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When restoring a sql database from a .bak file, are there any limitations on the .bak file location

Greg Booth 1,316 Reputation points
2022-10-17T15:45:36.757+00:00

I will be restoring a very large database from a .bak file that will exist only on an external drive. The file is so large that there will be no room to copy the .bak file to the server. Instead the external drive will be mounted as another drive on the server - say the X: drive.
When i try to restore the database (creating it for the first time on the instance) , are their any limits to what location I specify for the .bak file ?
For example if i issue the command
RESTORE DATABASE [MyDB] FROM DISK = N'X:\mydb.bak' - is it going to complain that i cannot restore from the X: drive ?
I would assume that the service account running the sql engine needs to have at least read access to the location of the .bak file

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  1. JimmySalian-2011 42,071 Reputation points
    2022-10-17T15:57:34.513+00:00

    Hi,

    That is correct the account will require full access to the .bak file and also the DB BAK file should not be corrupted, also make sure the external drive is excluded or atleast .bak file excluded from the OnAccess AV scanning process.
    restore-sql-server-database-from-bak-file.php

    Hope this helps.

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  1. YufeiShao-msft 7,096 Reputation points
    2022-10-18T06:23:37.863+00:00

    Hi @Greg Booth ，

    The network account you used should have permissions to access the path to database files, and grant full control over that folder to "Network Service" or whatever user your SQL user to interact with your Windows

    Refer to this thread:
    https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/sqlserver/en-US/efbdbfce-b476-4632-b6d0-10b9a9af0dc2/is-possible-to-restore-database-back-up-file-from-external-hard-drive-to-same-location

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  2. Olaf Helper 43,331 Reputation points
    2022-10-18T06:38:54.347+00:00

    that i cannot restore from the X: drive ?

    I guess X: is a mapped network share and if, it's mapped in your user profile and SQL Server don't know that drive.
    Use the UNC path for the network share instead, like
    \server\path\mydb.bak

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