"A portal site already exists with the same ID as the one contained in the database" error message is logged when you restore a portal site (832810)

SYMPTOMS

When you try to back up Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 data, the restore operation does not complete successfully. This issue occurs when you use the SharePoint Portal Server Data Backup and Restore tool to back up data and then restore the data to more than one portal site on a server farm. An entry that is similar to the following is logged to the SPS_SiteCreation_PortalSiteName.log file:

Time Enter RecoverSite()
Time Portal creation failed System.ApplicationException: A portal site already exists with
the same ID as the one contained in the database being used for portal recovery.
at Microsoft.SharePoint.Portal.Admin.c.a() at Microsoft.SharePoint.Portal.Admin.c.f()
Time Enter SearchConfigure()

You may also experience these symptoms if you restore the data to the same server farm that you performed the backup on before you remove the portal site on that server farm.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because you cannot use the same content database for two different portal sites when the two portal sites are located on the same server farm. The portal site ID is stored in the content database, and each portal site must use a unique portal site ID. A restore operation cannot complete successfully if another portal site on the server farm already uses the same portal site ID that the portal site in the backup contains.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, do not restore SharePoint Portal Server portal site data to more than one portal site on the same server farm. Restore the portal site data to a different server farm. Or, if you restore SharePoint Portal Server data to the same server farm where you performed the backup, remove the portal site on that server farm before you perform the restore operation.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to back up and restore SharePoint Portal Server data, see the "Backup and Restore" topic in the Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Administration Guide. The Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Administration Guide (Administrator's Help.chm) is located in the Docs folder in the root directory of the SharePoint Portal Server 2003 CD.

For more information about SharePoint Portal Server 2003, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/sharepoint/prodinfo/default.mspx