Here are the instructions that we use:

Note – before you begin

The following instructions are for changing service account password ONLY.

These instructions work for Active/Passive clusters and n+1 clusters as well.

If you need to change to a new service account, and hence a new password,

You will have to use the following supplied programs:

•SQL 2000 – Enterprise Manager

•SQL 2005 - SQL Server Configuration Manager

This is necessary since these applications perform a number of functions other than just changing the service account user account and password. This software also:

•Grants the appropriate Local Policy Rights based on the service

•Grants the needed file and directory security permissions

•Grants the needed registry security permissions

How to

Use RDP to log into each physical node of the cluster.

On one node of the cluster only:

Open up the Cluster Administrator via the shortcut on the Desktop.

If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found at:

Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

Or executed directly by:

Start|Run and entering cluadmin.exe

If the Cluster Administrator does not take you into a cluster immediately,

Go to File|Open Connection

Enter a period in the Open Connection to Cluster dialog box for

the Cluster name or server name

How to

If this is an Active/Passive cluster:

Navigate to the Groups folder in the Cluster Administrator

Navigate to the SQL group and double click on it.

(The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

Right click on SQL Server Fulltext and select Bring Offline

Right click on SQL Server Agent and select Bring Offline

Right click on SQL Server and select Bring Offline

Note: For a named instance the SQL Services will look like:

SQL Server Service Name (Instance Name)

On each node of the cluster bring up the Services Management.

Open up the services.msc via the shortcut on the Desktop.

If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found by:

Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

Or from the Desktop

Right click on My Computer and select Manage

Double click on the left pane on:

Computer Management (Local)|Services and Applications|Services

Or executed directly by:

Start|Run and entering services.msc

Tip: Double click on the Log On As column in the right pane and the SQL Server Service Account should ‘float’ up to the top of the list (or very near to it).

For the Active Node of the cluster:

For each SQL Server service account password to change:

Select the SQL Server service to be changed

Right click and select Properties

Select the Log On tab

Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

For the Passive Node of the cluster:

For each SQL Server service account password to change:

Select the SQL Server service to be changed

Right click and select Properties

Select the Log On tab

Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

Note: Do Not restart the service(s).

Go back to the Cluster Administrator

(The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

Right click on SQL Server Fulltext and select Bring Online

Right click on SQL Server Agent and select Bring Online

Right click on SQL Server and select Bring Online

If this is an n+1 cluster:

Navigate to the Groups folder in the Cluster Administrator

Navigate to the SQL group and double click on it.

(The right hand pane contains the SQL Server services in the cluster)

For each named instance:

Right click on SQL Server Fulltext (Instance name )and select Bring Offline

Right click on SQL Server Agent (Instance name) and select Bring Offline

Right click on SQL Server (Instance name) and select Bring Offline

On each node of the cluster bring up the Services Management.

Open up the services.msc via the shortcut on the Desktop.

If there is not a shortcut on the Desktop it can be found by:

Start|Programs|Administrative Tools

Or from the Desktop

Right click on My Computer and select Manage

Double click on the left pane on:

Computer Management (Local)|Services and Applications|Services

Or executed directly by:

Start|Run and entering services.msc

Tip: Double click on the Log On As column in the right pane and the SQL Server Service Account should ‘float’ up to the top of the list (or very near to it).

For each Node of the cluster:

For each named instance:

For each SQL Server service account password to change:

Select the SQL Server service (Instance name) to be changed

Right click and select Properties

Select the Log On tab

Modify the password of the selected SQL Server service

Note: Do Not restart the service(s).

Go back to the Cluster Administrator

For each named instance:

Right click on SQL Server Fulltext (Instance name) and select Bring Online

Right click on SQL Server Agent (Instance name) and select Bring Online

Right click on SQL Server (Instance name) and select Bring Online