How to reset PostgreSQL database password for SoftActivity software

By default, SoftActivity uses the following PostgreSQL user name: softactivity. The database password is set by the administrator during SoftActivity product installation.

By default, connections to the database are accepted only from the local computer where the PostgreSQL server is installed. This is done for security reasons.

These instructions apply whether PostgreSQL is installed as part of SoftActivity software or installed separately. For current SoftActivity installations, the PostgreSQL service name is SapgSrv15 and the PostgreSQL command-line tools are in the postgres18\bin folder. For standalone PostgreSQL installations, use the service name and bin folder for your installation.

To reset the PostgreSQL database password in SoftActivity, follow these steps

1. Open the Database tab in TS Monitor or Activity Monitor settings, then click Check Connection to verify the current connection settings.

2. First try the password used to open SoftActivity Monitor or TS Monitor. If it is still not accepted, continue with the password reset procedure below.

   
   

3. Click the About tab, then click the PostgreSQL config files link to open the database pgdata folder.

   
   

4. Back up the pg_hba.conf file from that folder before making any changes.

   
   

5. Open pg_hba.conf in Notepad. Find the local host authentication lines near the bottom of the file. In current installations, they typically look like this:

   
   

host all all 127.0.0.1/32 scram-sha-256
host all all ::1/128 scram-sha-256

On older PostgreSQL versions, they may use md5 instead of scram-sha-256.

Temporarily change those lines to:

host all all 127.0.0.1/32 trust
host all all ::1/128 trust

Uncomment the lines if needed by removing a leading # character.

Warning: this change allows any user on the local computer to connect to the database without password authentication. Revert these lines after the password has been reset.

6. Restart the PostgreSQL service. For current SoftActivity installations, use:

sc stop SapgSrv15
sc start SapgSrv15

If PostgreSQL was installed separately, restart the PostgreSQL service used by that installation instead.

7. Make sure the PostgreSQL service starts and reaches the Running state. If pg_hba.conf was edited incorrectly, the service may fail to start. If that happens, check Event Viewer for PostgreSQL service errors and fix the file formatting before continuing.

   
   

8. Open Command Prompt in the PostgreSQL bin folder for your installation. For current SoftActivity installations, use one of these folders:

   
   

"C:\Program Files\SoftActivity\Activity Monitor\postgres18\bin"

or

"C:\Program Files\SoftActivity TS Monitor\postgres18\bin"

If PostgreSQL was installed separately, open Command Prompt in that installation’s bin folder instead.

9. Run this command from Command Prompt:

psql -h localhost -U softactivity -d postgres

Where:

• softactivity is the PostgreSQL user name
• postgres is the database name

With trust enabled in pg_hba.conf, this command should not ask for a password and should connect you to the database command line.

10. Enter the following command to change the password for user softactivity. Replace my_secure_password with a unique and strong password:

ALTER USER softactivity WITH PASSWORD 'my_secure_password';

Press Enter to execute it.

Notes:

• do not omit the trailing ;
• type \q and press Enter to exit psql

11. Important: restore pg_hba.conf to its original secure state, or revert the lines you modified earlier. Then restart the PostgreSQL service again.

    
    

12. Enter the new password on the Database tab in Settings and click Check Connection to verify that it is accepted.