Orphaned SQL Server?

  • Is it possible to orphan an entire server? I have dealt with orphaned databases before, but today I have encountered a SQL server that no one has access too.
    We recently had a system admin that set up a WSUS server. Little did we know, he set himself up as the only user that had access to the SQL server database. He was let go about a month ago and one of our other techs deleted his user account from AD yesterday. Now that there are issues with WSUS, I am just now being made aware of this server and can't find a way to get access to the database. SA is disabled and there are no other users or AD groups that have access. Will I have to recreate this server? I have never encountered this problem before.

  • Hi, you can start SQL in single user mode https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/configure-windows/start-sql-server-in-single-user-mode?view=sql-server-2017
    and then add eg: local administrators group to sysadmin role, you don't need to reinstall it.

    CREATE LOGIN [BUILTIN\Administrators] FROM WINDOWSWITH DEFAULT_DATABASE=[master]
    go

    ALTER SERVER ROLE [sysadmin] ADD MEMBER[BUILTIN\Administrators]

  • Awesome! Thank you so much. That worked perfectly.

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply