Transfer Logins And Passwords Between Two SQL Server

In this article, you will learn how to transfer logins and passwords between different instances of Microsoft SQL Server. Before we get started, if you want to about enable/disable of SA User, please go through the following article: Read More.

Suppose, server A and server B are different SQL Servers Instances. If you move a database from the instance of SQL Server on Server A to the instance of SQL Server on Server B, users may be unable to log in to the database on server B. Additionally, users may receive the following error message: Login failed for user 'MyUser'. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 18456).

This problem occurs because you did not transfer logins and passwords from the instance of SQL Server A to the instance of SQL Server B. To transfer the logins, use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your situation.

Method 1: Reset the password on the destination SQL Server computer (Server B). To resolve this issue, reset the password in the SQL Server computer, and then script out the login. Note The password hashing algorithm is used when you reset the password.

Method 2: Transfer logins and passwords to the destination server (Server A) using scripts generated on the source server (Server B). To create a login script that has a blank password, follow these steps:

On server A, start SQL Server Management Studio, and then connect to the instance of SQL Server from which you moved the database.

Open a new Query Editor window, and then run the following script.

USE master
GO

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_hexadecimal') IS NOT NULL
  DROP PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal
GO
CREATE PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal
    @binvalue varbinary(256),
    @hexvalue varchar (514) OUTPUT
AS

DECLARE @charvalue varchar (514)
DECLARE @i int
DECLARE @length int
DECLARE @hexstring char(16)
SELECT @charvalue = '0x'
SELECT @i = 1
SELECT @length = DATALENGTH (@binvalue)
SELECT @hexstring = '0123456789ABCDEF'
WHILE (@i <= @length)
BEGIN
  DECLARE @tempint int
  DECLARE @firstint int
  DECLARE @secondint int
  SELECT @tempint = CONVERT(int, SUBSTRING(@binvalue,@i,1))
  SELECT @firstint = FLOOR(@tempint/16)
  SELECT @secondint = @tempint - (@firstint*16)
  SELECT @charvalue = @charvalue +
    SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @firstint+1, 1) +
    SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @secondint+1, 1)
  SELECT @i = @i + 1
END

SELECT @hexvalue = @charvalue
GO
 
IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_help_revlogin') IS NOT NULL
  DROP PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin
GO


CREATE PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin @login_name sysname = NULL AS
DECLARE @name sysname
DECLARE @type varchar (1)
DECLARE @hasaccess int
DECLARE @denylogin int
DECLARE @is_disabled int
DECLARE @PWD_varbinary  varbinary (256)
DECLARE @PWD_string  varchar (514)
DECLARE @SID_varbinary varbinary (85)
DECLARE @SID_string varchar (514)
DECLARE @tmpstr  varchar (1024)
DECLARE @is_policy_checked varchar (3)
DECLARE @is_expiration_checked varchar (3)

DECLARE @defaultdb sysname
 
IF (@login_name IS NULL)
  DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR

      SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM 
sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l
      ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name <> 'sa'
ELSE
  DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR


      SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM 
sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l
      ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name = @login_name
OPEN login_curs

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin
IF (@@fetch_status = -1)
BEGIN
  PRINT 'No login(s) found.'
  CLOSE login_curs
  DEALLOCATE login_curs
  RETURN -1
END
SET @tmpstr = '/* sp_help_revlogin script '
PRINT @tmpstr
SET @tmpstr = '** Generated ' + CONVERT (varchar, GETDATE()) + ' on ' + @@SERVERNAME + ' */'
PRINT @tmpstr
PRINT ''
WHILE (@@fetch_status <> -1)
BEGIN
  IF (@@fetch_status <> -2)
  BEGIN
    PRINT ''
    SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name
    PRINT @tmpstr
    IF (@type IN ( 'G', 'U'))
    BEGIN -- NT authenticated account/group

      SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' FROM WINDOWS WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']'
    END
    ELSE BEGIN -- SQL Server authentication
        -- obtain password and sid
            SET @PWD_varbinary = CAST( LOGINPROPERTY( @name, 'PasswordHash' ) AS varbinary (256) )
        EXEC sp_hexadecimal @PWD_varbinary, @PWD_string OUT
        EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary,@SID_string OUT
 
        -- obtain password policy state
        SELECT @is_policy_checked = CASE is_policy_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name
        SELECT @is_expiration_checked = CASE is_expiration_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name
 
            SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' WITH PASSWORD = ' + @PWD_string + ' HASHED, SID = ' + @SID_string + ', DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']'

        IF ( @is_policy_checked IS NOT NULL )
        BEGIN
          SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_POLICY = ' + @is_policy_checked
        END
        IF ( @is_expiration_checked IS NOT NULL )
        BEGIN
          SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_EXPIRATION = ' + @is_expiration_checked
        END
    END
    IF (@denylogin = 1)
    BEGIN -- login is denied access
      SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; DENY CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name )
    END
    ELSE IF (@hasaccess = 0)
    BEGIN -- login exists but does not have access
      SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; REVOKE CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name )
    END
    IF (@is_disabled = 1)
    BEGIN -- login is disabled
      SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; ALTER LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' DISABLE'
    END
    PRINT @tmpstr
  END

  FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin
   END
CLOSE login_curs
DEALLOCATE login_curs
RETURN 0
GO

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USE master

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_hexadecimal') IS NOT NULL

DROP PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal

CREATE PROCEDURE sp_hexadecimal

@binvalue varbinary(256),

@hexvalue varchar (514) OUTPUT

DECLARE @charvalue varchar (514)

DECLARE @i int

DECLARE @length int

DECLARE @hexstring char(16)

SELECT @charvalue = '0x'

SELECT @i = 1

SELECT @length = DATALENGTH (@binvalue)

SELECT @hexstring = '0123456789ABCDEF'

WHILE (@i <= @length)

BEGIN

DECLARE @tempint int

DECLARE @firstint int

DECLARE @secondint int

SELECT @tempint = CONVERT(int, SUBSTRING(@binvalue,@i,1))

SELECT @firstint = FLOOR(@tempint/16)

SELECT @secondint = @tempint - (@firstint*16)

SELECT @charvalue = @charvalue +

SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @firstint+1, 1) +

SUBSTRING(@hexstring, @secondint+1, 1)

SELECT @i = @i + 1

END

SELECT @hexvalue = @charvalue

IF OBJECT_ID ('sp_help_revlogin') IS NOT NULL

DROP PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin

CREATE PROCEDURE sp_help_revlogin @login_name sysname = NULL AS

DECLARE @name sysname

DECLARE @type varchar (1)

DECLARE @hasaccess int

DECLARE @denylogin int

DECLARE @is_disabled int

DECLARE @PWD_varbinary varbinary (256)

DECLARE @PWD_string varchar (514)

DECLARE @SID_varbinary varbinary (85)

DECLARE @SID_string varchar (514)

DECLARE @tmpstr varchar (1024)

DECLARE @is_policy_checked varchar (3)

DECLARE @is_expiration_checked varchar (3)

DECLARE @defaultdb sysname

IF (@login_name IS NULL)

DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR

SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM

sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l

ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name <> 'sa'

ELSE

DECLARE login_curs CURSOR FOR

SELECT p.sid, p.name, p.type, p.is_disabled, p.default_database_name, l.hasaccess, l.denylogin FROM

sys.server_principals p LEFT JOIN sys.syslogins l

ON ( l.name = p.name ) WHERE p.type IN ( 'S', 'G', 'U' ) AND p.name = @login_name

OPEN login_curs

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin

IF (@@fetch_status = -1)

BEGIN

PRINT 'No login(s) found.'

CLOSE login_curs

DEALLOCATE login_curs

RETURN -1

END

SET @tmpstr = '/* sp_help_revlogin script '

PRINT @tmpstr

SET @tmpstr = '** Generated ' + CONVERT (varchar, GETDATE()) + ' on ' + @@SERVERNAME + ' */'

PRINT @tmpstr

PRINT ''

WHILE (@@fetch_status <> -1)

BEGIN

IF (@@fetch_status <> -2)

BEGIN

PRINT ''

SET @tmpstr = '-- Login: ' + @name

PRINT @tmpstr

IF (@type IN ( 'G', 'U'))

BEGIN -- NT authenticated account/group

SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' FROM WINDOWS WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']'

END

ELSE BEGIN -- SQL Server authentication

-- obtain password and sid

SET @PWD_varbinary = CAST( LOGINPROPERTY( @name, 'PasswordHash' ) AS varbinary (256) )

EXEC sp_hexadecimal @PWD_varbinary, @PWD_string OUT

EXEC sp_hexadecimal @SID_varbinary,@SID_string OUT

-- obtain password policy state

SELECT @is_policy_checked = CASE is_policy_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name

SELECT @is_expiration_checked = CASE is_expiration_checked WHEN 1 THEN 'ON' WHEN 0 THEN 'OFF' ELSE NULL END FROM sys.sql_logins WHERE name = @name

SET @tmpstr = 'CREATE LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' WITH PASSWORD = ' + @PWD_string + ' HASHED, SID = ' + @SID_string + ', DEFAULT_DATABASE = [' + @defaultdb + ']'

IF ( @is_policy_checked IS NOT NULL )

BEGIN

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_POLICY = ' + @is_policy_checked

END

IF ( @is_expiration_checked IS NOT NULL )

BEGIN

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + ', CHECK_EXPIRATION = ' + @is_expiration_checked

END

IF (@denylogin = 1)

BEGIN -- login is denied access

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; DENY CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name )

END

ELSE IF (@hasaccess = 0)

BEGIN -- login exists but does not have access

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; REVOKE CONNECT SQL TO ' + QUOTENAME( @name )

END

IF (@is_disabled = 1)

BEGIN -- login is disabled

SET @tmpstr = @tmpstr + '; ALTER LOGIN ' + QUOTENAME( @name ) + ' DISABLE'

END

PRINT @tmpstr

END

FETCH NEXT FROM login_curs INTO @SID_varbinary, @name, @type, @is_disabled, @defaultdb, @hasaccess, @denylogin

END

CLOSE login_curs

DEALLOCATE login_curs

RETURN 0

Note This script creates two stored procedures in the master database. The procedures are named sp_hexadecimal and sp_help_revlogin.

Run the following statement in the same or a new query window:

EXEC sp_help_revlogin

1

EXEC sp_help_revlogin

The output script that the sp_help_revlogin stored procedure generates is the login script. This login script creates the logins that have the original Security Identifier (SID) and the original password.

Steps on the destination server (Server B):

On server B, start SQL Server Management Studio, and then connect to the instance of SQL Server to which you moved the database. Important Before you go to step 2, review the information in the “Remarks” section below.
Open a new Query Editor window, and then run the output script that’s generated in step 2 of the preceding procedure.

Method 3: Login by using the pre-SQL Server 2000 password: This method is relevant only if you are migrating SQL Server 2000 to a more recent supported version of SQL Server. In this situation, ask the user to log in to the server that’s running SQL Server by using the pre-SQL Server 2000 login. Note: The password hashing is updated automatically when the user logs in by using the pre-SQL Server 2000 password.

Review the following information before you run the output script on the instance on server B:

- A password can be hashed in the following ways:
  - VERSION_SHA1: This hash is generated by using the SHA1 algorithm and is used in SQL Server 2000 through SQL Server 2008 R2.
  - VERSION_SHA2: This hash is generated by using the SHA2 512 algorithm and is used in SQL Server 2012 and later versions.
- Review the output script carefully. If server A and server B are in different domains, you have to change the output script. Then, you have to replace the original domain name by using the new domain name in the CREATE LOGIN statements. The integrated logins that are granted access in the new domain do not have the same SID as the logins in the original domain. Therefore, users are orphaned from these logins.
- In the output script, the logins are created by using the encrypted password. This is because of the HASHED argument in the CREATE LOGIN statement. This argument specifies that the password that is entered after the PASSWORD argument is already hashed.
- By default, only a member of the sysadmin fixed server role can run a SELECT statement from the sys.server_principals view. Unless a member of the sysadmin fixed server role grants the necessary permissions to the users, the users cannot create or run the output script.
- The steps in this article do not transfer the default database information for a particular login. This is because the default database may not always exist on server B. To define the default database for a login, use the ALTER LOGIN statement by passing in the login name and the default database as arguments.
- Sort orders on the source and destination servers:
  - Case-insensitive server A and case-sensitive server B: The sort order of server A may be case-insensitive, and the sort order of server B may be case-sensitive. In this case, users must type the passwords in all uppercase letters after you transfer the logins and the passwords to the instance on server B.
  - Case-sensitive server A and case-insensitive server B: The sort order of server A may be case-sensitive, and the sort order of server B may be case-insensitive. In this case, users cannot log in by using the logins and the passwords that you transfer to the instance on server B unless one of the following conditions is true:
    - The original passwords contain no letters.
    - All letters in the original passwords are uppercase letters.
  - Case-sensitive or case-insensitive on both servers: The sort order of both server A and server B may be case-sensitive, or the sort order of both server A and server B may be case-insensitive. In these cases, the users do not experience a problem.
- A login that’s already in the instance on server B may have a name that is the same as a name in the output script. In this case, you receive the following error message when you run the output script on the instance on server B:
  
  Msg 15025, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
  The server principal ‘MyLogin‘ already exists.
  
  Similarly, a login that already is in the instance on server B may have a SID that is the same as a SID in the output script. In this case, you receive the following error message when you run the output script on the instance on server B:
  
  Msg 15433, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 Supplied parameter sid is in use.
  
  Therefore, you must do the following:
  1. Review the output script carefully.
  2. Examine the contents of the sys.server_principals view in the instance on server B.
  3. Address these error messages as appropriate.
    
    In SQL Server 2005, the SID for a login is used to implement database-level access. A login may have different SIDs in different databases on a server. In this case, the login can only access the database that has the SID that matches the SID in the sys.server_principals view. This problem may occur if the two databases are combined from different servers. To resolve this problem, manually remove the login from the database that has a SID mismatch by using the DROP USER statement. Then, add the login again by using the CREATE USER statement.
    
    transfer logins and passwords between instances of SQL Server