How to delete database, error 5030 database can't be locked

Question

I am trying to delete an existing database in SQL Server 2005. My first attempt produced the following error:

5030: The database could not be exclusively

Answer 1

A production server in which so many connections use the database yet you want to drop it? :)

None the less, how to kick out everybody from the database:

USE [dbname];
ALTER DATABASE [dbname] SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;

Then drop the database:

USE [master];
DROP DATABASE [dbname];

There is still a very small window of opportunity between the USE [master]; and DROP DATABASE ... where some other connection can grab the 1 single allowed lock on the database, but it usually not worth working around that.

Answer 2

To avoid this error, use the T-SQL script below in the master database. Make sure to run this (and modify the @dbname) for each database you are running the ALTER DATABASE command in.

"The database could not be exclusively locked to perform the operation"

This "connection killer" script will work if Windows has established JDBC connections to the database. But this script is unable to kill off JDBC connections for Linux services (e.g. JBoss). So you'll still get that error if you don't stop JBoss manually. I haven't tried other protocols, but please comment if you find out more information as you build new systems.

USE master;

DECLARE @dbname sysname

Set @dbname = 'DATABASE_NAME_HERE-PROD'

Declare @spid int
Select @spid = min(spid) from master.dbo.sysprocesses
where dbid = db_id(@dbname)
While @spid Is Not Null
Begin
        Execute ('Kill ' + @spid)
        Select @spid = min(spid) from master.dbo.sysprocesses
        where dbid = db_id(@dbname) and spid > @spid
End