Frequently asked questions

Stored procedures, triggers, views, user-defined functions, database triggers and server triggers can be decrypted. All three function types are supported: scalar, inline table-valued and multi-statement table-valued.

The SQL Server login entered in the connection properties must belong to the sysadmin server role. On SQL Server 2005 and later, the Dedicated Administrator Connection (DAC) may also need to be enabled.

SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019, including Express editions, plus SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE).

Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, Server 2003 and XP, in both 32-bit and 64-bit editions.

The trial decrypts normally but displays only the first 500 characters of each object. Entering a licence key removes the limit for unlimited use.

This message usually means the Dedicated Administrator Connection is not available to remote clients. By default the DAC is only reachable from a client running on the server itself. To allow remote DAC connections, run the following with a sysadmin login:

sp_configure 'remote admin connections', 1;
GO
RECONFIGURE;
GO

Alternatively, open the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration tool, choose Surface Area Configuration for Features, select Enable remote DAC and apply.

For SQL Server Express editions, add the startup option -T 7806 to the SQL Server service, restart the service from the properties dialog, then close the dialog. The setting applies for that service start.

SQL Server Native Client contains the SQL OLE DB provider and the SQL ODBC driver in a single native library. It supports applications that use native-code APIs such as ODBC, OLE DB and ADO to connect to SQL Server.

The DAC is an administrative connection introduced with SQL Server 2005. It is intended as a last resort for troubleshooting, letting an administrator connect and run T-SQL when normal connections are exhausted or the instance is unresponsive.

The supported platform list covers SQL Server 2000 through 2019, SQL Server Express editions and MSDE. Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance are not on that list. Contact support before relying on the tool for those services.

Registration information is emailed automatically after a successful purchase, usually within minutes. If it does not arrive, check your spam or junk folder and add azsql.com to your allowed senders. If you still cannot find it, contact support with your order details.

The product is intended for database owners and authorized database administrators. Use it only on SQL Server instances and databases that you own or have explicit written permission to administer. It must not be used to access third-party systems or to bypass access controls.