Dealing with “Error 18456” in MS SQL Server

Error number 18456 is quite common in MS SQL Server and it comes up whenever there is some problem with installation of MS SharePoint services. This error crops up in the following scenario:

You install MS Windows SharePoint Services and as soon the Setup program is completed successfully, you configure Windows SharePoint Services settings in SharePoint Central Administration. You specify configuration database settings on the Set Configuration Database Server page of SharePoint Central Administration, and then you click OK. Now on clicking OK you get one of the following error messages.

Login failed for user 'DOMAINNAME\ACCOUNTNAME'. (Error code: 18456)

Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE'. (Error code: 18456)

Reason behind this error

The application pool runs as a certain account. If that account does not have database creation rights in Microsoft SQL Server, this issue may occur. To be more specific, this issue occurs if the account is not a member of the Security Administrators role or of the Database Creators role.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, you must add an account to the Database Creators role and to the Security Administrators role in SQL Server. To do that you need to follow the given below steps:

• Add the account that the application pool is running as to the Security Administrators role and to the Database Creators role in SQL Server. To do this:

1. Start SQL Server Enterprise Manager.

2. Expand Microsoft SQL Servers, expand the server group, expand the appropriate server, and then expand Security.

3. Right-click Logins, and then click New Login.

4. Type the account name in the Name box. Use the following format for the account name: DomainName\AccountName.

5. Click the Server Roles tab.

6. In the Server Role list, click to select the Security Administrators check box, and then click to select the Database Creators check box. Click OK.

7. Quit SQL Server Enterprise Manager.

• On the Configure Administrative Virtual Server page of SharePoint Central Administration, create a new application pool, specify the account as the application pool account, and then click OK. The Application Pool Changed page is displayed.

• Restart Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). To do this, click Start, click Run, type iisreset in the Open box, and then click OK.

• On the Application Pool Changed page, click OK. On the Set Configuration Database Server page of SharePoint Central Administration, specify the configuration database settings.

After this you would not be facing this 18456 error anymore. If you are unable to access SQL server database files due to corruption issues, then you can repair them using SQL recovery software. Its efficient SQL database recovery software for MS SQL Server database files (.MDF) and performs MS SQL recovery in no matter of time.