SQL SERVER – Error 17113, Severity: 16 – Error Occurred While Opening File ‘master.mdf’ to Obtain Configuration Information at Startup

While playing with my SQL Server startup parameter, I made some mistakes and came to a situation where SQL Server was not getting started. In this blog post, let us learn about error 17113.

Whenever you have a situation where SQL is not getting started, what you would normally do?

1. Look at ERRORLOG, if generated.
2. Look at System Event Log.
3. Look at Application Event log.

In my case, I was lucky enough that the SQL ERRORLOG file was getting generated. SQL SERVER – Where is ERRORLOG? Various Ways to Find ERRORLOG Location

Here is what I have in Errorlog.

2016-12-28 01:20:42.27 Server Registry startup parameters:
-m C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATAmaster.mdf
-e C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLLogERRORLOG
-l C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATAmastlog.ldf
2016-12-28 01:20:42.27 Server Command Line Startup Parameters:
-s “SOFTWARE”
2016-12-28 01:20:42.28 Server Error: 17113, Severity: 16, State: 1.
2016-12-28 01:20:42.28 Server Error 3(The system cannot find the path specified.) occurred while opening file 
    ‘master.mdf’ to obtain configuration information at startup. An invalid startup option might have caused the error. 
    Verify your startup options, and correct or remove them if necessary.
2016-12-28 01:20:42.28 Server SQL Server shutdown has been initiated

Do you find something interesting? If you are thinking that master.mdf file is not present in C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATA then you are incorrect.

If the file was not present, here is how the ERRORLOG would look like.

2016-12-28 01:26:49.12 Server Registry startup parameters:
-d C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATAmaster.mdf
-e C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLLogERRORLOG
-l C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATAmastlog.ldf
2016-12-28 01:26:49.12 Server Command Line Startup Parameters:
-s “SOFTWARE”
2016-12-28 01:26:49.13 Server Error: 17113, Severity: 16, State: 1.
2016-12-28 01:26:49.13 Server Error 2(error not found) occurred while opening file
    ‘C:Program FilesMicrosoft SQL ServerMSSQL13.SOFTWAREMSSQLDATAmaster.mdf’ to obtain configuration information at startup.
    An invalid startup option might have caused the error. Verify your startup options, and correct or remove them if necessary.

Do you see the difference?

SOLUTION

In my case, the file was present in the location, but the parameter name was wrong. SQL Server uses -d for the master database mdf file. As I hinted earlier, I changed the parameter and now if you notice again the parameter is -m which is not a valid parameter for the master database data file. We can modify the startup parameters via configuration manager. Step is already listed .

Hope you have learned something new.

Reference: Pinal Dave (http://blog.SQLAuthority.com)