CREATE FILE encountered operating system error 5(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15105)

Question

I have a database file .mdf from MS SQL EXPRESS in folder:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\DATA

I would like to attach it to MS 2008 R2 (MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER) but using Server Management Studio I receive the following error:

CREATE FILE encountered operating system error 5(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15105) while attempting to open or create the physical file

Do you have any idea how to solve it?

Ludwog

Is it possible the mdf is already attached to an instance of SQL Server, or it is open in a Visual Studio project or something along those lines? Have you tried making a copy of the file and attaching that? Where did the MDF file come from? Is it possible it wasn't detached cleanly from its original source? – Alecto

Is SQL Server running as administrator? See CREATE FILE encountered operating system error 5 Access is denied – Gurglet

Thanks guys for your comments, I was able to solve the issue running as ADMINISTRATOR thanks! – Ludwog

Answer 1

I was able to solve the problem running MS SQL Management Studio as ADMINISTRATOR.

Ludwog

The response by stackoverflow.com/users/2029904/user2029904 is much less aggressive and resolves the underlying problem - insufficient access by the instance account to the database file. – Silvio

@Ludwog what if database create with EF:Code First? i change my model and when i try to run program this error apear.i run VS as administrator but nothing change – Bakery

Fixing "insufficient access by the instance account to the database file" didn't work for me, only running as Administrator worked. Why doesn't one Microsoft programmer fix this once and save us all this unnecessary pain? – Punish

Answer 2

It's a Windows permissions issue. If you connected to your server using Windows Authentication then that Windows user needs permissions to the file. If you connected to your server using SQL Server authentication then the SQL Server instance account (MSSQL$, e.g. MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS) needs permissions to the file. The other solutions suggesting logging in as an administrator essentially accomplish the same thing (with a bit of a sledgehammer :).

If the database file is in your SQL Server's data folder then it should have inherited the user rights for the SQL Server account from that folder so the SQL Server authentication should have worked. I would recommend fixing the SQL Server instance's account's rights for that folder. If the data file is somewhere else and the SQL Server account does not have permissions then you will likely encounter other problems later. Again, the better solution is to fix the SS account rights. Unless you are always going to log in as administrator...

Wrinkle

Edit the Security properties for the data folder to include full control for the user running SQL Management Studio. – Dmz

The instance account attempts to open the data and log files with a Write DAC permission. This is available if the <Machine>\Users account has full permission to the files. When the Test connection succeeds, these permissions are overwritten to specific SQL Server values, erasing the temporary settings. – Silvio

I'd really like to use this option instead of running SQL Server Management Studio as an administrator. I've assigned both likely looking users full control over my directory / files but I'm still getting the same error. How do I know which is the correct user to give authorisation to these files? – Disable

Run As Administrator does not work for me. When I check, SQL Server in services, it was running under Network Service account. I give Network Service rights on that folder, and create database is a success :) – Dissonant

This answer directed me to my solution: Make sure the identity that SQL Server Service is running with (like, "NT Service\MSSQLSERVER"), has access to the DATA folder. – Agape

Answer 3

Start->Run->services.msc->scroll through the list of services until you find SQL Server->right-click->properties->Log On tab:

Then choose Local System Account and check the Allow service to interact with desktop checkbox.

Restart the service.

Negris

Answer 4

Right Click on File mdf and ldf properties -> security ->full permission

Coleridge

Answer 5

Giving admin rights or full control to my database install location solved my problem

Syncopated

Answer 6

I had the same problem. After several tries, I realized that connecting the sql server with windows authentication resolved the issue.

Ratiocinate

This resolved the issue for me. Running SQL Server Management Studio as administrator did not solve it for me. – Cloy

In contrast to me, I logged in using the SQL Server authentication with the "sa" account and it works. – Gretchen

Answer 7

I was getting similar error.

CREATE FILE encountered operating system error **32**(failed to retrieve text for this error. Reason: 15105) while attempting to open or create the physical file

I used the following command to attach the database:

EXEC sp_attach_single_file_db @dbname = 'SPDB',
@physname = 'D:\SPDB.mdf'

Tyranny

Answer 8

This same problem occurs when the owners of the file have been deleted. When this happens, if you go to the file's properties, you will see a SID rather than a user name. Take ownership of the file (giving yourself FULL CONTROL). Once that is done you can do whatever you need to do with the file.

I've had this work when logging in as the administrator didn't do the trick.

Porterhouse

Answer 9

As other suggested running as administrator will help.

However this only if the windows user is actually an admisnitrator on the machine which sql server runs.

For example when using SSMS from a remote machine it will not help using "run as administartor" if the user is only a administrator on the machine runing SSMS but not on the machine running SQL Server.

Drysalter

Answer 10

1.copy your --.MDF,--.LDF files to pate this location For 2008 server C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA 2.In sql server 2008 use ATTACH and select same location for add

Melamie

Answer 11

I had this issue on Windows 2003 with SQL 2005. I had to take ownership of the files as my Windows user account and I got the database to attache that way.

You have to right click on the file, select Properties, click OK to get past the information screen, click the Advanced button, select your account from the listing of available accounts or groups, apply that change, and Click OK on the Properties screen. Once you have done all that you will be able to manage the file permissions.

I logged into SSMS with Windows Authentication and I was able to attach the database without error.

Cheers!

Barsky

Answer 12

I also face same problem, but i run Sql server run as administrator so now i resolve the error.

Multidisciplinary

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Scuba

Answer 13

If you are already running as an adminstrator, make sure the user you are using has the proper server roles.

1. Login as sa (if you can)
2. Expand the Security folder
3. Expand the Logins Folder
4. Right click on the user you would like to use
5. Select Properties
6. Select Server Roles
7. Select all the server roles
8. Click OK
9. Restart SSMS
10. Login with the modified user

Zulmazulu

Answer 14

In my case I have got the error when trying to create a databae on a new drive. To overcome the problem I created a new folder in that drive and set the user properties Security to full control on it(It may be sufficient to set Modify ). Conclusion: SET the Drive/Folder Properties Security for users to "Modify".

Wavawave

Answer 15

My solution was slightly more complicated. After verifying the user the service was running as, running MSSMS as local and domain administrator, and checking folder permissions, I was still getting this error. My solution?

Folder ownership was still maintained by local account.

Properties > Security > Advanced > Owner > (domain/local user/group SQL services are running as)

This resolved the issue for me.

Anet

Answer 16

copy your --.MDF,--.LDF files to pate this location For 2008 server C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA 2.

In sql server 2008 use ATTACH and select same location for add

Natividadnativism

Answer 17

Opening SSMS as Administrator and running as SQL Auth vs Windows Auth did not work.

What worked was to just change my filename to the same location where the LDF and MDF files are located.

alter database MyDB
add file ( name = N'FileStreamName', 
filename = N'D:\SQL Databases\FileStreamSpace' ) 
to filegroup DocumentFiles;

Bathilda

Answer 18

Here are the steps:

1. Right click on the .mdf and .ldf file.
2. Then select properties.
3. On the security -> advanced -> permission add the user which

Latecomer

Answer 19

I got this error when restoring a database that was backed up on another server. After a long struggle this is what I did

1. Enabled Instant File Initialization,

2. Granted permissions (full control) on the folder to the service account and my own windows account,

3. Restarted the SQL service. Database restored after that.

Timetable

Answer 20

The key is "operating system error 5". Microsoft helpfully list the various error codes and values on their site

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681382(v=vs.85).aspx

ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED 5 (0x5) Access is denied.

Gilding

OP is asking how to solve it, not stating what he's already mentioned in more detail. – Chorography

Answer 21

We faced this issue, when the windowsuser detaching the database and windowsuser attaching the database are different. When the windowsuser detaching the database, tried to attach it, it worked fine without issues.

Scalage

Answer 22

I just decided to create the file in D: instead of C: and everything worked well. windows 7...10 have many issues regarding the sharing and authorization of files and folder..

Stereotypy

Answer 23

In my case, Run as Administrator does not help. I solved the problem by changing the Build-in Account to Local System in Configuration Manager.

Ledet

I don't see this option in my Visual Studio solutions's Configuration Manager. What do you mean? – Asthmatic

Answer 24

Here is what happened in my case. I was asked to attach files for a database. I was given the file names as follows

• devdb.mdf and devdb.ldf

I proceeded to attach the files and kept getting the files are in use by another process.

I ran a query against the system view select name, physical_name from sys.master_files; and saw that the exact file names were already in use by another database, thus each time I tried to attach the files, I kept getting the error the files are in use by another process(sql server)

Thus if you are getting such a message, then also query against the system view sys.master_files and see which database may already be using the same name files. Hereafter you will figure out what to do.

thanks.

Billingsley

Answer 25

if you have mount points add the the SQL server service account to volume security accordingly

Bind

Answer 26

If facing similar issue in SQL Server running on docker container, fix by granting appropriate permissions to volumes.

1. Login to container as root user

   docker exec -it -u root <container id> bash

2. Grant appropriate permissions to all volumes path e.g. /var/opt/sqlserver/data

   chmod 777 </var/opt/sqlserver/data>

Lazo

Answer 27

No need to do all this. Just right click on database files and add permission to everyone. That will work for sure.

Datum

actually this worked for me, the other option to run Management studio as administrator did not help, but changing file permissions did the trick. And btw - the question was about ideas how to solve the problem - so IMO this is an answer (although not very polished) – Schnur

Giving "Everyone" (effectively, this should be read as "every human in the world") permission to mess with your database is hardly a solution, though it may hide the real problem. – Ostium