Windows 2000 Scheduled Tasks run only once

[Steve]

We have a very similar situation which is driving us mad.

Windows 2000 Server SP4
Domain Controller

We create a scheduled task to daily run a batch file which simply
calls NTBackup to backup to a file on the same machine.
The batch file works every time.

The scheduled task runs once and only once. Thereafter the task status
is "Could not start"

If we delete the scheduled task and create a new one, as before it
runs once.

If we re-enter the Run AS administrator password for the task, it will
run again but only once.

We are running the scheduled task as Administrator + plus we tried
creating a special backup operator account and received the same
problems

I have now witnessed this on two 2000 Domain Controllers - Ours and a
client of ours.

We get no event errors.

My initial thoughts are that the scheduled task is forgetting the
password for the run as account.

Any ideas

Kind regards

Steve Cottam

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

We have a very similar situation which is driving us mad.

Windows 2000 Server SP4
Domain Controller

We create a scheduled task to daily run a batch file which simply
calls NTBackup to backup to a file on the same machine.
The batch file works every time.

The scheduled task runs once and only once. Thereafter the task status
is "Could not start"

If we delete the scheduled task and create a new one, as before it
runs once.

If we re-enter the Run AS administrator password for the task, it will
run again but only once.

We are running the scheduled task as Administrator + plus we tried
creating a special backup operator account and received the same
problems

I have now witnessed this on two 2000 Domain Controllers - Ours and a
client of ours.

We get no event errors.

My initial thoughts are that the scheduled task is forgetting the
password for the run as account.

Any ideas

Kind regards

Steve Cottam

Check the status of the task. It's probably waiting for user
input. Post your batch file here if the issue remains unresolved.

 

[Steve]

The batch file is listed below which works just fine.
The key thing here is that the scheduled task runs the first time, but
thereafter fails.

I have however noticed that the NTBackup.exe shows up as a process in
task manager for about 2 seconds. Therefore I guess it's safe to
assume that scheduled tasks are working fine. My instincts tell me
this is a permissions problem, but why does it run once with no
problems?

C:\WINNT\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\backUpScripts\Crow.bks" /m
normal /j "Crow Full" /v:yes /r:no /l:f /rs:no /f "z:\Crow_Full.bkf"

Regards

Steve

 

[tlviewer]

Hello,

We have a very similar situation which is driving us mad.

Windows 2000 Server SP4
Domain Controller

We create a scheduled task to daily run a batch file which simply
calls NTBackup to backup to a file on the same machine.
The batch file works every time.

The scheduled task runs once and only once. Thereafter the task status
is "Could not start"

If we delete the scheduled task and create a new one, as before it
runs once.

If we re-enter the Run AS administrator password for the task, it will
run again but only once.

We are running the scheduled task as Administrator + plus we tried
creating a special backup operator account and received the same
problems

I have now witnessed this on two 2000 Domain Controllers - Ours and a
client of ours.

We get no event errors.

My initial thoughts are that the scheduled task is forgetting the
password for the run as account.

The only way this could happen is if the Protected Storage service
is not started, or not working correctly.

/run
services.msc /s

and check the Protected Storage status.

hth,
msp

 

[Enkidu]

The batch file is listed below which works just fine.
The key thing here is that the scheduled task runs the first time, but
thereafter fails.

I have however noticed that the NTBackup.exe shows up as a process in
task manager for about 2 seconds. Therefore I guess it's safe to
assume that scheduled tasks are working fine. My instincts tell me
this is a permissions problem, but why does it run once with no
problems?

C:\WINNT\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\backUpScripts\Crow.bks" /m
normal /j "Crow Full" /v:yes /r:no /l:f /rs:no /f "z:\Crow_Full.bkf"

Do you set the scheduled task so that it can interact with the
desktop? If not try that and see what happens.

Cheers,

Cliff

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Modify your batch file like so, then examine the two report files
and all will become clear:

C:\WINNT\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\backUpScripts\Crow.bks" /m
normal /j "Crow Full" /v:yes /r:no /l:f /rs:no /f "z:\Crow_Full.bkf"
1>jc:\report.txt 2>report.err