https://www.sqlserver70.com/tags/restore-filelistonly/Recent content in Restore Filelistonly on SQL Server ScriptsHugo -- gohugo.ioenSQLServer70.comThu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.sqlserver70.com/post/sql-server-restore-database-script-with-move-option/Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://www.sqlserver70.com/post/sql-server-restore-database-script-with-move-option/ <p>Restoring a SQL Server database to a different server or folder fails when the file paths recorded in the backup do not exist on the target. The MOVE option of RESTORE DATABASE redirects each data and log file to a path you choose, and this script builds that statement from four variables so it can be previewed before it runs.</p> <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1012089347386563" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1012089347386563" data-ad-slot="8593449130"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <h2 id="purpose-and-overview">Purpose and Overview</h2> <p>A production backup carries the physical paths of every file it contains. Restore it onto a development box, a rebuilt server or an instance installed on another drive, and SQL Server tries to write the files back to paths that are not there. The restore stops before any data is written. MOVE fixes this by mapping each logical file name in the backup to a new physical path on the target.</p>