How to fix Error 5573 on Windows Server 2025 / Windows 11

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Troubleshooting Guide: Error 5573 — FILESTREAM Tombstones Table Access Failure

Why This Error Happens

Error 5573 occurs when the SQL Server Database Engine cannot access the internal tombstones table that FILESTREAM uses to track deleted or garbage-collected BLOB data. This is typically caused by corrupted FILESTREAM data containers, insufficient NTFS permissions for the SQL Server service account on the FILESTREAM filegroup directory, or an interrupted garbage collection process that left the filesystem and metadata out of sync. It can also surface after an improper failover, storage disconnect, or abrupt shutdown while FILESTREAM operations were in progress.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

Step 1: Verify FILESTREAM Service Configuration and Permissions

  • Open SQL Server Configuration Manager and confirm FILESTREAM is enabled for the instance under SQL Server Services > Properties > FILESTREAM tab.
  • Check that the SQL Server service account has Full Control NTFS permissions on the FILESTREAM data directory (e.g., D:\SQLData\FilestreamContainer).
  • Run icacls "D:\SQLData\FilestreamContainer" from an elevated PowerShell prompt to confirm ACL entries include the SQL Server service account.

Step 2: Check FILESTREAM Filegroup and Container Health

  • Run DBCC CHECKFILEGROUP against the affected filegroup to detect corruption in the FILESTREAM container.
  • Inspect the Windows Event Viewer (Applications and Services Logs > MSSQLSERVER) for related I/O or storage errors coinciding with Event ID 5573.
  • Confirm the underlying disk/volume (especially if using Storage Spaces Direct or SAN-backed storage on Windows Server 2025) is not reporting latency or disconnect events.

Step 3: Rebuild or Restore the Tombstone Metadata

  • If corruption is confirmed, take the database offline using ALTER DATABASE [YourDB] SET OFFLINE.
  • Restore the database from the last known good backup that predates the corruption event.
  • Alternatively, run ALTER DATABASE [YourDB] SET FILESTREAM (GARBAGE_COLLECTION_INTERVAL = 0) temporarily to halt automated tombstone cleanup while you manually reconcile the container using the sys.filestream_tombstone_2005 internal table reference via a support-assisted DBCC trace.

Step 4: Restart SQL Server Services and Validate

  • Restart the SQL Server service via Restart-Service MSSQLSERVER -Force in PowerShell (run as Administrator).
  • Monitor the SQL Server Error Log immediately after restart using EXEC sp_readerrorlog 0, 1, 'FILESTREAM' to confirm the tombstone table initializes without the 0x%x HRESULT error.

Alternative or Verification Steps

  • Run a test INSERT/DELETE operation against a table containing a FILESTREAM column and confirm no 5573 errors appear in the SQL Server Error Log afterward.
  • If the error persists after container repair, perform a full database backup, then run DBCC CHECKDB WITH DATA_PURITY followed by a clean restore to a new FILESTREAM filegroup path to eliminate any residual container-level corruption.