Fixing “Database Restore Failed” in SharePoint – Step-by-Step Guide

Restoring a SharePoint database is crucial for recovering lost data, migrating to a new environment, or setting up a backup. However, the process can sometimes fail due to various reasons, including corrupt backups, permission issues, SQL Server errors, or SharePoint configuration mismatches.

This guide provides a detailed troubleshooting process to fix the “Database Restore Failed” error in SharePoint.

Common Error Messages:

“Restore failed due to insufficient permissions.”
“The backup file is corrupt or incomplete.”
“Cannot overwrite an existing database.”
“SQL Server error during restore operation.”
“Database is in use and cannot be restored.”

Step 1: Verify Backup File Integrity

The first step is to ensure the backup file is not corrupt or incomplete.

How to Check Backup File Integrity:

Locate the backup file (.bak or .mdf/.ldf files).
Run the following SQL Server command to check for corruption: RESTORE VERIFYONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\Backup\SharePointDB.bak'
If the result is:
- ✅ “The backup set is valid” → Proceed to the next step.
- ❌ “The backup file is corrupt” → Try using a different backup file.

✔ If the backup is valid, move to Step 2.
❌ If the backup is corrupt, use a previous backup or a third-party tool to repair it.

Step 2: Ensure the Database is Not in Use

If the SharePoint database is currently being used, the restore process may fail.

Steps to Take the Database Offline in SQL Server:

Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
Click Databases → Find the SharePoint database.
Run the following SQL command: ALTER DATABASE SharePointDB SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE;
Now, retry the restore process.

✔ If successful, proceed to Step 3.
❌ If the error persists, check for permissions or storage issues.

Step 3: Check Disk Space and Storage Availability

If the target server does not have enough space, the restore operation will fail.

How to Check Available Space:

Open File Explorer → Right-click the drive where SQL Server stores databases.
Click Properties → Check available space.
Ensure at least 2x the backup size is available.

Free Up Space (If Needed):

Delete unnecessary log files (.ldf).
Move old backups to another storage location.
Increase disk capacity if required.

✔ If space is available, proceed to Step 4.

Step 4: Restore Database Using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Open SSMS → Connect to the SQL Server instance.
Right-click Databases → Select Restore Database.
Choose Device → Click Browse → Select your backup file (.bak).
Under Options, check:
- ✅ “Overwrite the existing database” (if needed).
- ✅ “Close existing connections” to avoid conflicts.
Click OK to start the restore process.

✔ If successful, move to Step 7: Reattach the Database to SharePoint.
❌ If the restore fails, proceed to Step 5 for manual restoration.

Step 5: Restore Database Using T-SQL (Manual Method)

If SSMS fails, try using T-SQL commands to restore the database manually.

Run This SQL Command in SSMS:

USE master;
RESTORE DATABASE SharePointDB 
FROM DISK = 'C:\Backup\SharePointDB.bak'
WITH REPLACE,
MOVE 'SharePointDB_Data' TO 'C:\SQLData\SharePointDB.mdf',
MOVE 'SharePointDB_Log' TO 'C:\SQLLogs\SharePointDB.ldf';

✔ If successful, move to Step 7.
❌ If it fails, check for permission issues in Step 6.

Step 6: Fix SQL Server and SharePoint Permissions Issues

Check SQL Server Permissions

Open SSMS → Connect to SQL Server.
Run the following command to ensure your account has the necessary permissions: EXEC sp_addsrvrolemember 'YourAdminAccount', 'sysadmin';
Restart SQL Server and retry the restore.

Check SharePoint Farm Account Permissions

Open SharePoint Central Administration.
Go to Security → Configure Service Accounts.
Ensure the Farm Account has Full Control in SQL Server.

✔ If permissions are correct, retry the restore.

Step 7: Reattach the Restored Database to SharePoint

Once the database is restored, it must be reattached to SharePoint.

Steps to Reattach the Database:

Open SharePoint Management Shell as Administrator.
Run the following PowerShell command: Mount-SPContentDatabase -Name SharePointDB -DatabaseServer SQLSERVERNAME -WebApplication http://YourSharePointSite
Check if the database is now available in SharePoint Central Administration.

✔ If successful, the site should now work correctly.
❌ If there are issues, perform Step 8.

Step 8: Verify and Repair the Restored Database

After restoring, verify that SharePoint services and database connections are intact.

Run SharePoint Health Check:

Open SharePoint Management Shell.
Run the following command to check for issues: Test-SPContentDatabase -Name SharePointDB -WebApplication http://YourSharePointSite
If errors are found, fix them using: Repair-SPContentDatabase -Name SharePointDB

✔ If successful, the database is now restored and operational.

Preventing Future Database Restore Failures

✔ Perform Regular Backups – Always keep multiple backup copies.
✔ Test Backups Before Relying on Them – Run RESTORE VERIFYONLY before restoring.
✔ Use a Staging Environment – Restore to a test server before production.
✔ Monitor Disk Space – Ensure at least 2x backup size is available.
✔ Grant Correct Permissions – Ensure SQL Server and SharePoint accounts have full access.

“Database restore failed” – Error when trying to restore a SharePoint database.