Microsoft distributes Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) fixes as one downloadable file. Because the fixes are cumulative, each new release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) fix release.
Symptoms
Assume that you use an account to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 or Microsoft SQL Server 2012 server. The logon password for the account contains at least one semicolon. When you try to create a new maintenance plan for the SQL Server 2008 R2 or SQL Server 2012 server in SQL Server Management Studio, you receive the following error message:
The connection string format is not valid. It must consist of one or more components of the form X=Y, separated by semicolons. This error occurs when a connection string with zero components is set on database connection manager.
Additionally, when you click the Show technical details button in the dialog box that displays the error message, you receive the following information about the error message in the Advanced Information dialog box:
===================================The connection string format is not valid. It must consist of one or more components of the form X=Y, separated by semicolons. This error occurs when a connection string with zero components is set on database connection manager. (MaintenancePlan)------------------------------Program Location: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.ConnectionManager.set_ConnectionString(String value) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.DatabaseMaintenance.MaintenancePlan.AddDefaultConnection(ServerConnection connection) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.DatabaseMaintenance.MaintenancePlan.InitializeNewPlanForDesigner() at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.DatabaseMaintenance.MaintenancePlanData..ctor(Package source, ServerConnection localServerConnection, Boolean isNewPlan) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.DatabaseMaintenance.DbMaintView.LoadMaintenancePlan(String connectionString, IManagedConnection connection, String objectUrn) at Microsoft.DataTransformationServices.VsIntegration.DtsDesignerService.OpenDesigner(String connectionString, Object connection, String objectUrn) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.DatabaseMaintenance.MaintDesignerMenuHandler.Invoke()===================================The connection string format is not valid. It must consist of one or more components of the form X=Y, separated by semicolons. This error occurs when a connection string with zero components is set on database connection manager. (MaintenancePlan)------------------------------Program Location: at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.Wrapper.IDTSConnectionManager100.set_ConnectionString(String pbstrConnectionString) at Microsoft.SqlServer.Dts.Runtime.ConnectionManager.set_ConnectionString(String value)
Cause
This issue occurs because semicolons are used for parsing the connection string in SQL Server. In this case, the semicolon that is in the password is also used. Therefore, the connection string is parsed incorrectly.
Resolution
Cumulative update information
Cumulative update package 1 for SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 1. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2765331 Cumulative update package 1 for SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2012 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2772858 The SQL Server 2012 builds that were released after SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1 was released
SQL Server 2012
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 3 for SQL Server 2012. For more information about this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2723749 Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2012Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2012 fix release. Microsoft recommends that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2692828 The SQL Server 2012 builds that were released after SQL Server 2012 was released You must apply a SQL Server 2012 hotfix to an installation of SQL Server 2012.
SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 1 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2720425 Cumulative Update package 1 for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2730301 The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 2 was released
SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1
The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 7. For more information about how to obtain this cumulative update package for SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2703282 Cumulative update package 7 for SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1Note Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 fix release. We recommend that you consider applying the most recent fix release that contains this hotfix. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
2567616 The SQL Server 2008 R2 builds that were released after SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 was released
Status
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
More Information
For more information about how to create a maintenance plan in SQL Server 2012, go to the following MSDN website:
