Media family incorrectly formed...Restore filelist ...

epetro

I just backed up msdb locally using SQL Backup.
I fired up SQL Storage Compress and I get an error in the gui:

The media family on device 'G:\Restore\Full_(local)_msdb_20120404_173056.sqb' is incorrectly formed.  SQL Server cannot process this media family.
RESTORE FILELIST is terminating abnormally.

The server has been restarted since my last successful compressed restore.
Is this related to the service starting before SQL Server?

epetro

I am linking this to an issue regarding compatibility with the curent hardware. If I move the file to the E drive, the restore is successful. If I copy the file back again to the G drive, the same error is encountered.

So...we have a 3.27TB raid that doesn't play nice with SSC.

If anyone else has hardware issues like this, drop a note. I've had an open item with support for this drive for over 2 months.

Jonahwills

The error you're encountering indicates that SQL Server cannot process the backup file because the media family (backup file) is incorrectly formed. This issue could be related to how SQL Storage Compress interacts with the SQL Server service. Here's a breakdown of possible causes and solutions:

Potential Causes

1. Corrupted Backup File:**

   The `.sqb` file may have been corrupted during the backup or transfer process.

2. Service Startup Order:

   If the SQL Storage Compress service started before SQL Server, it might not have initialized correctly to interact with SQL Server. This could result in errors when attempting to restore the backup.

3. Version/Compatibility Issues:

   Ensure the version of SQL Storage Compress is compatible with the version of SQL Server you are using.

4. File Path or Access Issues:

   The file path or permissions to the `.sqb` file may have changed since the last restore, or there may be a read/write issue.

Steps to Resolve:

1. Verify Backup File Integrity:

   Use SQL Storage Compress or a similar tool to validate the `.sqb` file.

   If the backup file is corrupted, attempt to create a new backup.

2. Restart Services in Proper Order:

   Stop both SQL Server and SQL Storage Compress services.

   Start the SQL Server service first, followed by the SQL Storage Compress service.

   Attempt the restore again.

3. Test on a Different Instance:

   Copy the `.sqb` file to another SQL Server instance with SQL Storage Compress installed.

   Attempt to restore the backup there to rule out local configuration issues.

4. Check Software and File Compatibility:

   Ensure you are using a compatible version of SQL Storage Compress with your SQL Server version.

   Check for updates or patches for SQL Storage Compress.

5. Log Analysis:

   Review the SQL Server error logs and SQL Storage Compress logs for additional details on the error.

6. Restore Without Compression:

   - If possible, decompress the `.sqb` file into a regular `.bak` file and try restoring using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

Next Steps

If restarting the services in the correct order resolves the issue, it confirms the problem was related to the service startup sequence. To prevent this in the future:

- Configure the SQL Storage Compress service to have a dependency on the SQL Server service so it starts only after SQL Server is fully running. If you tired of this and want some entertainment must visit Showbizztoday.com.