BUG: Error 15211 from sp_password if SET ANSI_NULLS Is On

• Microsoft SQL Server version 6.5

SYMPTOMS

If a client computer has SET ANSI_NULLS ON and attempts to issue the procedure sp_password to change a password which is currently NULL, the attempt will fail with a 15211 error. Any attempt to change a null password using sp_password through the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC version 2.65.0201 driver results in the error:

   SQLState = 37000, pfNative =  15211
   szErrorMsg = '[Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver][SQL Server]
     Old (current) password incorrect for user -
     password not changed.'

CAUSE

When running against SQL Server 6.5, the Microsoft SQL Server ODBC version 2.65.0201 driver always issues the command SET ANSI_DEFAULTS ON in order to support the ODBC SQL standard, which is based on ANSI SQL. Setting ANSI_DEFAULTS on actually sets a number of ANSI options, including ANSI_NULLS, so users attempting to change a NULL password with sp_password through the ODBC driver will always encounter this error.

WORKAROUND

DB-Library clients such as ISQL/w or Enterprise Manager can do the following:

   SET ANSI_NULLS OFF
   EXEC sp_password NULL,...
   SET ANSI_NULLS ON

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SQL Server version 6.50.0201. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.