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dfxdeimosFlag for United States of America

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How do I add a login to the "sysadmin" server role?

I am having trouble with the following scenario:

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition, SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition, and Team Foundation Server all running on one machine.

I am trying to create a maintenance plan to backup the TFS databases. In order to do that I have to be able to work in the SQL Management Studio with an account that is a member of the "sysadmin" server role.

The only member of the "sysadmin" server role is the "SA" account. The "SA" account password was left blank during install. When I try to add a new login (my domain admin account in this case) to the "sysadmin" server role I recieve the error message noted in "ERROR MESSAGE 1" below.

If I try to log into the SQL Management Studio with the SA account via the SQL Authentication mode I receive the error message noted in "ERROR MESSAGE 2" below.

My goal is to either:

(A) Add another login to the "sysadmin" role
or
(B) Login to the SQL Management Studio with the "SA" account

Please help! Thank you.
ERROR MESSAGE 1:
 
Add member failed for ServerRole 'sysadmin'. (Microsoft SqlServer.Smo).
|_  An Exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch.
    (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)
    |_ User does not have permission to perform this action. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 15247)
 
ERROR MESSAGE 2:
 
Cannot connect to <INSTANCENAME>
|_ Login failed for user 'SA'. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 18456)

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chapmandew
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Hi,

when trying to log in as SA, do you have authentication set to mixed? And I'd fix the blank password ASAP.

Cheers
  David
Avatar of dfxdeimos

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@ Chapmandew

How would I execute that command? You can't just type what you posted at the command line... Please provide the FULL command.

@ Dtodd

How would I confirm that? In the login window there is a dropdown next to "Authentication" that has "Windows Authentication" and "SQL Server Authentication" in it. I set it to "SQL Server Authentication" when trying to log into the SA account.
Well, that is the FULL command.  connect to the database in managemetn studio, open a new query window, paste that in there and run it.
Ok, you didn't mention anything about a query window, so I had no idea.

"SA" doesn't work, I had to replace it with "sysadmin". Result is:

Msg 15247, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_addsrvrolemember, Line 29
User does not have permission to perform this action.
Perhaps you didn't read my question thouroughly. As I noted, the only "sysadmin" is the "SA" account, and I cannot log into the Management Studio with the SA account.
lets try this.  do you know of anyone who is an admin on the machine that SQL is installed on?  likely, the local admins are also members of the sa group, and can add you as a sysadmin on the box using the commands I gave above.
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