Knowledge Base

VDI error 1000 caused by insufficient permissions

Category: Troubleshooting & error messages
Date: 26 Nov 2008
Product: SQL Backup
When performing a backup or restore operation using SQL Backup, the following error may occur:
VDI error 1000: Failed to create virtual device. Check that the SQL Server instance you are trying to connect to is running. Error code: (-2139684857: Failed to recognize the SQL Server instance name.)

One possible cause for this is that the SQL Backup Agent Service startup account cannot retrieve information about the particular instance of SQL Server from the computer's registry.

First, determine the account used to run the SQL Backup Agent Service using the Services snap-in.
Next, open the registry editor (start->run regedit.exe <return>), locate the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Setup key, right-click it, select permissions, and ensure that the SQL Backup Agent Service startup account has at least read permissions to this key.