How to fix Error 5829 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 5829 – “The Specified User Options Value Is Invalid”

Why This Error Happens

Error 5829 occurs when the sp_configure ‘user options’ value submitted falls outside the valid range (0–32767) or represents an invalid combination of bitmask flags for setting default query processing options. This typically results from an administrator manually calculating an incorrect bitmask sum when attempting to set multiple SET options (such as ANSI_WARNINGS, ARITHABORT, or NOCOUNT) globally at the server level. It can also occur due to corrupted or manually edited registry values associated with the SQL Server instance configuration.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify the Current User Options Configuration

  • Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and connect to the instance running on Windows Server 2025 or Windows 11.
  • Run the following query to check the current value:
EXEC sp_configure 'user options';
  • Confirm the run_value and config_value columns to see if an out-of-range number (e.g., anything above 32767) is present.

Step 2: Recalculate the Correct Bitmask Value

  • Reference the official bitmask table for SET options (e.g., DISABLEDEFCNSTCHK = 1, IMPLICITTRANSACTIONS = 2, CURSORCLOSEONCOMMIT = 4, ANSIWARNINGS = 8, etc.).
  • Manually add only the specific decimal values for the options you want active.
  • Ensure the total sum does not exceed 32767, as this is the maximum allowable integer for this configuration.

Step 3: Apply the Corrected Configuration Value

  • Execute the corrected value using the following T-SQL syntax (replace 4096 with your calculated value):
EXEC sp_configure 'user options', 4096;
RECONFIGURE;
  • If the error persists immediately after running this, restart the SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER) service via the Services console (services.msc) or SQL Server Configuration Manager to force the engine to re-read the configuration cache.

Step 4: Check for Registry Corruption (If Error Persists)

  • Navigate to the registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\[Instance_Name]\MSSQLServer.
  • Look for the UserConnect or related configuration keys that might contain a non-numeric or invalid data type.
  • If corruption is found, it is safer to reset the specific configuration value via T-SQL (Step 3) rather than editing the registry directly, as SQL Server 2025 may overwrite manual registry edits upon service restart.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Verification: After restarting the service, run EXEC sp_configure 'user options'; again. The run_value should now match the config_value you set, and no error should populate in the SQL Server Error Log (viewable via SSMS Object Explorer > Management > SQL Server Logs).
  • Alternative: If the global server-level setting continues to throw errors, reset it to the default value of 0 and instead manage SET options at the connection string or application level (e.g., via ADO.NET or ODBC connection properties) to avoid overriding server-wide session defaults.