it will quickly list all the logins. Select SA account and click change password button to input a new SQL server password, and then you are able to log on to SQL Server with the new password under SQL server authentication.

Note:

1. Make sure that you have reset SA password to a strong one. A strong password includes alpha-numeric and special characters, and a combination of upper and lower case characters.
2. SQL password Unlocker will change master.mdf file, for this reason, we highly recommend that you backup master.mdf first!

Tip 2 Command Prompt

1.      On the computer that is hosting the instance of MSDE to which you are connecting, open the command prompt window.

2.      Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
osql -U sa
At the Password: prompt, press ENTER if your password is blank or type the current password. This connects you to the local, default instance of MSDE by using the SA account. To connect by using Windows authentication, type this command: use osql -E

3.      Type the following commands, on separate lines, and then press ENTER:

sp_password @old = null, @new = 'complexpwd',  @loginame ='sa' 

   go

You will receive the following informational message, which indicates that you have reset SA password successfully:

Password changed.

More information about SA password:

According to Microsoft, System administrator (SA) is a special login provided for backward compatibility. By default, it is assigned to the sysadmin fixed server role and cannot be changed. Although it is a built-in administrator login, SA does not be used routinely. Instead, make system administrators members of the sysadmin to be fixed server role, and have them log on using their own logins. Use SA only when there is no other way to log in to an instance of Microsoft SQL Server.

Today with the growing number of data breaches, data security has become an important issue we cannot afford to overlook. When it comes to PCs, you can simply password protect the files and folders stored on it by adding a strong Windows login password and create a password a Windows password reset disk to in case you forget the password in future. A Windows password is often regarded as the first layer of protection for computer data.

Now here comes another problem: How can you protect your files and folders on USB flash drive? Being a tiny device with large data storage, a USB flash drive is often used to transfer important data between different computers, between workplace and home. Unfortunately, this portability and convenience comes with an inherent security risk. People often forget the USB device in laundry shop, taxies, etc. So adding password protection for the removable devices you should take into consideration if you often use them to carry or store important and private data.

With respect to password protect USB flash drive, there exists 2 options for your choice: software-encryption and hardware-encryption. The software-encryption refers to encrypt your USB flash drive by using third-party software while the hardware solution refers to get USB drives with embedded hardware encryption.

If you prefer to protect files and folders on USB flash drive by using software solutions, many free and efficient USB encryption tools are out there to help minimize the risk of USB files and folders. For example, FreeOTFE and TrueCrypt allow the contents of a USB drive to be encrypted automatically and transparently. Besides, Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate Editions and Windows Server 2008 R2 provide USB drive encryption using BitLocker to Go. The Apple Computer Mac OS X operating system has provided software for disc data encryption since Mac OS X Panther was issued in 2003.

Aside from utilizing encryption software, you can also simply store the important files and folders on a USB flash drive with built-in hardware encryption. Some USB drives offer embedded hardware encryption as Microchips within the USB drives carry out automatic transparent encryption. Besides, hardware systems may offer additional features, such as the ability to automatically overwrite the contents of the drive if the wrong password is entered more than a certain number of times.

Compared with software solution, hardware encryption cost significantly more while it offers stronger protection. Just select one of the two options based on your actual needs to password protect your files and folders on USB flash drive.

Microsoft’s Windows XP has slipped under the 50% share mark for the first time according to Net Applications. At the same time, Windows 7 has steadily grabbed more customers since its official release in October 2009. It’s said Windows 7 will be the most likely to replace Windows XP as the mainstream operating system before the arrival of Windows 8.

Although Windows 8 has been confirmed to launch in 2012 and there are various leaks and rumors about it, Microsoft has yet provided any progress and update details about the forthcoming operating system. It’s said that Microsoft will cover more of the new features and improvements in Windows 8 at the BUILD developer conference, planned for September 13, 2011.

Even so, the users’ attentions haven’t transferred to the next version of Windows at present, and most of them are mainly in the use of Windows 7.
Net Applications statistics shows Windows 7 finished July with a 27.9% global usage share, an increase of seven-tenths of a percentage point over June. While on the other side, the decade-old XP closed July with 49.8%, a 1.3-percentage point drop from June.

If you are still sticking to the ten-year-old operating system, just hurry up and switch to Windows 7 right now. If you are hesitate about whether to update to Windows 7 now or wait for Windows 8, the suggestion is to update to Windows 7 as Windows 8 will run Windows 7 software just fine. After switching to Windows 7, please remember to create a password reset disk for your password-protected Windows 7 user account as there’re increasingly users troubled by a lost Windows 7 password.

Windows 7, Microsoft’s newest operating system, incorporates many amazing features. As parents, you may be caught up with Parental Controls, which help manage how your children use the computer without constantly peeking over their shoulders. For instance, you can set limits on the hours that your children can use the computer, the games they can play, and the programs they can run.

Before starting to setting up parental controls in your Windows 7 computer, please make sure there’s standard user account on it. If not, please create one in advance. Read more

Forgot Windows 7 password? It’s no you for anyone to feel frustrated, no matter what your computer level is. It’s true that there are some extremely easy methods to for your Windows 7 password reset. Here will show you how to reset Windows 7 password by using CMD.

Note: The following steps are available on the condition that your Windows 7 machine is accessible through another administrator account.

How to Access Command Prompt?
Regarding  how to access command prompt, there are 2 options for you. Read more

Believe it or not, many Windows 7 computer users often forgot their computer passwords, including Windows 7 login password and BIOS password. So we should not master how to password protect our computer data, but also learn how to reset a lost computer password.  If you forgot Windows 7 login password or its BIOS password, try to reset it by following the tips listed below.

Forgot Windows 7 login password
Tip 1. Lost Windows 7 password, you can try to recall it by using the clues provided by a password hint.
Tip 2. The easiest way to reset a lost Windows 7 login password is to use the password reset disk on the condition that you can create the disk before your login password is forgotten.
Tip 3. If there is another administrator account password is accessible, you are lucky enough to reset the lost password of the user account after logging in computer with that administrator.
Tip 4. Reinstalling Windows is often regarded as the last choice for Windows password recovery. You can adopt if there are nothing important stored on your computer.
Tip 5. Windows Password Unlocker is the most recommended and effective method adopted by lost Windows 7 password users. Read more

Microsoft has added password protection to programs and files to help prevent unauthorized access to important information. If you want to protect your Windows 7 computer, you can use its built-in tools to create a password. Besides, you can also create a Windows 7 password reset disk to in case of a lost Windows 7 password. If you want to secure your Office 2007 Word/Excel files, you can simply password protect these files by security options. Then if you want to password protect a folder on Windows 7, what should you do?

Actually, you can do something similar to password protecting a folder in windows 7 by using its security features. If you are an administrator and have multiple accounts set up in Windows 7, then you can block few important folders so that they cannot be accessed by other users. Read more

When you forgot Windows 7 password composed of letters, numbers and symbols,  have you ever thought about creating a Windows 7 password with your voice, fingerprint or other biometric characteristics?  In reality, fingerprint recognition has appeared in the computer world. Windows 7 laptops come with biometric sensor like fingerprint reader that allow a user to swipe his fingerprint instead of typing in a password to log into the computer.

With this method, you will have a greater sense of security in using your computer, considering passwords are not in the least bit as secure as your own fingerprint. To create a Windows 7 password with fingerprint logon, the first thing to remember is that you must have all the drivers to support the fingerprint reader. If you’ve bought a laptop which has the Microsoft Windows 7 stickers on them, chances are you already have all the required drivers. Read more

As a common PC user, have you ever come across the one of the following problems?

1. Forgot Windows administrator password?
2. Forgot login password to you Dell/HP/Acer/Toshiba laptop?
3.  Lost Windows 7/Vista login password?
4. You or Someone changed your Windows password and now cannot remember what it changed to?
5. Bought a secondhand password, but you cannot access it as it is password protected?

Will you feel crazy if you are in urgent need of your computer on that condition? Well, keep calm and do as follows when you forgot Windows password, and you’ll be able to get in the computer in a few minutes.

Step 1: Make sure if you forgot Windows password permanently, rather than temporarily.  Try to recall your Windows password. Is it composed of Dates, names, places, foods, birthdays, etc?
Check if there is anything can offer some clues to the lost password, like a password hint?  No? Ok, please go to step 2.

Step 2: If you are a Widows XP user, try to log on to computer via the default administrator account.  Press Ctrl+Alt+Del twice on the logon screen to pop up the classic logon screen. Input “administrator” in the username box and leave the password box blank, and then press Enter. If you are a Windows Vista/7 user, please skip this step. Read more

Have you ever experienced that you cannot log on your computer with the lost or forgotten Windows password, even though you enter the correct Windows password? Here are several possible reasons for it and solutions to fix this problem.

1.  Caps Lock might be on.
It’s well known that Windows passwords  are case-sensitive, which means that every time you type your password, you have to capitalize each letter in exactly the same way that you did when you first created it. If you have accidentally pressed Caps Lock, then you’re inadvertently typing your password in all capital letters. So, please make sure that Caps Lock is off before typing your password again.

2. Num Lock may be off.
Turning the Num Lock on will allow the user to use the numbers on the keypad. If the Num Lock is off in your computer by mistake, it could be painful if you enter numbers when typing your password, as the numbers will not show in your passwords so you are typing the wrong password and you still don’t know. Just as it is stated above, the passwords in Windows are case-sensitive. For this problem, just press the Num Lock to turn it on.

3. The passwords may be changed or wrong.
If someone changed your password or  you can’t remember your password, it is impossible for you to log on to your computer. For this, you can reset your password, either with a Windows password reset disk or another account with administrator privileges.  If these methods are not available, you can have a try of Windows Password Unlocker. It is a powerful Windows password recovery tool which allows you to create a password reset CD/DVD or USB flash drive to reset forgotten Windows password on Windows 7/Vista/XP/2008/2003/2000. Read more