Lstat: CreateFile \\?\UNC\ backup: Access is denied.

Lstat: CreateFile \\?\UNC\ backup: Access is denied.

When performing a backup of a network location such as a mapped network drive or UNC path you may receive an error message similar to this in your backup logs.

The error message, "Lstat: CreateFile \?\UNC\Server\Path: Access is denied," indicates that there was an error while trying to retrieve information about a file or directory located on a UNC (Universal Naming Convention) network path.

This error message could be due to several reasons, such as:

1. Incorrect login credentials: The network login credentials you supplied in the Protected Item to access the network drive may be incorrect, or the account you used may not have sufficient permissions to access the drive.

2. You have not added network credentials in the Protected Item, and the backup service is unable to access the UNC path without your login credentials.

Please see our guide to backing up network shares. There are some important steps you don't want to miss.

How to Backup Windows Network Shares and UNC Paths

Some additional information on the error -> We frequently get asked about the meaning of Lstat and CreateFile:

Lstat and CreateFile are functions used in the context of accessing files and directories in Windows and Linux operating systems.

In Windows, the CreateFile function is used to create or open a file or device for reading, writing, or other types of operations.

Lstat is a function used in the Linux operating system to retrieve information about a file or directory, such as its type, size, and permissions.

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