https://www.sqlserver70.com/tags/sp_change_users_login/Recent content in Sp_change_users_login on SQL Server ScriptsHugo -- gohugo.ioenSQLServer70.comFri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.sqlserver70.com/post/sql-server-find-orphan-users-script/Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.sqlserver70.com/post/sql-server-find-orphan-users-script/ <p>Orphaned database users are a common problem after database restores, server migrations, or login deletions. A database user becomes orphaned when its SID does not match any server-level login SID. This script queries <code>sys.database_principals</code> and <code>sys.server_principals</code> to find every orphaned user in a database, and shows how to fix them.</p> <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1012089347386563" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1012089347386563" data-ad-slot="8593449130"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <h2 id="purpose-and-overview">Purpose and Overview</h2> <p>When you restore a database to a new server, or when a Windows account or SQL login is dropped at the server level, the corresponding database user record remains in the database. That user is now orphaned — it exists in <code>sys.database_principals</code> but has no matching entry in <code>sys.server_principals</code> by SID.</p>