Introduction

This article is about how to proceed when you get error message 'Sqlcmd: Error: Microsoft ODBC Driver 13 for SQL Server : Login failed for user 'sa'.. '

Problem Definition

SA Password is entered wrong more than three times then SA account will be locked or someone wants to reset the password. 

Solution

Using mssql-conf setup  need following step:- (this require reboot SQL Server)

1. Conf setup

Yyou need to stop mssql-server  using this command   -conf setup command 

sudo systemctl stop mssql-server

sudo /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup

• Setting up Microsoft SQL Server  
• Enter the new SQL Server system administrator password:   --Enter strong password here  
• Confirm the new SQL Server system administrator password: --Enter strong password here  
• Starting Microsoft SQL Server...  
• Enabling Microsoft SQL Server to run at boot...  
• Setup completed successfully.
• Check Mssql services status using command sudo systemctl status mssql-server

 2. Change password using sp_password 

• Login with User who having sysadmin access on the server.
•  syntax: sp_password NULL, ‘<insert_new_password_here>’, ’sa’ 
• command :

sp_password NULL, 'Mssql@12345', 'sa'

 

 3. Using GUI using Window server:​

Install new version of SSMS   -->SSMS 17.4 is the latest version of SQL Server Management Studio.

   a. Connect Linux SQL server on Windows server using SSMS.
   b. Select  the Security->Logins folder on the left side of your window; Right-click “sa” and choose properties;
 

c.Change password and confirm with complexity. 
   orignal article