When restoring a database from an SQL backup .bak, one usually creates a database and then selects the restore function. As soon as you try to restore the database you get the error saying “The backup set holds a backup of a database other than the existing“. This is because it fails to read the files from the restore and matching them to the newly created files.

The error says:

Restore failed for Server ‘SQLSRV01’. (Microsoft.SqlServer.SmoExtended)
Additional Information
An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)
The backup set hold a backup of a database other an the existing ‘test_restore’ database.
RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3154)

To solve this one should do the following:

– Don’t create an empty database and restore the .bak file on to it.
– Use ‘Restore Database’ option accessible by right clicking the “Databases” branch of the SQL Server Management Studio and provide the database name while providing the source to restore.

This should allow you to restore the database with no error and fix the error 3154.