[sql-server-2008-r2] Error: Specified cast is not valid. (SqlManagerUI)

I have a backup from database in SQL Server 2008 R2. When I want to restore this backup to SQL Server, I get this error: "Error: Specified cast is not valid. (SqlManagerUI)" How to I resolve this error? Thanks.

Sometimes it happens because of the version change like store 2012 db on 2008, so how to check it?

RESTORE VERIFYONLY FROM DISK = N'd:\yourbackup.bak'

if it gives error like:

Msg 3241, Level 16, State 13, Line 2 The media family on device 'd:\alibaba.bak' is incorrectly formed. SQL Server cannot process this media family. Msg 3013, Level 16, State 1, Line 2 VERIFY DATABASE is terminating abnormally.

Check it further:

RESTORE HEADERONLY FROM DISK = N'd:\yourbackup.bak'

BackupName is "* INCOMPLETE *", Position is "1", other fields are "NULL".

Means either your backup is corrupt or taken from newer version.

I had a similar error "Specified cast is not valid" restoring from SQL Server 2012 to SQL Server 2008 R2

First I got the MDF and LDF Names:

RESTORE FILELISTONLY 
FROM  DISK = N'C:\Users\dell laptop\DotNetSandBox\DBBackups\Davincis3.bak' 
GO

Second I restored with a MOVE using those names returned:

RESTORE DATABASE Davincis3 
FROM DISK = 'C:\Users\dell laptop\DotNetSandBox\DBBackups\Davincis3.bak'
WITH 
   MOVE 'JQueryExampleDb' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\Davincis3.mdf', 
   MOVE 'JQueryExampleDB_log' TO 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10_50.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA\Davincis3.ldf', 
REPLACE
GO  

I have no clue as to the name "JQueryExampleDb", but this worked for me.

Nevertheless, backups (and databases) are not backwards compatible with older versions.

This would also happen when you are trying to restore a newer version backup in a older SQL database. For example when you try to restore a DB backup that is created in 2012 with 110 compatibility and you are trying to restore it in 2008 R2.