Q: How do I restore my SQL database from a .bak file?

A: To restore a SQL Server database from a back-up, please follow these steps:

1. Open SQL Server Management Studio.

2. Locate the database you want to restore in the tree at the left (or create a new database by right-clicking on "Databases" and selecting "New").

3. Right-click on the database and select "Tasks > Restore > Database". A pop-up window will open.

4. In the window, from the "General" page, select the "Device" radio button.

5. Click the elipse (...) button. In the pop-up window, select "Add" to browse to your .bak file (it must be on the local drive). Click "OK"

6. In the "Destination" section, update the database name to the name of the database you are restoring to (double-check this step as it may revert to the original database name).

7. From the "Options" page, check "Overwrite the existing database/REPLACE".

8. Un-check "Tail-Log Backup" if it is checked.

9. Click "OK". You should see a message that the database was restored.

If the file fails to restore, click on the error message for the reason and correct the specified setting. If you need more help, please contact us.