Backup of a SQL database with '?', '*', or '\' in the database name fails with The object was not found, or could not be accessed (MS SQL backup).

Article:TECH196585

Created: 2012-09-12

Updated: 2012-09-14

Article URL http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH196585

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Article Type
Technical Solution

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Problem

When attempting to back up a database that contains '?', '*', or '\' in the database name will cause the backup to fail with the errors listed below.

Error

Backup- SERVERNAME\SQLINSTANCE
Database \DATABASENAME.MDF was not found, or could not be accessed.

The debug log from the SQL Server will show the following messages:
[fsys\shared]        - Attach to SERVERNAME\INSTANCENAME
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.

Cause

This issue is caused by having a database name with one of the characters listed above in the name

Solution

Currently Backup Exec does not support backing up databases that contain any of the following characters in the database name: "?", "*", or "\".

Workaround: Backup the database using the build in backup utility in SQL management Studio.

Note: With Backup Exe 2010 and earlier versions, database backups may have been possible of databases with these characters but restore of the databases may not be possible.

Supplemental Materials

Source	UMI
Value	V-79-57344-5891
Description	The object was not found, or could not be accessed (MS SQL backup).

Source	ETrack
Value	2929576
Description	SQL: Backup of a database with '?', '*', or '\' in the name causes the backup to fail.