scheduled task can not access shared drive

May 4, 2008

This is actually on a Windows 2003 server but I didn't see it among the

options.

I've created a batch file on server A to generate a report and copy it to a

shared drive on server B. When I log onto server A and run the batch file it

works; when I use the task scheduler to run the batch it fails. A coworker

suggested using the unc path rather than the mapped drive letter designation

but that didn't help - all that did was generate a "CMD does not support UNC

paths as current directories" error message.

I have a hunch that the problem is because the shared drive is not

recognized unless the user physically logs onto the box. Is that the case and

is there a way to work around this?

May 4, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:81D01B94-2218-45CA-99C3-8E2883898004@microsoft.com...

> This is actually on a Windows 2003 server but I didn't see it among the

> options.

>

> I've created a batch file on server A to generate a report and copy it to

> a

> shared drive on server B. When I log onto server A and run the batch file

> it

> works; when I use the task scheduler to run the batch it fails. A coworker

> suggested using the unc path rather than the mapped drive letter

> designation

> but that didn't help - all that did was generate a "CMD does not support

> UNC

> paths as current directories" error message.

>

> I have a hunch that the problem is because the shared drive is not

> recognized unless the user physically logs onto the box. Is that the case

> and

> is there a way to work around this?

Let's have a look at your batch file!

What account do you use for the scheduled task? Does it have access

to the shared resource?

About newsgroups: There are several with the word "Server" in it, e.g.

"windows.server.general".

May 4, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>

> "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> message news:81D01B94-2218-45CA-99C3-8E2883898004@microsoft.com...

> > This is actually on a Windows 2003 server but I didn't see it among the

> > options.

> >

> > I've created a batch file on server A to generate a report and copy it to

> > a

> > shared drive on server B. When I log onto server A and run the batch file

> > it

> > works; when I use the task scheduler to run the batch it fails. A coworker

> > suggested using the unc path rather than the mapped drive letter

> > designation

> > but that didn't help - all that did was generate a "CMD does not support

> > UNC

> > paths as current directories" error message.

> >

> > I have a hunch that the problem is because the shared drive is not

> > recognized unless the user physically logs onto the box. Is that the case

> > and

> > is there a way to work around this?

>

> Let's have a look at your batch file!

>

> What account do you use for the scheduled task? Does it have access

> to the shared resource?

>

> About newsgroups: There are several with the word "Server" in it, e.g.

> "windows.server.general".

>

A domain level servce account is running the task; it does have access to

the resource. Again, when I actually remote desktop onto the server with the

service account id and run the batch file it works fine - it only fails as a

scheduled task. Perhaps I don't fully understand the difference between

physically logging onto a server and the way task scheduler "logs on" to run

the task but something tells me that's the difference and reason for failure.

As far as the batch file itself, it's very simple:

copy "C:\reports\daily_report" "Z:\transferred reports\daily_report"

Where "Z" is the mapped shared drive. As mentioned I also tried it with the

unc path of "\\servername\share\transferred reports\daily_report" but that

didn't do the trick either.

May 4, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:A7938743-8FE2-4ED4-9A1F-EBC15CFB8574@microsoft.com...

>

> "Pegasus (MVP)" wrote:

>

>>

>> "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

>> in

>> message news:81D01B94-2218-45CA-99C3-8E2883898004@microsoft.com...

>> > This is actually on a Windows 2003 server but I didn't see it among the

>> > options.

>> >

>> > I've created a batch file on server A to generate a report and copy it

>> > to

>> > a

>> > shared drive on server B. When I log onto server A and run the batch

>> > file

>> > it

>> > works; when I use the task scheduler to run the batch it fails. A

>> > coworker

>> > suggested using the unc path rather than the mapped drive letter

>> > designation

>> > but that didn't help - all that did was generate a "CMD does not

>> > support

>> > UNC

>> > paths as current directories" error message.

>> >

>> > I have a hunch that the problem is because the shared drive is not

>> > recognized unless the user physically logs onto the box. Is that the

>> > case

>> > and

>> > is there a way to work around this?

>>

>> Let's have a look at your batch file!

>>

>> What account do you use for the scheduled task? Does it have access

>> to the shared resource?

>>

>> About newsgroups: There are several with the word "Server" in it, e.g.

>> "windows.server.general".

>>

> A domain level servce account is running the task; it does have access to

> the resource. Again, when I actually remote desktop onto the server with

> the

> service account id and run the batch file it works fine - it only fails as

> a

> scheduled task. Perhaps I don't fully understand the difference between

> physically logging onto a server and the way task scheduler "logs on" to

> run

> the task but something tells me that's the difference and reason for

> failure.

>

> As far as the batch file itself, it's very simple:

> copy "C:\reports\daily_report" "Z:\transferred reports\daily_report"

> Where "Z" is the mapped shared drive. As mentioned I also tried it with

> the

> unc path of "\\servername\share\transferred reports\daily_report" but that

> didn't do the trick either.

Your batch file has a couple of problems:

- Drive Z: is unlikely to exist. You MUST use UNC names.

- If the file exists in the target folder then the batch file may hang,

waiting for your comfirmation to overwrite it.

Try this instead:

1. @echo off

2. set TargetDir=\\Server\Share\transferred reports

3.

4. echo Start %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\test.log

5. dir "%TargetDir%" 1>>c:\test.log 2>>&1

6. copy /y "C:\reports\daily_report" "%TargetDir%" 1>>c:\test.log 2>>&1

7. echo End %date% %time% >> c:\test.log

8. echo. >> c:\test.log

Watch out for wrapped lines! After running the job through

the scheduler, examine c:\test.log and post it if the problem

is not perfectly obvious. By the way - is "daily_report" a file

or a folder? If it is a folder then the code should look like so:

1. @echo off

2. set TargetDir=\\Server\Share\transferred reports

3.

4. echo Start %date% %time% %UserName% >> c:\test.log

5. dir "%TargetDir% 1>>c:\test.log 2>>&1

6. xcopy /y "C:\reports\daily_report\*.*" "%TargetDir%\daily_report\"

1>>c:\test.log 2>>&1

7. echo End %date% %time% >> c:\test.log

8. echo. >> c:\test.log

May 4, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to add

the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

Assignments

"Log on as a batch job"

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

Microsoft Certified Professional

Microsoft MVP [Windows]

http://www.microsoft.com/protect

May 5, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"Dave Patrick" wrote:

> Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to add

> the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

> Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

> Assignments

> "Log on as a batch job"

>

> --

>

> Regards,

>

> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

> Microsoft Certified Professional

> Microsoft MVP [Windows]

> http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>

Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid about

this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.) I'll be

back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these are

scheduled to run overnight.)

May 5, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:0CF63EA6-765B-4F6E-A6A6-9C840410DB73@microsoft.com...

>

> "Dave Patrick" wrote:

>

>> Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to

>> add

>> the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

>> Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

>> Assignments

>> "Log on as a batch job"

>>

>> --

>>

>> Regards,

>>

>> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

>> Microsoft Certified Professional

>> Microsoft MVP [Windows]

>> http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>>

> Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid about

> this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.) I'll

> be

> back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these are

> scheduled to run overnight.)

Thanks for the feedback. It actually leaves me mystified because

I cannot reconcile it with this phrase from your initial post: "When

I log onto server A and run the batch file it works; when I use the

task scheduler to run the batch it fails."

May 5, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

Pegasus (MVP) wrote:

> "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoastman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> message news:0CF63EA6-765B-4F6E-A6A6-9C840410DB73@microsoft.com...

>

>>

>>"Dave Patrick" wrote:

>>

>>>Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to

>>>add

>>>the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

>>>Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

>>>Assignments

>>>"Log on as a batch job"

>>>

>>>--

>>>

>>>Regards,

>>>

>>>Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

>>>Microsoft Certified Professional

>>>Microsoft MVP [Windows]

>>>http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>>>

>>

>>Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid about

>>this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.) I'll

>>be

>>back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these are

>>scheduled to run overnight.)

>

> Thanks for the feedback. It actually leaves me mystified because

> I cannot reconcile it with this phrase from your initial post: "When

> I log onto server A and run the batch file it works; when I use the

> task scheduler to run the batch it fails."

>

Originally the batch worked when he logged in because his profile had

"Z" mapped. After he changed it to UNC it still didn't work in task

scheduler because of the missing "$" in the path.

June 3, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

On May 5, 1:06 am, "Pegasus $MVP$" <I....@fly.com.oz> wrote:

> "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoast...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> messagenews:0CF63EA6-765B-4F6E-A6A6-9C840410DB73@microsoft.com...

>

> > "Dave Patrick" wrote:

>

> >> Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to

> >> add

> >> the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

> >> Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

> >> Assignments

> >> "Log on as a batch job"

>

> >> --

>

> >> Regards,

>

> >> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

> >> Microsoft Certified Professional

> >> Microsoft MVP [Windows]

> >>http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>

> > Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid about

> > this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.) I'll

> > be

> > back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these are

> >scheduledto run overnight.)

>

> Thanks for the feedback. It actually leaves me mystified because

> I cannot reconcile it with this phrase from your initial post: "When

> I log onto server A and run the batch file it works; when I use

> the taskscheduler to run the batch it fails."

I am in a similar situation as the original poster. A task cannot get

access to a mapped drive if I run it as a scheduled task in a

Windows-2000 server. On the other hand, the task can get access to

the mapped drive if I run it interactively through the command

prompt. Both cases are running under the same user account and

password.

The exactly same task runs perfectly fine as a scheduled task in other

two servers (Wndows 2003). And it runs fine in as a scheduled task as

of last week in that Windows-2000 server. Something might have

changed during the weekend or on Monday.

Last time (years ago) when I had this same problem, I fixed the

problem by making sure I used the same user account that I used to

startup the server to run the scheduled task (something to do with

allowing the scheduled task to get access to the user desktop). This

also might or might not have to do with the capitalization of the user

name (I might have confused this with the use of RSH in Unix); I use

exactly the same capitalization for startup logon and scheduled task

any way to play safe. This works -- at least up to last week.

Somehow, this doesn't work now for that Windows-2000 server.

I can re-create this problem by scheduling a simple task like this in

the Windows-2000 server:

cmd /c dir S:\ > C:\Temp\JayTest.txt

Here, S: is the mapped drive letter. If I run it through a command

prompt, it saves the file listing of S:\ to a text file. If I run it

as a scheduled task, it creates an empty file. The same command works

fine as a scheduled task in the other two servers (Windows 2003).

I have asked around, and no one has changed anything on that server.

Therefore, I really don't know what caused this problem.

The alternative is to use UNC. But this would mean that I need to

customize the scheduled task for each branch office because the same

drive letter is mapped to different shared folder for each branch

office. The original idea of using a mapped drive letter is to allow

the same program to run in all different branch offices. Yes, I can

do this by using a different mean to tell the program where it should

retrieve the info; but I prefer to figure out what goes wrong in that

Windows-2000 server; afterall, the same task works fine in other two

servers.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion.

Jay Chan

June 3, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

On Jun 3, 2:50 pm, Jay Chan <jaykc...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> On May 5, 1:06 am, "Pegasus $MVP$" <I....@fly.com.oz> wrote:

>

> > "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoast...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> > messagenews:0CF63EA6-765B-4F6E-A6A6-9C840410DB73@microsoft.com...

>

> > > "Dave Patrick" wrote:

>

> > >> Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need to

> > >> add

> > >> the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

> > >> Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

> > >> Assignments

> > >> "Log on as a batch job"

>

> > >> --

>

> > >> Regards,

>

> > >> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

> > >> Microsoft Certified Professional

> > >> Microsoft MVP [Windows]

> > >>http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>

> > > Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid about

> > > this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.) I'll

> > > be

> > > back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these are

> > >scheduledto run overnight.)

>

> > Thanks for the feedback. It actually leaves me mystified because

> > I cannot reconcile it with this phrase from your initial post: "When

> > I log onto server A and run the batch file it works; when I use

> > the taskscheduler to run the batch it fails."

>

> I am in a similar situation as the original poster. A task cannot get

> access to a mapped drive if I run it as a scheduled task in a

> Windows-2000 server. On the other hand, the task can get access to

> the mapped drive if I run it interactively through the command

> prompt. Both cases are running under the same user account and

> password.

>

> The exactly same task runs perfectly fine as a scheduled task in other

> two servers (Wndows 2003). And it runs fine in as a scheduled task as

> of last week in that Windows-2000 server. Something might have

> changed during the weekend or on Monday.

>

> Last time (years ago) when I had this same problem, I fixed the

> problem by making sure I used the same user account that I used to

> startup the server to run the scheduled task (something to do with

> allowing the scheduled task to get access to the user desktop). This

> also might or might not have to do with the capitalization of the user

> name (I might have confused this with the use of RSH in Unix); I use

> exactly the same capitalization for startup logon and scheduled task

> any way to play safe. This works -- at least up to last week.

> Somehow, this doesn't work now for that Windows-2000 server.

>

> I can re-create this problem by scheduling a simple task like this in

> the Windows-2000 server:

>

> cmd /c dir S:\ > C:\Temp\JayTest.txt

>

> Here, S: is the mapped drive letter. If I run it through a command

> prompt, it saves the file listing of S:\ to a text file. If I run it

> as a scheduled task, it creates an empty file. The same command works

> fine as a scheduled task in the other two servers (Windows 2003).

>

> I have asked around, and no one has changed anything on that server.

> Therefore, I really don't know what caused this problem.

>

> The alternative is to use UNC. But this would mean that I need to

> customize the scheduled task for each branch office because the same

> drive letter is mapped to different shared folder for each branch

> office. The original idea of using a mapped drive letter is to allow

> the same program to run in all different branch offices. Yes, I can

> do this by using a different mean to tell the program where it should

> retrieve the info; but I prefer to figure out what goes wrong in that

> Windows-2000 server; afterall, the same task works fine in other two

> servers.

>

> Thanks in advance for any suggestion.

>

> Jay Chan

I changed the test script a bit to read this:

cmd /c net use > C:\Temp\JayTest_ShowMapDrives.txt

When I open the JayTest_ShowMapDrives.txt file, I see this:

Status Local Remote Network

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Unavailable R: \\MyServer\MyFolderA Microsoft Windows Network

Unavailable S: \\MyServer\MyFolderB Microsoft Windows Network

You can see that the status of all the mapped drives are

"Unavailable". The status should have been either "OK" or

"Disconnected".

Seem like the drive letters are there. But the scheduled task doesn't

have access to them. This is odd because the scheduled task is

running the same user account as the one that I use to boot up the

server.

Jay Chan

June 3, 2008

Re: scheduled task can not access shared drive

"Jay Chan" <jaykchan@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:a95c9932-5af5-4572-95a2-317fe5602aae@y38g2000hsy.googlegroups.com...

On Jun 3, 2:50 pm, Jay Chan <jaykc...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> On May 5, 1:06 am, "Pegasus $MVP$" <I....@fly.com.oz> wrote:

>

> > "powdered_toast_man" <powderedtoast...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote

> > in

> > messagenews:0CF63EA6-765B-4F6E-A6A6-9C840410DB73@microsoft.com...

>

> > > "Dave Patrick" wrote:

>

> > >> Also don't forget if the job connects to another machine you may need

> > >> to

> > >> add

> > >> the user/ group 'logon as batch job' rights (server side). Control

> > >> Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security Policy\Local Policies\User Rights

> > >> Assignments

> > >> "Log on as a batch job"

>

> > >> --

>

> > >> Regards,

>

> > >> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.

> > >> Microsoft Certified Professional

> > >> Microsoft MVP [Windows]

> > >>http://www.microsoft.com/protect

>

> > > Thanks to you both. I actually got it to work - feel a bit stupid

> > > about

> > > this but noticed that I had left the "$" out of the unc path (duh.)

> > > I'll

> > > be

> > > back if that wasn't the problem (I'll know tomorrow morning as these

> > > are