Troubleshooting SQL Server 2008 backup/restore problems

1. Check that you use the latest SQL Server service pack.

Because some SQL Server 2008 backup/restore bugs were fixed in SQL Server service packs, you
should install the latest SQL Server service pack.
At the time this article was written the latest SQL Server 2008 service pack was service pack 1.
You can download the SQL Server 2008 service pack 1 at here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=66ab3dbb-bf3e-4f46-9559-ccc6a4f9dc19&displaylang=en

2. When you are performing a backup, SQL Server 2008 may stop responding.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 3 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960484/

3. SQL Server 2008 database may be corrupted when you restore a SQL Server 2008
    database from a sequence of transaction log backups.

In this case, the Event ID 7904 is logged. This problem occurs because a broken transaction log
chain occurs. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 1 for SQL Server 2008. You can
download the Cumulative update package 1 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956717/

4. When you try to run a query that returns the date of the last backup from the
    backupset system table in the msdb database, the query takes a long time to run.

This problem occurs when you have lots of database backups. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update
package 3 for SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960484/

5. When you delete a maintenance plan in a restored SQL Server 2008 msdb database,
    the maintenance plan is deleted on the server from which the database was originally
    backed up and is not deleted in a restored msdb database.

This problem occurs because when you restore the msdb database to another server, the maintenance plan
connection strings still point to the original server. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update
package 2 for SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 2 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958186/

6. When you frequently back up or restore a database in SQL Server 2008, the memory
    usage increases gradually and the size of the procedure cache grows at a steady rate.

This problem occurs because each statement results in a prepared statement in the cache that is never reused.
This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2008.
You can download the Cumulative update package 3 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960484/

7. The error "Invalid object name" may occur when you unbind a default for a column
    in a database that is restored from a SQL Server 2000 backup.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 4 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963036/

8. When you restore a backup file that was created in SQL Server 2005, the database
    recovery process may take much longer in SQL Server 2008 than when you restore
    the same backup file in SQL Server 2005.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 4 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963036/
To work around this problem, you can detach the database in SQL Server 2005 and then attach it in
SQL Server 2008 without using the backup/restore process.

9. When you use SQL Server Management Studio to restore a large database from a backup
    on a tape in SQL Server 2008, a time-out error may occur.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 4 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 4 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/963036/
To work around this problem, you can use Transact-SQL commands to backup/restore the database
instead of using the SQL Server Management Studio user interface.

10. When you restore a database from a backup file by using SQL Server Management Studio,
      an incorrect backup set may be listed in the "Select the backup sets to restore" list
      in the "Restore Database" dialog box.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 5 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 5 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969531/

11. You cannot stop the backup operation when you create a compressed backup
      and the backup operation stops responding.

This is SQL Server 2008 bug. This bug was first fixed in Cumulative update package 6 for
SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update package 6 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971490/
To work around this problem, you can restart the SQL Server service.

12. A full backup with snapshot may cause SQL Server 2008 to stop responding.

This problem occurs when you repeat a full backup with snapshot several times. This bug was first
fixed in Cumulative update package 8 for SQL Server 2008. You can download the Cumulative update
package 8 for SQL Server 2008 at here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975976/
To work around this problem, avoid repeating a full backup with snapshot very frequently.