Could not create database on SQLserver hosted from docker container

Question

Could not create database on SQLserver hosted from docker container

Yogi 356

I have created an sql server from a docker container by the below command:

docker run -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=vV5r9tn0M4@" ^
-p 1433:1433 ^
-v D:\SQL\Data:/var/opt/mssql/data ^
-v D:\SQL\log:/var/opt/mssql/log ^
-v D:\SQL\secrets:/var/opt/mssql/secrets ^
-d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2025-latest

The Microsoft article link - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/linux/sql-server-linux-docker-container-configure?view=sql-server-ver17&pivots=cs1-cmd

On SQL Server management studio I am able to connect with the sql server running from docker container. However I could not create a new database in the server. See the attached screenshot:

Screenshot 2026-02-15 173634

In the above screenshot you can see I am trying to create a database called test but it is failing.

The error message is:

-- Source - https://stackoverflow.com/q/79889672
-- Posted by yogihosting
-- Retrieved 2026-02-15, License - CC BY-SA 4.0

===================================

Create failed for Database 'test'.  (Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo)

------------------------------
For help, click: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=17.100.73.0&EvtSrc=Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExceptionTemplates.FailedOperationExceptionText&EvtID=Create+Database&LinkId=20476

------------------------------
Program Location:

   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlSmoObject.CreateImpl()
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.CreateDatabaseData.DatabasePrototype.ApplyChanges(Control marshallingControl, RunType _)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlManagerUI.CreateDatabase.DoPreProcessExecution(RunType runType, ExecutionMode& executionResult)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.SqlMgmtTreeViewControl.DoPreProcessExecutionAndRunViews(RunType runType)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.SqlMgmtTreeViewControl.ExecuteForSql(PreProcessExecutionInfo executionInfo, ExecutionMode& executionResult)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.SqlMgmtTreeViewControl.Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.IExecutionAwareSqlControlCollection.PreProcessExecution(PreProcessExecutionInfo executionInfo, ExecutionMode& executionResult)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.SqlMgmt.ViewSwitcherControlsManager.RunNow(RunType runType, Object sender)

===================================

An exception occurred while executing a Transact-SQL statement or batch. (Microsoft.SqlServer.ConnectionInfo)

------------------------------
Program Location:

   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteNonQuery(String sqlCommand, ExecutionTypes executionType, Boolean retry)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteNonQuery(StringCollection sqlCommands, ExecutionTypes executionType, Boolean retry)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlSmoObject.ExecuteNonQuery(StringCollection queries, Boolean includeDbContext, Boolean executeForAlter)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlSmoObject.CreateImplFinish(StringCollection createQuery, ScriptingPreferences sp)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.SqlSmoObject.CreateImpl()

===================================

MODIFY FILE encountered operating system error 31(A device attached to the system is not functioning.) while attempting to expand the physical file '/var/opt/mssql/data/test.mdf'.
CREATE DATABASE failed. Some file names listed could not be created. Check related errors. (Framework Microsoft SqlClient Data Provider)

------------------------------
For help, click: https://docs.microsoft.com/sql/relational-databases/errors-events/mssqlserver-5149-database-engine-error

------------------------------
Server Name: localhost,1433
Error Number: 5149
Severity: 16
State: 3
Line Number: 1


------------------------------
Program Location:

   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection, Action`1 wrapCloseInAction)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean callerHasConnectionLock, Boolean asyncClose)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.TryRun(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj, Boolean& dataReady)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteNonQueryTds(String methodName, Boolean async, Int32 timeout, Boolean asyncWrite)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.InternalExecuteNonQuery(TaskCompletionSource`1 completion, String methodName, Boolean sendToPipe, Int32 timeout, Boolean& usedCache, Boolean asyncWrite, Boolean inRetry)
   at Microsoft.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteNonQuery()
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ConnectionManager.ExecuteTSql(ExecuteTSqlAction action, Object execObject, DataSet fillDataSet, Boolean catchException)
   at Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Common.ServerConnection.ExecuteNonQuery(String sqlCommand, ExecutionTypes executionType, Boolean retry)

If I remove the volumes from the docker command then everything is working. So this is something related to docker volumes and I am not able to figure the problem. Any solution??

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2 additional answers

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Answer 1

Hi @Yogi ,

Since the container works with named volumes, SQL Server itself is fine. The problem is the Windows bind-mounted folders.

Please try recreating the folders and ensure they are fully writable by Docker:

Delete the existing folders D:\SQL\Data, D:\SQL\log, D:\SQL\secrets.
Recreate them using PowerShell: mkdir D:\SQL\Data
mkdir D:\SQL\log
mkdir D:\SQL\secrets
icacls D:\SQL /grant Everyone:(OI)(CI)F /T
Restart Docker Desktop.
Run the container again: docker run -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=vV5r9tn0M4@" ^
-p 1433:1433 ^
-v D:/SQL/Data:/var/opt/mssql/data ^
-v D:/SQL/log:/var/opt/mssql/log ^
-v D:/SQL/secrets:/var/opt/mssql/secrets ^
-d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2025-latest

This ensures the mounted NTFS folders allow write access for the Linux mssql process inside the container, which resolves the database creation failure.

Thanks,
Akhil.

Answer 2

Bruce (SqlWork.com) 83,816

Did you install docker with WSL 2 or Hyper-V? If Hyper-V, you need to set the mount folder permission on the host. If WSL 2, it assumed the folders are owned by the user account running docker.

Yogi 356 Reputation points

2026-02-16T05:08:04.5333333+00:00

I am using only docker not wsl 2 or hyper v. when I install docker desktop it has installed a distro by itself. So i did not have to install wsl separately. When I used Named volumes instead of using folders to map volumes then it works perfectly. Regarding your comment "folders are owned by the user account", how to give permissions then?
Akhil Gajavelly 1,810 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-17T04:24:36.73+00:00
Hi @Yogi ,

Thanks a lot for the guidance @Erland Sommarskog & @Bruce (SqlWork.com).

@Yogi You’re actually hitting a very common window + docker bind-mount issue. Nothing is wrong with SQL server itself.

Since it works perfectly with named volumes, that tells us the container is fine. The problem is just that the container process (the mssql user inside Linux) doesn’t have proper write permission on your D:\SQL... folders.

Follow the bellow steps,

Stop and remove the existing container.

Go to D:\SQL in windows.

Right-click each folder. data, log, secrets

Properties - security - edit

Add everyone

Give full control

Apply it to subfolders and files as well.

Open docker desktop - settings - resources - file sharing make sure the D: drive is shared. Apply & Restart if needed.

Recreate the container (I’d suggest using forward slashes in the path just to avoid any path translation quirks):

docker run -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=YourStrongPass@" ^

-p 1433:1433 ^

-v D:/SQL/Data:/var/opt/mssql/data ^

-v D:/SQL/log:/var/opt/mssql/log ^

-v D:/SQL/secrets:/var/opt/mssql/secrets ^

-d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server: 2025-latest

If you’d rather avoid windows permission headaches altogether, honestly, stick with named volumes, they’re more reliable on windows and you won’t run into this again.

Thanks,
Akhil.
Yogi 356 Reputation points

2026-02-23T04:11:31.7466667+00:00

I tried your solution but it did not worked.
Akhil Gajavelly 1,810 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-11T04:30:45.3966667+00:00

Hi @Yogi ,

Just checking back were you able to resolve the issue?

If the bind-mount folders continue to cause problems on Windows, the most reliable approach is to use Docker named volumes, since you mentioned they already worked correctly. Windows filesystem permission translation with Linux containers can sometimes cause the OS error 31 you encountered.

If you still prefer using host folders, please confirm whether the container can write to /var/opt/mssql/data by testing inside the container.

Let us know your results so the community can assist further.

Thanks,
Akhil.

Answer 3

Erland Sommarskog 133.7K MVP Volunteer Moderator

I have not used Docker on Windows, and it was quite some time I played with it on Unix. But I note on the page you linked to that it says:

docker run -e "ACCEPT_EULA=Y" -e "MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD=<password>" ^
-p 1433:1433 ^
-v <host directory>/data:/var/opt/mssql/data ^
-v <host directory>/log:/var/opt/mssql/log ^
-v <host directory>/secrets:/var/opt/mssql/secrets ^
-d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-latest

With forward slashes throughout, whereas you have backslashes in your command. It could be that the page in Microsoft Learn has a typo, but it could be something to try.

Yogi 356 Reputation points

2026-02-15T16:31:03.03+00:00

I don't think backshash types are wrong in my code since on my d drive the sql files were mapped properly. I have seen these files inside my d drive folder.

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Could not create database on SQLserver hosted from docker container

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