Restore from UNC path

  • Hello.

    Do you know if the RESTORE statement does work using UNC Paths?

    This is because trying with something as simple as the next code is rejected:

    RESTORE DATABASE Admin

    FROM DISK = '\\server2\d$\Backups_server1\Admin Backup'

    Server: Msg 3201, Level 16, State 2, Line 1 Cannot open backup device '\\server2\d$\Backups_server1\Admin Backup'. Device error or device off-line. See the SQL Server error log for more details.

    Server: Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally.

    All SQL services and server desktops are running as the same account and, from Windows Explorer the path is ok. If I change the UNC path to a simple one (d:\Admin Backup) there is no problem.

    Do you have any idea of what can be happening?

    Thanks

  • Yes, backups can run from UNC paths. 

    Your issue is almost certainly due to a permissions issue.  If you can see that directory from the server in question that doesn't mean that the SQL Server service account can (unless you are logged on as that account).  Make sure that the service account has access to that share, and in this case since you are using the admin share the service account would have to be an administrator to access it (generally not such a good idea).  I prefer to explicitly share the backup directory and grant read/write privs to the appropriate account(s).

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  • You were right, I changed the SQL account from System Account to explicitly the one that runs the desktop and it worked.

    But now I don't know the difference (for SQL service) between System Account and the one that runs the desktop :-

    Thanks!

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