Cannot execute as the database principal because the principal "server_audit" does not exist ...
Published 21 June 2018
This error may occur when creating a image or clone.
This is because the SID for the server_audit user from the source SQL Server will be different to the SID for the server_audit login on the destination SQL Server (that creates image or hosts clone).
This can be fixed by creating server_audit user in destination SQL Server (that creates image or hosts clone) with same SID as in source SQL Server.
To get server_audit user SID of source SQL Server
SELECT sid
FROM master.sys.sysusers
WHERE name = 'server_audit';
To create server_audit user in destination SQL Server (that creates image or hosts clone) with same SID
CREATE LOGIN server_audit
WITH PASSWORD = '*******',
SID = {sid copied from source server}