The cluster identity may lack permissions required to update the object

Lucas Peñaloza 671 Reputation points
2025-12-02T20:36:56.19+00:00

Dear;

Hi have the message:

The computer object associated with the cluster network name resource 'Cluster Name'

could not be updated in domain 'xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx' during the

Password change operation.

The text for the associated error code is: The specified network password is not correct.

The cluster identity 'CLPWGIRSQL$' may lack permissions required to update the object.

Please work with your domain administrator to ensure that the cluster identity can update computer objects in the domain.

Please tell me what I need to check

Thank you so much!!!.

Windows for business | Windows Server | Storage high availability | Clustering and high availability
Answer accepted by question author
VPHAN 44,300 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-12-29T21:01:36.1466667+00:00

Hello Lucas Peñaloza,

I wanted to follow up to see if you successfully completed the upgrade of the final node (PWGIRSQL1) and failing back your resources.

To summarize our last discussion regarding your final step:

The Risk: Update-ClusterFunctionalLevel is irreversible, but it is safe as long as all nodes are online, running the new OS, and you have passed the Test-Cluster validation.

The Strategy: There is no rush. You can leave the cluster in "Mixed Mode" for a few days to verify stability before running the command to lock in the new features.

If your cluster is now fully upgraded and stable, please consider accepting the answer as it helps other people sharing the same question benefit too. Thank you!

VP

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Answer accepted by question author
VPHAN 44,300 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-12-18T15:55:23.51+00:00

Hi Lucas Peñaloza,

You are definitely correct to be cautious about High Availability (HA). While a Windows Cluster can technically run with one node on a new OS and two on the old OS (Mixed Mode), your approach minimizes risk significantly.

By updating both Secondary nodes (PWGIRSQL2 and PWGIRSQL3) before you ever touch the Primary (PWGIRSQL1), you ensure that when you finally perform the failover:

  1. Stability: You are failing over to a new OS node (PWGIRSQL2) that already has another new OS partner (PWGIRSQL3) ready to sync.
  2. Redundancy: If something goes wrong with PWGIRSQL2 immediately after the upgrade, you have PWGIRSQL3 (also upgraded) as a safety net.

The Approved Execution Order:

  1. Update PWGIRSQL2 (OS + SQL).
    • Result: Node 2 is healthy and syncing again.
  2. Update PWGIRSQL3 (OS + SQL).
    • Result: Node 3 is healthy and syncing again.
    • State: Now you have 2 upgraded nodes waiting in the wings.
  3. Failover the Availability Group from Node 1 to Node 2.
    • Result: Your Production is now running on the New OS.
  4. Update PWGIRSQL1 (The old Primary).

This is the safest, most professional way to execute a 3-node cluster upgrade. Proceed with confidence.

I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

VP

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Answer accepted by question author
VPHAN 44,300 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-12-15T14:54:40.93+00:00

YES, absolutely. You must always begin your upgrade process with the Secondary Replicas. Since your cluster is now healthy, the safest rolling upgrade workflow is to upgrade the passive nodes first, leaving the active Primary (PWGIRSQL1) untouched until the very end to keep your application online.

Here is the recommended sequence:

Phase 1: Upgrade the Secondary (PWGIRSQL2)

Since PWGIRSQL2 is already a Secondary replica and you just stabilized it, it is the perfect candidate to start with.

  1. Backup: Take a full backup of your databases on the Primary (PWGIRSQL1) just in case.
  2. Suspend Data Movement (Optional but Recommended): In SSMS, you can temporarily suspend data movement for the PWGIRSQL2 replica if the upgrade will take a long time (to prevent the transaction log on the Primary from growing too large while waiting).
  3. Perform the Upgrade: Apply your Operating System updates or SQL Server patches/upgrades on PWGIRSQL2.
  4. Reboot & Validate: Restart PWGIRSQL2. Once it is back online, open SSMS on the Primary and verify that PWGIRSQL2 returns to the Synchronized (or Synchronizing) state. Phase 2: Upgrade the Next Secondary (PWGIRSQL3)

Once Node 2 is green and fully synced, repeat the process for PWGIRSQL3.

Phase 3: The Failover (Switch Roles)

Once both Secondaries (Node 2 and Node 3) are upgraded and healthy:

  1. Change the Availability Mode of PWGIRSQL2 to Synchronous Commit (if it isn't already).
  2. Perform a Manual Failover of the Availability Group from PWGIRSQL1 to PWGIRSQL2.
    • Now PWGIRSQL2 is the Primary and is running the new version.
  3. Verify applications are connecting successfully. Phase 4: Upgrade the Old Primary (PWGIRSQL1)

Now that PWGIRSQL1 is a passive Secondary, you can safely proceed to upgrade it.

VP

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  1. Lucas Peñaloza 671 Reputation points
    2025-12-05T18:52:48.16+00:00

    Hi VPHAN!!!.

    We believe that the problem occurs during the Cluster Update Process.

    It is a cluster of 2 nodes.

    To update the cluster, We cloned the Passive Node!!!.

    Then We renamed the cloned node and added it to the cluster!!!.

    Name                 ID    State

    ----                 --    -----

    PWGIRSQL1            1     Up

    PWGIRSQL2            2     Up

    PWGIRSQL3            3     Up

    PWGIRSQL3 is the New Node.

    But in Node PWGIRSQL2:

    The computer object associated with the cluster network name resource 'Cluster Name' could not be updated in domain 'telecom.arg.telecom.com.ar' during the

    Password change operation.

    The text for the associated error code is: The specified network password is not correct.

    The cluster identity 'CLPWGIRSQL$' may lack permissions required to update the object. Please work with your domain administrator to ensure that the cluster identity can update computer objects in the domain.

    What do you think?

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  2. VPHAN 44,300 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-06T01:35:43.9+00:00

    Hi Lucas,

    The information about cloning the passive node is the "smoking gun." Cloning a domain-joined cluster node is a critical violation of Microsoft supportability and Active Directory mechanics. This action is almost certainly the root cause of the password synchronization failure you are seeing on PWGIRSQL2. To analyze the Root Cause (SID and Machine Password Duplication), when you cloned PWGIRSQL2 to create PWGIRSQL3, you didn't just copy the files; you copied the Machine Account Password and potentially the Local Security Identifier (SID) (unless you ran Sysprep properly). Here came the conflict__:__ Active Directory relies on a secure channel password that rotates automatically (usually every 30 days). If PWGIRSQL3 (the clone) updated the machine password with the Domain Controller, PWGIRSQL2 (the source) now has an "old" password locally that the Domain Controller no longer recognizes. Since the Cluster Service runs on top of these OS credentials, when PWGIRSQL2 tries to talk to the Cluster Name Object (CLPWGIRSQL$) in AD to update the CNO password, the authentication fails because the secure channel of the node itself is broken or confused by the duplicate identity artifacts.

    You cannot simply "fix" the cloned node while it is live in the cluster. You must remove the compromised node to restore stability. Here is my suggestion:

    Step 1: Validate the Healthy Node (PWGIRSQL1) Ensure that your primary node (PWGIRSQL1) is hosting all resources (SQL Server, etc.) and is functioning correctly.

    Step 2: Evict the Problem Node (PWGIRSQL2) Since PWGIRSQL2 is the source of the clone and is throwing errors, it is "tainted."

    Open Failover Cluster Manager.

    Right-click PWGIRSQL2 -> More Actions -> Evict.

    This removes the node from the cluster configuration so it stops trying to corrupt the CNO credentials.

    Step 3: Fix the Trust Relationship on PWGIRSQL2 (or Reinstall)

    Option A (Reinstall - Recommended): Format PWGIRSQL2 and install the OS fresh. This guarantees no lingering SID duplication issues.

    Option B (Re-join): Remove PWGIRSQL2 from the domain (join a Workgroup), reboot, deleting the computer account in AD, and then re-join the domain. This forces a new SID and machine password.

    Step 4: Repair the Cluster Name Object (CNO) Now that the "bad" node is gone, perform the repair action we discussed earlier on the surviving node (PWGIRSQL1).

    Right-click Cluster Name -> More Actions -> Repair Active Directory Object.

    This ensures the CNO (CLPWGIRSQL$) is perfectly synced with the surviving authoritative node.

    Step 5: Re-add PWGIRSQL2 Once PWGIRSQL2 is fresh (reinstalled or fully re-joined) and showing "Ready" in validation, add it back to the cluster using the Add Node wizard.

    Important Warning regarding PWGIRSQL3: If PWGIRSQL3 was created via cloning without running Sysprep /generalize, it is also a time-bomb. It is highly recommended to eventually evict it and reinstall it properly from an ISO, rather than a clone. For now, prioritize fixing PWGIRSQL2 to regain redundancy.

    I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer then. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

    VP

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