What is SQL Error 18452 & How to Fix It?
One of the major issues in the SQL Server database is when the user fails to log into the database for various reasons. One similar error is SQL Error 18452, which restricts the users from accessing the database. In this write-up, we will discuss the issue that affects the user’s day-to-day tasks and raises concerns regarding data security in the database.
Let’s start by understanding the error first to grasp the issue better.
SQL Server Login Error 18452 – Explained
This error occurs when the user tries to log in to the SQL Server using Windows Authentication, but the login request is denied by the server due to an untrusted domain or any other reasons. The core reason for the occurrence of this error simply becomes the server failing to recognize the authentication details of the login restricting the user from accessing the database.
There are some other reasons as well that result in the occurrence of SQL Error 18452. Here are a few other reasons for this error.
Untrusted Domain Login
If the user is trying to log in using an untrusted domain, the server will not recognize it and further restrict the user from logging in to the database.
SQL Server Login With Windows Authentication
If the SQL Server isn’t configured to login with either of the authentication modes, Windows Authentication, and SQL Server Authentication respectively, it will raise the error. This means if the user logs in with the SQL Server when the server is configured to only accept Windows Authentication, it will show an error.
Issues With Network Connectivity
In case there are any connection issues during the SQL Server login, that restrict the servers from communicating and verifying the client credentials, it will result in the login failed error.
These are some of the common reasons that result in the denial of the login request of the user. This leads to some bigger challenges for the users and the database administrators while performing daily operations. We will take a look at these challenges to understand how the issue is impacting the users and how we can resolve it.
Challenges Created By The SQL Error 18452
When the user is unable to log into the SQL Server database because of a denied login request, they face some challenges in performing their day-to-day tasks. Here are the problems they encounter due to the error.
Unable to Access the Database
When the error occurs, the major challenge a user faces is the inability to access the database and perform the operations they wish in the database. With the inaccessibility, the users also face concerns regarding data loss and data privacy.
Service Disruption
The SQL Server login error 18452 majorly affects the database further resulting in the service disruption. This happens because the database cannot be accessed and worked on till the error is fixed and resolved.
Authentication Issues
With the dual authentication modes for the SQL Server Login, it might create problems for the users to choose the appropriate authentication mode. If the server is configured to allow only Windows Authentication, but the user is using the other mode, it will restrict the login request.
Application Downtime
With the occurrence of the SQL Server Error 18452 Untrusted Domain, along with the inaccessibility of the database, the applications that rely on the database are also affected. The application might not work well due to the error, resulting in downtime.
After going through these challenges, we will now move to the solutions that will help the users resolve the error and fix the database login for easy access. Let’s see what are these solutions and how they work.
How to Repair SQL Error 18452?
There are multiple solutions to repair the login failed error in the SQL Server. However, the users must understand the cause of the error first to choose the appropriate method. Now we will move to these solutions one by one and check how they resolve the error.
Solution – 1: Check and Verify Authentication Mode
If the error is caused due to the mismatched authentication mode in the SQL Server, it becomes necessary to check if the server is configured to accept the provided mode or not.
In case the SQL Server is set to only accept Windows Authentication, it will restrict the login initiated by SQL Server Authentication. So you need to know the supported authentication mode. To resolve the error and log into the database efficiently, set the authentication mode to support both SQL Server authentication and Windows Authentication.
Solution – 2: Verify Login Account Existence
One of the reasons for the SQL Server login error 18452 can be the account existence issues. To know if this is the cause, you need to check if the login account being used to access the database exists or not. If the login account is anyhow deleted or does not exist, create the login with the same name and grant all the required permissions to it. This way you can log into the database and resolve the error efficiently.
Solution – 3: Check and Inspect for Untrusted Domain
The SQL Server Error 18452 Untrusted Domain signifies the issue that the domain of the login account is not recognized by the server. So to ensure a secure login, verify if the login account is from a trusted domain or not. This error can be resolved by using the login from a trusted domain that can be effectively recognized by the SQL Server.
Solution – 4: Using a Professional Solution for Repairing the Error
Another common reason for the login request denial by the server is mismatching or incorrect login credentials. This can happen if the user forgets the password or loses it. If the admin changes the credentials without the user’s awareness the error will occur. To resolve the SQL Error 18452 that occurred due to this error, we can use an expert solution. The solution we are talking about is the SQL Server Password Recovery Tool.
This solution helps with resetting the password of a specific login. Also, it checks the login existence in the database. The steps to reset the password are:
- Install and run the solution. Click on Browse to open database files.
- Click on Open button to load files in the tool.
- After a scan is completed, click on OK to continue.
- In the displayed screen you will see two password types. Unknown means a password exists and Not Set means no password on the login.
- Select the user to reset the password, and then take a backup before resetting the password.
- After taking the backup, set the new password and then click the OK button.
Conclusion
With the help of this technical post, we have tried to understand SQL Error 18452 thoroughly along with its causes. Furthermore, we also discussed the challenges caused by the error and how they affected the users. Lastly, we have suggested solutions that are efficient to resolve the error. They will help the users log into the database in a hassle-free way.