2422049 - SAP Application Server on Windows Platform does not start due to the error "SQLERRTEXT : authentication failed"

The startup of the SAP Application Server on Windows fails with the following error in the corresponding workprocess traces:

Try to connect via secure store (DEFAULT) on connection 0 ...
C *** ERROR => Connect to database failed, rc=1, rcSQL=10
[dbhdbsql.cpp 398]
C SQLCODE : 10
C SQLERRTEXT : authentication failed
B ***LOG BY2=> sql error 10 performing CON [dbsh 1262]
B ***LOG BY0=> authentication failed [dbsh 1262]
B ***LOG BY2=> sql error 10 performing CON [dblink 625]
B ***LOG BY0=> authentication failed [dblink 625]

Or the below error message:

C Loading SQLDBC client runtime (pid=XXXX)...
C SQLDBC Module : D:\usr\sap\<SID>\hdbclient\libSQLDBCHDB.dll
C SQLDBC Runtime : libSQLDBCHDB 2.XXXXXXX
C
C Try to connect via secure store (DEFAULT) on connection 0 ...
C connect property [APPLICATION = ABAP:<SID>]
C connect property [APPLICATIONVERSION = XXX PL XXX]
C connect property [KEY = DEFAULT]
C connect property [UNICODE = 1]
C connect property [SQLMODE = SAPR3]
C connect property [VARCHARMODE = ABAP]
C connect property [PACKETSIZE = 1048576]
C connect property [COMPLETEARRAYEXECUTION = 1]
C connect property [CACHEDVIEWTS = 1]
C connect property [LOCKUSERSTOREONKEYREAD = 0]
C connect property [STATEMENTROUTINGWARNINGS = TRUE]
C no connection data found for key (DEFAULT) in HANA secure store
C connect via secure store failed, rc = -10104 (Invalid value for KEY "DEFAULT", directory search path: C:\ProgramData\.hdb\<hostname>\S-XXXXXXX)
C *** ERROR => Connect to database failed, rc=-10909, rcSQL=-10104
[dbhdbsql.cpp 624]
C SQLCODE : -10104
C SQLERRTEXT : Invalid value for KEY "DEFAULT", directory search path: C:\ProgramData\.hdb\<hostname>\S-XXXXXXX
C XXXXXXX
B ***LOG BY2=> sql error -10104 performing CON [dbsh 1289]
B ***LOG BY0=> Invalid value for KEY "DEFAULT", directory search path: C:\ProgramData\.hdb\<hostname>\S-XXXXXXX [dbsh 1289]
B ***LOG BY2=> sql error -10104 performing CON [dblink 644]
B ***LOG BY0=> Invalid value for KEY "DEFAULT", directory search path: C:\ProgramData\.hdb\<hostname>\S-XXXXXXX [dblink 644]

And "r3trans -d" however, finishes as reture code 0000 successfully.

 "Image/data in this KBA is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental."

• SAP HANA, platform edition
• SAP NetWeaver based systems running on Microsoft Windows Server

SQLDBC, r3trans, NW AS ABAP, client, server, dbco, DBSL, HANA client, hdbuserstore, DEFAULT key , KBA , HAN-DB-CLI , SAP HANA Clients (JDBC, ODBC) , Problem