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How to: Restore Files to a New Location (Transact-SQL)

This topic explains how to restore files to a new location.

Important

The system administrator restoring the files must be the only person currently using the database to be restored.

To restore files to a new location

  1. Optionally, execute the RESTORE FILELISTONLY statement to determine the number and names of the files in the full database backup.

  2. Execute the RESTORE DATABASE statement to restore the full database backup, specifying:

    • The name of the database to restore.

    • The backup device from where the full database backup will be restored.

    • The MOVE clause for each file to restore to a new location.

    • The NORECOVERY clause.

  3. If the files have been modified after the file backup was created, execute the RESTORE LOG statement to apply the transaction log backup, specifying:

    • The name of the database to which the transaction log will be applied.

    • The backup device from where the transaction log backup will be restored.

    • The NORECOVERY clause if you have another transaction log backup to apply after the current one; otherwise, specify the RECOVERY clause.

      The transaction log backups, if applied, must cover the time when the files and filegroups were backed up.

Example

This example restores two of the files for the MyNwind database that were originally located on Drive C to new locations on Drive D. Two transaction logs will also be applied to restore the database to the current time. The RESTORE FILELISTONLY statement is used to determine the number and logical and physical names of the files in the database being restored.

USE master
GO
-- First determine the number and names of the files in the backup.
RESTORE FILELISTONLY
   FROM MyNwind_1
-- Restore the files for MyNwind.
RESTORE DATABASE MyNwind
   FROM MyNwind_1
   WITH NORECOVERY,
   MOVE 'MyNwind_data_1' TO 'D:\MyData\MyNwind_data_1.mdf', 
   MOVE 'MyNwind_data_2' TO 'D:\MyData\MyNwind_data_2.ndf'
GO
-- Apply the first transaction log backup.
RESTORE LOG MyNwind
   FROM MyNwind_log1
   WITH NORECOVERY
GO
-- Apply the last transaction log backup.
RESTORE LOG MyNwind
   FROM MyNwind_log2
   WITH RECOVERY
GO