SQL Server – How to reset LOST Admin Password | Recover SysAdmin Administrator Password

How to Recover and Reset the SysAdmin Administrator Password for SQL Server 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019

Start Single User Mode Step by Step
0) SQL Server Configuration Manager – Make sure to enable NamedPipes/TCP Locally
1) List the Services
a) net start
b) services.msc
2) Stop the Service – net stop [SQL-SERVICENAME]
3) Start Single User Mode
a) net start [SQL-SERVICENAME] -m”SQLCMD”
b) “C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL14.SQL1MSSQLBinnsqlservr.exe” -sSQL1 -m”SQLCMD”
4) SQLCMD -S [SQL INSTANCE]
5) sqlcmd – Login
a) SQL User – CREATE LOGIN [name] WITH PASSWORD=’password’; GO
b) Windows User – CREATE LOGIN [domainNamelogin_name] FROM WINDOWS; GO
6) sqlcmd
a) SP_ADDSRVROLEMEMBER name,’SYSADMIN’; GO
b) Confirm – SELECT name FROM syslogins; GO;
7) sqlcmd – exit
8) Stop the Service – net stop [SQL-SERVICENAME]
9) Start the Service normal – net start [SQL-SERVICENAME]