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Restore Access to the Server Manager When the Password Is Forgotten

Tobias Nessel
Updated

Goal

You restore access to the Server Manager when you have forgotten the login password. The password cannot be reset. Therefore, you re-create the npwsConfigDb.

Prerequisites

  • Access to the MSSQL Server hosting the npwsConfigDb.
  • Permission to back up, delete, and re-create databases.
  • Ability to stop and start the Netwrix Password Secure Service.
  • Existing data databases that you reintegrate later.
  • License file or license credentials for the Configuration Wizard.

Important: Create a full backup of all databases before any database interaction. Delete the old configuration database only after you have successfully verified the new one. Never delete the data databases. In environments with several application servers, each server has its own configuration database, for example npwsConfigDb_SERVER1 and npwsConfigDb_SERVER2. Work only on the database of the affected server.

Steps

Prepare

  1. Create a full backup of all databases, including the configuration and data databases.
  2. In the login window of the Server Manager, open the Basic Configuration and check the exact name of the npwsConfigDb of the affected application server.
  3. Stop the Netwrix Password Secure Service on the application server.

Create and verify the new configuration database

  1. In the Basic Configuration, change the name of the npwsConfigDb to a new name that differs from the existing one, for example npwsConfigDb_NEW. The old database remains untouched.

  2. Create the new, empty database. There are two ways:

    • Manually: Create the database yourself on the MSSQL Server.
    • Automatically: The Basic Configuration creates the database when you save, provided the SQL service account has the dbcreator server role.
  3. Save the Basic Configuration.
  4. Start the Netwrix Password Secure Service. The application server initializes a new default configuration database.
  5. Log in to the Server Manager with the password admin, the default password of every new database. The login forces you to set a new password at the first login. This verifies the new configuration database.

Add the license

  1. In the Configuration Wizard, add the license, either by uploading a license file or by entering license credentials (account-based licensing).

    Note: With license credentials, the error "Too many activations!" can occur. In that case, create a support ticket with priority URGENT so that Support resets the license activations. Alternatively, inform Support in advance so that they enable an additional activation.

  2. Complete the Configuration Wizard.

Integrate the existing databases

Integrating the existing data databases is not part of the Configuration Wizard. You do it after the wizard is completed, in the Databases module.

  1. In the Server Manager, open the Databases module.
  2. Integrate the existing data databases, for example PasswordSecureDataDb.
  3. Save and apply the configuration. Afterwards, the system reconnects to all existing data.

Check the Web App URL

  1. In the Server Manager, open the Web App module.
  2. Make sure the correct Web App URL is stored, for example https://passwordsecure.company.org.

Delete the old configuration database

  1. Check that logging in to the Server Manager and accessing the existing data both work.
  2. Only then delete the old npwsConfigDb on the MSSQL Server.

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