A few years ago, I had a chance to work with Sitecore CMS version 6.6 and had to restart Sitecore server several times without IIS access to kill the publish process (it run forever sometimes). I suppose that I may do it again with Sitecore version 7.X and Sitecore version 8.X for some reasons as well.

Assumptions

• do NOT have IIS access to restart the Sitecore server
• NO content change needed
• NO code change needed
• NO configuration change needed
• have permission to install Sitecore package via Installation Wizard inside Sitecore

How did I do that?

• create an empty Sitecore package (Note: it means that there are NO item and NO file added to that package)

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• install that empty package to Sitecore via Installation Wizard
• at the last step of the installation process, I can see the dialog with 02 checkboxes on it and check Restart the Sitecore server checkbox then click Close button to restart Sitecore server
  • 
• done

Considering the other ways

1. Playing with Restart Sitecore – Addon Sitecore module
   • access Sitecore Marketplace, download Sitecore module Restart Sitecore – Addon
   • log into Sitecore, install it to Sitecore via Installation Wizard
   • open Content Editor and make Developer tab appear, you would see Restart Addon
     • 
   • click on Restart Addon, you would see Restart Sitecore dialog with 2 checkboxes on it
   • check Restart the Sitecore server checkbox then click Restart button to restart Sitecore server
     • 
   • done
2. Playing with Sitecore File Explorer tool
   • log into Sitecore, access http://YOUR_SITE/sitecore/shell/default.aspx?xmlcontrol=FileExplorer
   • download web.config by clicking on Download button and do NOT edit it
     • NOTE: be CAREFUL with this Sitecore bug as you may see the following extra lines after downloading it => it will make your Sitecore instance corrupted later
     • 
     • 
   • upload that web.config with Overwrite existing files option by clicking on Upload button
     • 
   • you would see “The wizard has completed.” text on Upload Files dialog, it means Sitecore server is restarted successfully
     • 
   • click Close button to get it done

Happy Sitecore Playing!