Windows 2003 Schedule Task problem

[willstay]

I am reposting this thread. I posted first thread when I got this problem in my PC. Now, am getting the same problem in another server. This is really a weird problem.

I backup various things including SystemState using NTBackup tool and is scheduled to run at night. The task wouldn't run and error in LastResult column of 'Scheduled Tasks' is 0x1f. I copied command string and pasted in cmd prompt, NTBackup would run as smoothly as anything.

C:\WINNT\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.KAMAL\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows NT\NTBackup\data\SystemStateBackup.bks" /n "ScheduledBackup.bkf created 8/10/2005 at 11:11 AM" /d "Set created 8/10/2005 at 11:11 AM" /v:no /r:no /rs:no /hc: off /m normal /j "SystemStateBackup" /l:s /f "C:\ScheduledBackup.bkf"

I got curious and created new task that would just run notepad.exe at scheduled time. You know what happens? The first time it doesn't run. I change schedule time, this time it runs. Thrid time it doesn't run. Fourth time it runs.

To tackle this werid problem, I went to 'Advanced' Schedule Option and checked 'Repeat Task' checkbox and entered value 1 minutes in field 'Every'. Interestingly, notepad would pop up every alternate minute.

Finally, a weird solution to a weird problem : I scheduled NTBackup task to repeat every 1 minutes 'Unit' 'Duration' is 2 minutes. This more or less solved it. A given task is now scheduled to run two times. Either it will run the first time, or the second time.

My Server OS : Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition
Service Packs : Not installed

(I have turned off many unnecessary services from my Server. Here is the list of running services. Let me know if its because of specific service I am not running. Click here for my service list)

 

[willstay]

So I gather no one is having similar problem with Task Scheduler.

 

[err]

could be because of your turned off services.

Just make sure task scheduler services is on.

Also what account did you use to run the task? Make sure the account is powerfull enough to do the backup

good luck.

 

[scomo1026]

Yes, I am having the same problem. I have over 40 servers all running the same everything (hardware, updates, etc) and I only have the problem on one server. I changed the time on mine as well and it actually ran two nights in a row, but then went right back to not working. Are your report logs blank? Mine are on nights that the backup fails and I get the 0x1f error in the scheduler. In the event log, I can see the backup start and stop. Everytime it runs for 31 minutes and 33 seconds. I can tell it is the backup job running because I am seeing the Removable Media Storage service starting and stopping (it does this when ntbackup runs). Have you found anything else yet? I am going to test all the tapes for that server in a different one. I have also found multiple ms articles for a hotfix, but my exe is already up to date.

 

[UCJefe]

Try putting the commands you want to execute in a batch file. That has solved weird task scheduler issues for many people

 

[scomo1026]

Like Willstay above testing the scheduler above using notepad.exe, I also tried with running the job as a newly created bat file and still had the same problem.