View the data and log files in a backup set (SQL Server)

Applies to: SQL Server

This topic describes how to view the data and log files in a backup set in SQL Server by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL.

In This Topic

• Before you begin:

  Security

• To view the data and log files in a backup set, using:

  SQL Server Management Studio

  Transact-SQL

Before You Begin

Security

For information about security, see RESTORE FILELISTONLY (Transact-SQL)

Permissions

In SQL Server 2008 (10.0.x) and later versions, obtaining information about a backup set or backup device requires CREATE DATABASE permission. For more information, see GRANT Database Permissions (Transact-SQL).

Using SQL Server Management Studio

To view the data and log files in a backup set

1. After connecting to the appropriate instance of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine, in Object Explorer, click the server name to expand the server tree.

2. Expand Databases, and, depending on the database, either select a user database or expand System Databases and select a system database.

3. Right-click the database, and then click Properties, which opens the Database Properties dialog box.

4. In the Select a Page pane, click Files.

5. Look in the Database files grid for a list of the data and log files and their properties.

Using Transact-SQL

To view the data and log files in a backup set

1. Connect to the Database Engine.

2. From the Standard bar, click New Query.

3. Use the RESTORE FILELISTONLY statement. This example returns information about the second backup set (FILE=2) on the AdventureWorksBackups backup device.

USE AdventureWorks2022;  
RESTORE FILELISTONLY FROM AdventureWorksBackups   
   WITH FILE=2;  
GO  

See Also

backupfilegroup (Transact-SQL)
backupfile (Transact-SQL)
backupset (Transact-SQL)
backupmediaset (Transact-SQL)
backupmediafamily (Transact-SQL)
Backup Devices (SQL Server)