How to fix Error 5195 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: SQL Server Error 5195 (Cluster Service Path Verification Failure)

Why This Error Happens

Error 5195 occurs when SQL Server’s Cluster Service attempts to validate a file path (typically for a database, log file, or FILESTREAM container) that resides on a cluster shared disk or Cluster Shared Volume (CSV), but the call fails due to a permissions mismatch, a disconnected/offline cluster resource, or an invalid path reference. This is commonly triggered when the SQL Server service account lacks sufficient rights on the clustered storage, when the dependent disk resource is not online in Failover Cluster Manager, or when the path uses a drive letter/mount point that doesn’t match the cluster resource configuration. In Windows Server 2025 environments, this can also surface due to stricter CSV ownership validation or a corrupted cluster database entry.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify Cluster Resource Status and Ownership

  • Open Failover Cluster Manager and navigate to Storage > Disks.
  • Confirm the disk resource associated with the SQL Server instance is Online and owned by the correct node.
  • If offline, right-click the resource and select Bring Online; check the resource’s Dependencies tab to ensure it’s correctly linked to the SQL Server role.

Step 2: Check SQL Server Service Account Permissions

  • Open services.msc and confirm the SQL Server service is running under the correct domain/virtual account (e.g., NT SERVICE\MSSQLSERVER or a dedicated service account).
  • Navigate to the target file path (e.g., E:\SQLData\ or the CSV path like C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\MSSQL\DATA) and verify the service account has Full Control via Properties > Security.
  • Run the following in an elevated PowerShell session to confirm access:
Test-Path "C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\MSSQL\DATA" 
Get-Acl "C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\MSSQL\DATA" | Format-List

Step 3: Validate the Cluster Configuration

  • Run the built-in Validate Cluster Configuration wizard from Failover Cluster Manager to detect storage or network inconsistencies.
  • Check for stale or orphaned registry entries under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Cluster\Resources
  • If a path was recently changed (e.g., drive letter reassignment), update the SQL Server resource dependencies to reflect the new path using:
Get-ClusterResource "SQL Server" | Get-ClusterParameter

Step 4: Restart the Cluster Service and SQL Server Resource

  • Restart the Cluster Service (ClusSvc) on the affected node via PowerShell:
Restart-Service -Name ClusSvc -Force
  • Take the SQL Server role offline and bring it back online through Failover Cluster Manager to force re-verification of the file path.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • After completing the steps above, check the Cluster Events log and SQL Server Error Log to confirm Error 5195 no longer appears during service startup or failover testing.
  • As an alternative, if the path was moved or renamed, use sp_detach_db and sp_attach_db (or ALTER DATABASE … MODIFY FILE) to manually repoint SQL Server to the correct, verified cluster storage path.