Backup of a SQL database with "?", "*", "'", ":" or "\" in the database name fails with The object was not found, or could not be accessed (MS SQL backup).

Problem

When attempting to back up a database that contains a ? (question mark),  * (star), ' (single quote),  : (colon) or  a \ (back slash) in the database name will cause the backup to fail with the errors listed below or the database is not available for selection at all - the database may be grayed out for selection.

Error Message

Backup- SERVERNAME\SQLINSTANCE
Database \DATABASENAME.MDF was not found, or could not be accessed.

The debug log from the SQL Server will show the following messages:
[fsys\shared]        - Attach to SERVERNAME\INSTANCENAME                           
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
[fsys\sql2]          - Found database name with '?', '*', or '\'. marking it unselectable.
 

Cause

This issue is caused by having a database name with one of the characters listed above in the name

Solution

Currently Backup Exec does not support backing up databases that contain any of the following characters in the database name:

• ‘    single quote
• ?   question mark
• \    backslash
• :    colon
• *   star

Workaround: Backup the database using the build in backup utility in SQL management Studio.

Note: With Backup Exe 2010 and earlier versions, database backups may have been possible of databases with these characters but restore of the databases may not be possible.