Here we demonstrate some options for how to recover a Primavera P6 password has been forgotten or lost. It answers the question, what are my options when I forget/lose the password for my Primavera P6 Application?
Error: Invalid login or password. Please try again or choose Cancel to exit the application.
The answer to this problem depends on what type of database you are connecting to and if you are using a standalone or multi-user instance of P6. Take a look at the two options below to see which one pertains to you.
How to Recover a Primavera P6 Password in SQLite
If you have forgotten your Primavera P6 password for your SQLite database, you have two options:
SQLite Option 1
Easy – Rebuild the database
IMPORTANT: Use this option if you are certain you have no important project data in the inaccessible database. This option will overwrite the original database.
- In the P6 Login dialog, click on the Database ellipse […] button.
- In the Edit Database Connections dialog, select the SQLite database alias for the database with the lost/forgotten password.
- Click the Configure button.
- Click Next.
- Select the ‘Add a new standalone database and connection’ option and click Next.
- In the Enter a new password field, enter a new password for your new database. Then WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE AND DON’T LOSE IT.
- Click Next.
- In this dialog you may wish to alter the name of the new database file, or go with the default.
- Warning: The latter of these two options will overwrite your original database.
- Click Next.
- In the Connection Successful dialog, click Finish.
You will now be able to connect to your new database using the ‘Admin’ username and the password you just entered.
SQLite Option 2
Not So Easy Option – Set your password to Null using the SQLiteSpy application
IMPORTANT: Follow these steps at your own risk. Ten Six Consulting, LLC accepts no responsibility for the outcome of these actions under any circumstances. We simply provide this information for educational purposes only to help you solve a challenging issue.
This option requires a third party free tool that will allow you to set your database password to NULL and login to your SQLite database with a blank password. This approach is not ideal and you will not be able to create a new password using this technique. However you will at least be able to access your otherwise inaccessible database.
- Download the free SQLiteSpy tool created by Delphi Inspirations. It functions as an SQL interface rather like Microsoft’s SQL Server Management Studio.
- Run the SQLiteSpy.exe file.
- In the resulting application, click on the File | Open Database menu option and open your inaccessible PPMDBSQLite.db database file.
- In the SQL command area, enter the following SQL statement.update users set passwd = null where user_name = ‘admin’
- In the Execute menu, select the Execute SQL option.
- You will likely see a message that says ‘no results available’ after execution. This is normal – the command has likely worked if typed in correctly.
- Now attempt to login to your formerly inaccessible database using a blank password.
While this works, you will now be running with a blank password for your database which is not recommended. There is no way to reset the password as this is a single user database and therefore offers no user configurations. We recommend you export all the necessary projects, rebuild a new database and import the necessary projects into that rebuilt database.
How to Recover a Forgotten Primavera P6 Password in an Oracle or MS SQL Database
In a multi-user database such as Oracle or MS SQL Server, if you forget your password, your system administrator will be able to reset it for you. It is also possible to reset it yourself if you have access to the Users dialog of the Admin menu (PPMDB schemas only).
If you are in a Primavera P6 EPPM environment, you can change your password in the My Preferences area of the tool.
You can also use the following SQL command in the SQL Server Management Studio to set the password for a user login to Null. This will allow a reset by either your (the superuser) or the user.
update users set passwd = null where user_name = ‘admin’
I hope this helps you recover a Primavera P6 password in what can be a challenging situation.