After Updates: "Server is in script upgrade mode. Only administrator can connect at this time"

• Rich Mechaber

  SSChampion

  Points: 11131

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  June 21, 2011 at 8:19 pm

  #239643

  This may be old news, but after recently installing a security update for SQL Server Express Edition with Advanced Services (64-bit), I got the following message and a failed login attempt when I tried to log into SSMS using Windows credentials on my desktop server:

  Server is in script upgrade mode. Only administrator can connect at this time

  .

  After a few minutes of head-scratching and choice blue language, I was able to log in without a problem.

  It seems from some Googling and some very long entries in the SQL log that there's a lot of script execution that doesn't occur until you try to either restart the service or log back in. (I don't know which, as I had the service stopped when I ran the updates. It's a desktop server.)

  Here's a link or two with some scant info. and corroboration that you just need to wait a few minutes:

  http://www.sqldbadiaries.com/2010/12/06/server-is-in-script-upgrade-mode-only-administrator-can-connect-at-this-time/%5B/url%5D

  https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/416860/error-18401-after-starting-service-after-successfull-sp1-install, which is an old MS Connect entry, but note the very recent posting in the comments dated June 20, 2011 stating a similar experience.

  In short, it seems to be a short-duration issue of little consequence, unless you include the "OMG MY SERVER IS INACCESSIBLE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS ERROR MEANS" pucker factor for a minute. Would be nice to have had a more graceful, post-updates message from MS along the lines of "Logins are temporarily unavailable while the SQL Server finishes installing updates. This is normal. Please wait a few minutes and try again."

  Hope this helps someone else,

  Rich