I’m trying to recover my local sql server’s sa password. I read that I

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Editorial Team

Asked: June 4, 20262026-06-04T08:48:45+00:00 2026-06-04T08:48:45+00:00

I’m trying to recover my local sql server’s sa password.

I read that I should put it in single user mode, and I did that.

I added the -m; to the startup parameters.

I don’t have sql agent running, and I restarted the Sql Server.

When I try:

sqlmd -S .\sqlexpress

I get the message:

Login failed for the user 'mydomain\myuser'. reason: server is in single user mode.
only one administrator can connect at this time.

I also tried changing the startup parameter to:

-mSQLCMD

but I get the same error.

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Editorial Team · Answer 1 · 2026-06-04T08:48:46+00:00

Editorial Team

Did you try:

NET STOP MSSQLSERVER

… give it a minute … 

NET START MSSQLSERVER /m

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