How can I restore a database from a UNC?

It appears that Management Studio will not allow you to perform a restore from a UNC path. Is this true or am I missing the option to open the magic UNC door? I am very new to SQL2005 and this was buried in SQL2000, but it was possible to do in Enterprise Manager.

Have you tried using the raw TSQL query to start the restore, and not use the GUI Interface.

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Not to be snotty, but you didn't answer the question. Your point is taken, there are other ways to do this. I can use a script to restore from a UNC path. I am still interested in getting an answer to the question I posted, not to the underlying assumption that I am looking for any way to accomplish a restore from UNC.

As a DBA, I do many operations by script; however, there are times that, for a number of reasons, the UI is a better option. Since this was something that could be done in SQL2000 through the UI, I thought that perhaps Microsoft would also provide a means to do it through the UI in 2005. We have non-technical folks who need to do restores from different sources for demos. It is more practical to teach them how to use the UI to grab the backup they need for their laptop rather than scripting the numerous possibilities or having them alter a script.

So, if anyone knows if Management Studio can be used to do a UNC restore, please share with me how it can be done.

|||Hi,

this is sure possible: Select Restore Files and Filegroup --> Fome Device --> Add --> Enter a Full qualified name in the filename textbox like \\m2-jenss\SomeShare\Somebakfile.bak

and you are done.

HTH, Jens Suessmeyer.

http://www.sqlserver2005.de
|||You nailed it. I initially tried that, but permissions foiled me, but I misread it as a limitation of the UI because the Selected Path pointed to a local drive and the field was disabled. Apparently, anything you put in File name will override the Selected Path entry if using the UNC path. Thanks a ton!