You've done everything right with your MSSQL database restore. All of your versions match. All connections to the database have been killed. Your BAK file is valid, you have adequate permissions to both it and the proposed MDF and LDF file paths. And yet, when you attempt to restore using MSSQL 2005 or 2008, the task fails with the following: The file or filegroup X cannot be selected for this operation. RESTORE DATABASE is terminating abnormally. (Microsoft SQL Server, Error: 3219) Often the most infuriating problems are the one's with the easiest solution. To fix this, simply perform "Restore Database" instead of "Restore Files".