When restoring a backup, how do I disconnect all active connections?

Question

My SQL Server 2005 doesn\'t restore a backup because of active connections. How can I force it?

Answer 1

None of these were working for me, couldn't delete or disconnect current users. Also couldn't see any active connections to the DB. Restarting SQL Server (Right click and select Restart) allowed me to do it.

Answer 2

To add to advice already given, if you have a web app running through IIS that uses the DB, you may also need to stop (not recycle) the app pool for the app while you restore, then re-start. Stopping the app pool kills off active http connections and doesn't allow any more, which could otherwise end up allowing processes to be triggered that connect to and thereby lock the database. This is a known issue for example with the Umbraco Content Management System when restoring its database

Answer 3

You want to set your db to single user mode, do the restore, then set it back to multiuser:

ALTER DATABASE YourDB
SET SINGLE_USER WITH
ROLLBACK AFTER 60 --this will give your current connections 60 seconds to complete

--Do Actual Restore
RESTORE DATABASE YourDB
FROM DISK = 'D:\BackUp\YourBaackUpFile.bak'
WITH MOVE 'YourMDFLogicalName' TO 'D:\Data\YourMDFFile.mdf',
MOVE 'YourLDFLogicalName' TO 'D:\Data\YourLDFFile.ldf'

/*If there is no error in statement before database will be in multiuser
mode.  If error occurs please execute following command it will convert
database in multi user.*/
ALTER DATABASE YourDB SET MULTI_USER
GO

Reference : Pinal Dave (http://blog.SQLAuthority.com)

Official reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345598.aspx

Answer 4

None of the above worked for me. My database didn't show any active connections using Activity Monitor or sp_who. I ultimately had to:

• Right click the database node
• Select "Detach..."
• Check the "Drop Connections" box
• Reattach

Not the most elegant solution but it works and it doesn't require restarting SQL Server (not an option for me, since the DB server hosted a bunch of other databases)