How to change service accounts and service account passwords in SharePoint Server 2007/2010

There might be a Need in the org to change the password of the service account as some administrator has Left or for some other reason to avoid any integrity issue .

Just as I was walking through the process of Changing Service account passwords in 2010 which i found the simplest .

I also wanted to share the old way of changing service accounts and service account passwords in SharePoint Server 2007 .

Please refer to the below link

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934838

The steps in the KB article would walk you through the individual STSADM commands that were necessary to update the password for the following accounts on every server in the SharePoint Farm:

•Farm account
•Application pool account(s)
•Windows SharePoint Services Help Search Service
•Content access account (used by the Windows SharePoint Services Help Search Service)
•Shared Services Provider (SSP) account(s)
•Office SharePoint Server Search service

However in Sharepoint 2010 we have Managed Accounts

Launch SharePoint 2010 Central Administration (logon as Setup Farm Account)
Navigate to ‘Application Management’
In ‘Security’ Section Click‘Configure Manage Accounts
Click Register Managed Account

Add the New Account
User Name (NEW USER)
Password (NEW PASSWORD)

Update Security Groups on Each SharePoint Server.
Start – Administrative Tools – Computer Management
Expand System Tools -> Local Users and Groups – Groups
Set the permissions as below:

ADMINISTRATORS – add the new farm account confirm it exists
WSS_WPG – add the new farm accountconfirm it exists
WSS_ADMIN_WPG – add the new farm accountconfirm it exists

Launch Central Administration
Select Security
Select Configure Service Accounts
Update the following Accounts:
• Farm Account
• Windows Service – Microsoft SharePoint Foundation Sandboxed Code Service
• Windows Service – User Profile Synchronization Service
• Windows Service – Web Analytics Data Processing Service
• Service Application Pool – SecurityTokenServiceApplicationPool
• Service Application Pool – SharePoint Web Services System

You can also change only the password of the Service account

Launch SharePoint 2010 Central Administration (logon as Setup Farm Account)
Navigate to ‘Application Management’
In ‘Security’ Section Click
‘Configure Manage Accounts
Click on Edit besides the service account and then fill in the details
The Managed account should be already selected
Check the Change password now box
Set account password to new value
Confirm Password
Click ok

Hope This helps some Administrators .

You can also refer - http://blogs.technet.com/b/seanearp/archive/2011/01/25/updating-passwords-on-sharepoint-2010.aspx