FIX: Cannot Set SQLServerAgent Password to More Than 16 Characters in Enterprise Manager

By default, SQLServerAgent connects into SQL Server using Windows NT authentication. In SQL Server Enterprise Manager, you can change this to use SQL Server authentication instead, but the dialog box only allows passwords to be up to 16 characters in length. It should allow up to 128 characters.

SQL Server 2000

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

SQL Server 7.0

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for SQL Server 7.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To work around this problem, use the default of Windows NT authentication.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

SQL Server 2000

This problem was first corrected in SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 1.

SQL Server 7.0

This problem was first corrected in SQL Server 7.0 Service Pack 3.

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

Perform the following steps from Enterprise Manager:

1. Expand the Management folder for a SQL Server.
2. Right-click the SQL Server Agent icon, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
3. On the Connection tab, select Use SQLServer authentication and type a SQL Server login and password.

The Password box does not accept more than 16 characters.