Question

 By default the database files will be restored to the directories from which they came

On computer A I Created a Bak file

c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Data\aaa.mdf

Im going to computer B ( trying to restore the bak file ) ( to its D drive which contains its SQL folders)

and type : ( the folders are appropriate to the Computer B‘s folders).

RESTORE DATABASE aaa FROM DISK = '\\dsmain\OLD_DB\aaa.bak'
WITH REPLACE , MOVE 'aaa' TO 'D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\aaa.mdf',
MOVE 'aaa_log' TO 'D:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\DATA\aaa_log.ldf'
ALTER DATABASE aaa SET MULTI_USER

Result :

https://i.stack.imgur.com/lD8u3.jpg

Even if i go to SMMS :

https://i.stack.imgur.com/pIpC7.jpg

I can see that he’s searching his ORIGINAL PATH.

Question :

How Do I tell him programmatic , not to restore as its original location but my location ?

Answer 1

--check contents of backup file
restore FILELISTONLY from 
disk = 'c:\temp\mydatabase.bak'

--restore backup file
restore database mydatabase
from disk = 'c:\temp\mydatabase.bak'
with replace,
move 'mydatabase' to 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\mydatabase.mdf',
move 'mydatabase_log' to 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\mydatabase.ldf'