How to fix Error 3187 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 3187 — “RESTORE WITH CHECKSUM cannot be specified because the backup set does not contain checksum information”

Why This Error Happens

This error occurs because the original BACKUP operation was executed without the WITH CHECKSUM option, meaning no page checksums or backup checksum data were ever written into the backup set. When you later attempt to RESTORE that same backup using WITH CHECKSUM, SQL Server 2025 has nothing to validate against and throws Error 3187. This is not a corruption issue — it is a mismatch between the backup creation settings and the restore command options.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify Whether the Backup File Contains Checksum Data

  • Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) or a query window connected to your SQL Server 2025 instance.
  • Run the following command against the backup file in question:
RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\SQLBackups\YourDatabase.bak';
  • Check the HasBackupChecksums column in the result set — a value of 0 confirms the backup was taken without checksums.

Step 2: Remove the WITH CHECKSUM Clause from the Restore Command

  • Modify your restore script to drop the CHECKSUM option since the backup set simply cannot support it.
  • Example corrected syntax:
RESTORE DATABASE YourDatabase
FROM DISK = 'C:\SQLBackups\YourDatabase.bak'
WITH REPLACE, STATS = 10;
  • Ensure no related options like CONTINUE_AFTER_ERROR are mistakenly tied to checksum validation logic in your script.

Step 3: Re-Take the Backup With Checksum Enabled (For Future Restores)

  • If checksum validation is a compliance or integrity requirement, regenerate the backup using the WITH CHECKSUM clause going forward.
  • Run this on the source database:
BACKUP DATABASE YourDatabase
TO DISK = 'C:\SQLBackups\YourDatabase_Checksum.bak'
WITH CHECKSUM, INIT;
  • Store this new backup file in your standard backup path (e.g., C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL17.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Backup\) for future checksum-validated restores.

Step 4: Enable Checksum by Default on Windows Server 2025 Maintenance Jobs

  • If backups are automated via SQL Server Agent or Maintenance Plans, open the Maintenance Plan Designer in SSMS.
  • Edit the “Back Up Database” task, go to the Options tab, and check “Verify backup integrity” and enable checksum settings explicitly so all future backups include checksum data by default.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • After applying Step 2, confirm the restore completes successfully by running RESTORE VERIFYONLY FROM DISK = 'C:\SQLBackups\YourDatabase.bak'; and checking for no errors.
  • If checksum validation is mandatory and cannot be skipped, your only alternative is to restore from a different backup file (if one exists) that was originally created with WITH CHECKSUM enabled.