Cannot open backup device '%ls'. Operating system error %ls.

Error Message:
Msg 3201, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Cannot open backup device ‘%ls’. Operating system error %ls.

Severity level:
16.

Description:
This error message appears when you try to backup a database to a backup device that cannot be opened.

Consequences:
The T-SQL statement can be parsed, but causes the error at runtime.

Resolution:
Error of the Severity level 16 are generated by the user and can be fixed by the SQL Server user. The specified backup device must exist and must be available.

Versions:
All versions of SQL Server.

Example(s):
BACKUP DATABASE MyDatabase TO DISK=’A:BACKUP.BAK’

Remarks:
In the above example we try to backup the MyDatabase database to a file on drive A:. Because there is drive assigned to the letter A: the error is raised.

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