Sql-server – How to gain exclusive access to SQL Server 2005 database to restore

sql servertsql

Whenever I restore a backup of my database in SQL Server I am presented with the following error:

Msg 3101, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Exclusive access could not be obtained because the database is in use.
Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally.

Usually to get around this I just restart the server. This was fine when we were developing on our local instance on our development machines. But we have a few programmers that need to access the database, and the logistics of having everyone script their changes and drop them into Subversion was becoming a nightmare. Regardless our simple solution was to put it on a shared server in the office and backup the server occasionally in case someone screwed up the data.

Well, I screwed up the data and needed to restore. Unfortunately, I have another co-worker in the office who is working on another project and is using the same database server for development. To be nice I'd like to restore without restarting the SQL Server and possibly disrupting his work.

Is there a way to script in T-SQL to be able to take exclusive access or to drop all connections?

Best Answer

You can force the database offline and drop connections with:

EXEC sp_dboption N'yourDatabase', N'offline', N'true'

Or you can

ALTER DATABASE [yourDatabase] SET OFFLINE WITH
ROLLBACK AFTER 60 SECONDS

Rollback specifies if anything is executing. After that period they will be rolled back. So it provides some protection.

Sorry I wasn't thinking/reading right. You could bing back online and backup. There was also a post on Stack Overflow on a T-SQL snippet for dropping all connections rather than binging offline first: Hidden Features of SQL Server

Syntax:

ALTER TABLE {TABLENAME} 
ADD {COLUMNNAME} {TYPE} {NULL|NOT NULL} 
CONSTRAINT {CONSTRAINT_NAME} DEFAULT {DEFAULT_VALUE}
WITH VALUES

Example:

ALTER TABLE SomeTable
        ADD SomeCol Bit NULL --Or NOT NULL.
 CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol --When Omitted a Default-Constraint Name is autogenerated.
    DEFAULT (0)--Optional Default-Constraint.
WITH VALUES --Add if Column is Nullable and you want the Default Value for Existing Records.

Notes:

Optional Constraint Name:
If you leave out CONSTRAINT D_SomeTable_SomeCol then SQL Server will autogenerate
a Default-Contraint with a funny Name like: DF__SomeTa__SomeC__4FB7FEF6

Optional With-Values Statement:
The WITH VALUES is only needed when your Column is Nullable
and you want the Default Value used for Existing Records.
If your Column is NOT NULL, then it will automatically use the Default Value
for all Existing Records, whether you specify WITH VALUES or not.

How Inserts work with a Default-Constraint:
If you insert a Record into SomeTable and do not Specify SomeCol's value, then it will Default to 0.
If you insert a Record and Specify SomeCol's value as NULL (and your column allows nulls),
then the Default-Constraint will not be used and NULL will be inserted as the Value.

Notes were based on everyone's great feedback below.
Special Thanks to:
@Yatrix, @WalterStabosz, @YahooSerious, and @StackMan for their Comments.

Sql – How to return only the Date from a SQL Server DateTime datatype

SELECT DATEADD(dd, 0, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, @your_date))

for example

SELECT DATEADD(dd, 0, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, GETDATE()))

gives me

2008-09-22 00:00:00.000

Pros:

No varchar<->datetime conversions required
No need to think about locale

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Sql – Add a column with a default value to an existing table in SQL Server

Syntax:

Example:

Notes:

Sql – How to return only the Date from a SQL Server DateTime datatype

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