SMO restore of SQL database doesn't overwrite

Question

I'm trying to restore a database from a backup file using SMO. If the database does not already exist then it works fine. However, if the database already exists then I get no errors, but the database is not overwritten.

The "restore" process still takes just as long, so it looks like it's working and doing a restore, but in the end the database has not changed.

I'm doing this in Powershell using SMO. The code is a bit long, but I've included it below. You'll notice that I do set $restore.ReplaceDatabase = $true. Also, I use a try-catch block and report on any errors (I hope), but none are returned.

Any obvious mistakes? Is it possible that I'm not reporting some error and it's being hidden from me?

Thanks for any help or advice that you can give!

function Invoke-SqlRestore {
    param(
        [string]$backup_file_name,
        [string]$server_name,
        [string]$database_name,
        [switch]$norecovery=$false
    )

    # Get a new connection to the server
    [Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server]$server = New-SMOconnection -server_name $server_name
    Write-Host "Starting restore to $database_name on $server_name."

    Try {
        $backup_device = New-Object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.BackupDeviceItem") ($backup_file_name, "File")

        # Get local paths to the Database and Log file locations
        If ($server.Settings.DefaultFile.Length -eq 0) {$database_path = $server.Information.MasterDBPath }
        Else { $database_path = $server.Settings.DefaultFile}
        If ($server.Settings.DefaultLog.Length -eq 0 ) {$database_log_path = $server.Information.MasterDBLogPath }
        Else { $database_log_path = $server.Settings.DefaultLog}

        # Load up the Restore object settings
        $restore = New-Object Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Restore
        $restore.Action = 'Database'
        $restore.Database = $database_name
        $restore.ReplaceDatabase = $true

        if ($norecovery.IsPresent) { $restore.NoRecovery = $true }
        Else { $restore.Norecovery = $false }

        $restore.Devices.Add($backup_device)

        # Get information from the backup file
        $restore_details = $restore.ReadBackupHeader($server)
        $data_files = $restore.ReadFileList($server)

        # Restore all backup files
        ForEach ($data_row in $data_files) {
            $logical_name = $data_row.LogicalName
            $physical_name = Get-FileName -path $data_row.PhysicalName

            $restore_data = New-Object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.RelocateFile")
            $restore_data.LogicalFileName = $logical_name

            if ($data_row.Type -eq "D") {
                # Restore Data file
                $restore_data.PhysicalFileName = $database_path + "\" + $physical_name
            }
            Else {
                # Restore Log file
                $restore_data.PhysicalFileName = $database_log_path + "\" + $physical_name
            }
            [Void]$restore.RelocateFiles.Add($restore_data)
        }

        $restore.SqlRestore($server)

        # If there are two files, assume the next is a Log
        if ($restore_details.Rows.Count -gt 1) {
            $restore.Action = [Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.RestoreActionType]::Log
            $restore.FileNumber = 2
            $restore.SqlRestore($server)
        }
    }
    Catch {
        $ex = $_.Exception
        Write-Output $ex.message
        $ex = $ex.InnerException
        while ($ex.InnerException) {
            Write-Output $ex.InnerException.message
            $ex = $ex.InnerException
        }
        Throw $ex
    }
    Finally {
        $server.ConnectionContext.Disconnect()
    }
    Write-Host "Restore ended without any errors."
}

Answer 1

I having the same problem, I'm trying to restore the database from a back taken from the same server but with a different name. I have profiled the restore process and it doesn't add the 'with move' with the different file names. This is why it will restore the database when the database doesn't exist,but fail when it does. There is an issue with the .PhysicalFileName property.

Answer 2

I was doing the SMO restore and was running into errors. The only way I found to diagnose the problem was to run SQL profile during the execution of my powershell script.

This showed me the actual T-SQL that was being executed. I then copied this into a query and tried to execute it. This showed me the actual errors: In my case it was that my database was had multiple data files that needed to be relocated.

The attached script works for databases that have only one data file.

Param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][string]$sqlServerName,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][string]$backupFile,
[Parameter(Mandatory=$True)][string]$newDBName
)

       # Load assemblies
        [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SqlServer.SMO") | Out-Null
        [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoExtended") | Out-Null
        [Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo") | Out-Null
        [Reflection.Assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoEnum") | Out-Null
        # Create sql server object

        $server = New-Object ("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Server") $sqlServerName
        # Copy database locally if backup file is on a network share

        Write-Host "Loaded assemblies"

        $backupDirectory = $server.Settings.BackupDirectory
        Write-Host "Backup Directory:" $backupDirectory

        $fullBackupFile = $backupDirectory + "\" + $backupFile

        Write-Host "Copy DB from: " $fullBackupFile


       # Create restore object and specify its settings
        $smoRestore = new-object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Restore")
        $smoRestore.Database = $newDBName
        $smoRestore.NoRecovery = $false;
        $smoRestore.ReplaceDatabase = $true;
        $smoRestore.Action = "Database" 

        Write-Host "New Database name:" $newDBName

        # Create location to restore from
        $backupDevice = New-Object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.BackupDeviceItem") ($fullBackupFile, "File")
        $smoRestore.Devices.Add($backupDevice)

        # Give empty string a nice name
        $empty = ""

        # Specify new data file (mdf)
        $smoRestoreDataFile = New-Object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.RelocateFile")
        $defaultData = $server.DefaultFile
        if (($defaultData -eq $null) -or ($defaultData -eq $empty))
        {
            $defaultData = $server.MasterDBPath
        }

        Write-Host "defaultData:" $defaultData

        $smoRestoreDataFile.PhysicalFileName = Join-Path -Path $defaultData -ChildPath ($newDBName + "_Data.mdf")

        Write-Host "smoRestoreDataFile.PhysicalFileName:" $smoRestoreDataFile.PhysicalFileName

        # Specify new log file (ldf)
        $smoRestoreLogFile = New-Object("Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.RelocateFile")
        $defaultLog = $server.DefaultLog
        if (($defaultLog -eq $null) -or ($defaultLog -eq $empty))
        {
            $defaultLog = $server.MasterDBLogPath
        }
        $smoRestoreLogFile.PhysicalFileName = Join-Path -Path $defaultLog -ChildPath ($newDBName + "_Log.ldf")

        Write-Host "smoRestoreLogFile:" $smoRestoreLogFile.PhysicalFileName

        # Get the file list from backup file
        $dbFileList = $smoRestore.ReadFileList($server)

        # The logical file names should be the logical filename stored in the backup media
        $smoRestoreDataFile.LogicalFileName = $dbFileList.Select("Type = 'D'")[0].LogicalName
        $smoRestoreLogFile.LogicalFileName = $dbFileList.Select("Type = 'L'")[0].LogicalName
        # Add the new data and log files to relocate to
        $smoRestore.RelocateFiles.Add($smoRestoreDataFile)
        $smoRestore.RelocateFiles.Add($smoRestoreLogFile)

        # Restore the database
        $smoRestore.SqlRestore($server)

        "Database restore completed successfully"

Answer 3

Just like if you do this from T-SQL, if there is something using the database, then that'll block the restore. Whenever I'm tasked with restoring a database, I like to take it offline (with rollback immediate) first. That kills any connections to the db. You may have to set it back online first; I don't remember if restore is smart enough to realise that the files that you're overwriting belong to the database you're restoring or not. Hope this helps.