password woes

[SQLWilts]

I have a server where I have set up a user with a user name and password using a "strong" password. The password I am using is mtk!?847;
when I try and connect through any app (including QA) I get a "login failed" error message.
In order to avoid typos, I have also typed it into notepad and copied and pasted it both to reset the password and to try and connect - still fails.
I reset the password to "password" (without the quotes) and it works - go figure!
I really need the above password to work as it is in an encrypted connection string used by many apps.
Can anyone point me in the right place to look to sort this out please?

 

[onpnt]

I don't believe you can use the ; in the password. This is a guess though. There is no supported documentation I can find on that. It just seems like it would have an issue with it due to how the strings are built when you hit connect.

Here is the BOL

Password Complexity
Password complexity policies are designed to deter brute force attacks by increasing the number of possible passwords. When password complexity policy is enforced, new passwords must meet the following guidelines. 

The password does not contain all or "part" of the user's account name. Part of an account name is defined as three or more consecutive alpha-numeric characters delimited on both ends by "white space" (space, tab, return, etc.) or any of the following characters: , . - _ #


The password is at least six characters long. 


The password contains characters from three of the following four categories: 


English uppercase letters (A – Z) 


English lowercase letters (a – z) 


Base 10 digits (0 – 9) 


Non–alphanumeric (For example: !, $, #, or %)

[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]

 

[onpnt]

Scratch that. I tried that password and it works fine.

Do you have Enforce Password Policy checked?

[sub]____________ signature below ______________
You are a amateur developer until you realize all your code sucks.
Jeff Atwood[/sub]

 

[SQLWilts]

Onpnt - thanks for coming back so swiftly.

Sorry, this is SQL 2000, so password policy isn't there.
Thought at your first post you had cracked it!
Any more hints would be appreciated.

 

[SQLWilts]

OK, so now I am going to shoot my developer and nick name him "Trigger" (sorry all you Americans - this is a reference to "Only fools and horses").

The connection details he emailed me were copied straight out of the connection string, and he included the ;

Grrrrrrr

Anyway, thanks for looking

 

[mutley1]

I’ve had this same password for 25 years, its had 14 new characters and 17 new numbers

 

[SQLWilts]

Arf Arf!!!

Aaahhh, Mange Toute Mange Toute