INFO: SQLMonitor Service Terminates if SA Password Changes

ID: Q104919

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2x

SUMMARY

The SQLMonitor Service on Windows NT uses the SQL Server System Administrator (SA) account to access SQL Server. If the SA account's password is changed from the default, which is none or NULL, any attempt to start the SQLMonitor service results in the following error:

Error 2186 The service is not responding to the control function. Could not start the SQLMonitor service on \\Server.

MORE INFORMATION

To resolve this problem, change one of the SQL Monitor services parameters in the Windows NT Registry. Sites with SQL Server version 4.21 or later can change the parameter by starting SQL Monitor from the command line with the /NEWPASSWORD switch:


   netsql start sqlmonitor /NEWPASSWORD=[newpass]

NOTE: The SQL Monitor service only needs to be started this way once; it will remember the new parameter on future starts of the service.

Sites with versions of SQL Server for Windows NT earlier than 4.21 must update the Windows NT registry using the following procedure:

From the Program Manager of the Windows NT server, select the File menu and choose Run. Enter the following:

regedt32

NOTE: This will start the Registry Editor (Regedit32.exe application).

Set focus on the Registry Editor applications window titled "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine."

Double-click the folders in the left pane, expanding the tree in the following order:
```
      \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQLServer\SQLMonitor\Parameters
 
```
You should see a line that reads: Password:REG_SZ: in the right pane of the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on Local Machine" window.

Double-click the Password line in the right window. You should see a dialog box prompting you for a string. Enter the password for the SA account, and click OK.

The Password:REG_SZ: entry should contain your SA account's password.

Close the Registry Editor.

Your SQLMonitor service should now start correctly.

Additional query words: 4.20 Windows NT monitor backups winnt admin

Keywords : kbtool SSrvAdmin SSrvMon
Version : winnt:4.2x
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo