Cannot bulk load. Operating system error code 5 (Access is denied.)

Question

For some weird reason I'm having problems executing a bulk insert.

BULK INSERT customer_stg FROM 'C:\Users\Michael\workspace\pydb\data\andrew.out.txt' WITH (     FIRSTROW=0,     FIELDTERMINATOR='\t',     ROWTERMINATOR='\n' ) 

I'm confident after reading this that I've setup my user role correctly, as it states...

Members of the bulkadmin fixed server role can run the BULK INSERT statement.

I have set the Login Properties for the Windows Authentication correctly (as seen below).. to grant server-wide permissions on bulkadmin

windows authentication http://iforce.co.nz/i/daaqcasj.vo1.png

And the command EXEC sp_helpsrvrolemember 'bulkadmin' tells me that the information above was successful, and the current user Michael-PC\Michael has bulkadmin permissions.

bulkadmin http://iforce.co.nz/i/bou0uklk.wdj.png

But even though I've set everything up correctly as far as I know, I'm still getting the error. executing the bulk insert directly from SQL Server Management Studio.

Msg 4861, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
Cannot bulk load because the file "C:\Users\Michael\workspace\pydb\data\andrew.out.txt" could not be opened. Operating system error code 5(Access is denied.).

which doesn't make sense because apparently bulkadmins can run the statement, am I meant to reconfigure how the bulkadmin works? (I'm so lost). Any ideas on how to fix it?

Answer 1

This error appears when you are using SQL Server Authentication and SQL Server is not allowed to access the bulk load folder.

So giving SQL server access to the folder will solve the issue.

Here is how to: Go to the folder right click ->properties->Security tab->Edit->Add(on the new window) ->Advanced -> Find Now. Under the users list in the search results, find something like SQLServerMSSQLUser$UserName$SQLExpress and click ok, to all the dialogs opened.

Answer 2

I don't think reinstalling SQL Server is going to fix this, it's just going to kill some time.

1. Confirm that your user account has read privileges to the folder in question.
2. Use a tool like Process Monitor to see what user is actually trying to access the file.

3. My guess is that it is not Michael-PC\Michael that is trying to access the file, but rather the SQL Server service account. If this is the case, then you have at least three options (but probably others):

   a. Set the SQL Server service to run as you.
   b. Grant the SQL Server service account explicit access to that folder.
   c. Put the files somewhere more logical where SQL Server has access, or can be made to have access (e.g. C:\bulk\).

I suggest these things assuming that this is a contained, local workstation. There are definitely more serious security concerns around local filesystem access from SQL Server when we're talking about a production machine, of course this can still be largely mitigated by using c. above - and only giving the service account access to the folders you want it to be able to touch.

Answer 3

I had the same problem SSIS 2012 and the solution was to use Windows Authentication. I was using SQL authentication with the sa user.

Answer 4

Try giving the folder(s) containing the CSV and Format File read permissions for ‘MSSQLSERVER’ user (or whatever user the SQL Server service is set to Log On As in Windows Services)

Answer 5

sometimes this can be a bogus error message, tried opening the file with the same account that it is running the process. I had the same issue in my environment and when I did open the file (with the same credentials running the process), it said that it must be associated with a known program, after I did that I was able to open it and run the process without any errors.

Answer 6

1. Go to start run=>services.msc=>SQL SERVER(MSSQLSERVER) stop the service
2. Right click on SQL SERVER(MSSQLSERVER)=> properties=>LogOn Tab=>Local System Account=>OK
3. Restart the SQL server Management Studio.

Answer 7

Make sure the file you're using ('C:\Users\Michael\workspace\pydb\data\andrew.out.txt') is on the SQL server machine and not the client machine running MSSMS.

Answer 8

1) Open SQL 2) In Task Manager, you can check which account is running the SQL - it is probably not Michael-PC\Michael as Jan wrote.

The account that runs SQL need access to the shared folder.

Answer 9

I have come to similar question when I execute the bulk insert in SSMS it's working but it failed and returned with "Operation system failure code 5" when converting the task into SQL Server Agent.

After browsing lots of solutions posted previously, this way solved my problem by granting the NT SERVER/SQLSERVERAGENT with the 'full control" access right to the source folder. Hope it would bring some light to these people who are still struggling with the error message.

Answer 10

In our case it ended up being a Kerberos issue. I followed the steps in this article to resolve the issue: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/SQL-Server-Support/Bulk-Insert-and-Kerberos/ba-p/317304.

It came down to configuring delegation on the machine account of the SQL Server where the BULK INSERT statement is running. The machine account needs to be able to delegate via the "cifs" service to the file server where the files are located. If you are using constrained delegation make sure to specify "Use any authenication protocol".

If DFS is involved you can execute the following Powershell command to get the name of the file server:

Get-DfsnFolderTarget -Path "\\dfsnamespace\share"