rename file using cmdexec in SQL Server Agent job.

Hi:
I am using the cmdexec step in the SQL Server agent to rename a file. Below
is the command I use to rename the file in the step.
ren c:\test1.bak test2.bak
However when I run the job the job fails with the following error.
The process could not be created for step 1 of job
0xDD5759D5B7103041B7F0BD736B442D1D (reason: The system cannot find the file
specified). The step failed.
What is wrong with the command?. the command works perfectly from dos prompt
but refuses to work from the job. I also tried
ren "c:\test1.bak test2.bak" and this also fails. I dont want to use
xp_cmdshell and hence want to use the cmdexec command. Can anyone please let
me know what I am doing wrong and what is\are the correct commands when
executed from a SQL Server Agent job step?.
Thanks
MWhen you run it from the command prompt is it on your local machine or the
server? xp_cmdshell is always executed on the server not the client.
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
"Meher" <NOSPAM_mmsagar@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eJriWN7SGHA.5656@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hi:
> I am using the cmdexec step in the SQL Server agent to rename a file.
> Below is the command I use to rename the file in the step.
> ren c:\test1.bak test2.bak
> However when I run the job the job fails with the following error.
> The process could not be created for step 1 of job
> 0xDD5759D5B7103041B7F0BD736B442D1D (reason: The system cannot find the
> file specified). The step failed.
> What is wrong with the command?. the command works perfectly from dos
> prompt but refuses to work from the job. I also tried
> ren "c:\test1.bak test2.bak" and this also fails. I dont want to use
> xp_cmdshell and hence want to use the cmdexec command. Can anyone please
> let me know what I am doing wrong and what is\are the correct commands
> when executed from a SQL Server Agent job step?.
> Thanks
> M
>|||It is on my local machine which is running SQL Server 2000.
"Andrew J. Kelly" <sqlmvpnooospam@.shadhawk.com> wrote in message
news:uTMlOI8SGHA.4264@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> When you run it from the command prompt is it on your local machine or the
> server? xp_cmdshell is always executed on the server not the client.
> --
> Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
>
> "Meher" <NOSPAM_mmsagar@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eJriWN7SGHA.5656@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>|||Andrew:
I figured it out. Thanks for making me think. Here is the correct command.
ren "c:\test20.bak" test1.bak
Thats why I adore SQL MVPs. They make SQL guys think logically.
Best Regards
"Meher" <NOSPAM_mmsagar@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eUC6IY8SGHA.4952@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> It is on my local machine which is running SQL Server 2000.
> "Andrew J. Kelly" <sqlmvpnooospam@.shadhawk.com> wrote in message
> news:uTMlOI8SGHA.4264@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>|||The double quotes usually are not required unless you have spaces in the
path or file name. In either case I am glad you fixed it.
Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
"Meher" <NOSPAM_mmsagar@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eJTtLc8SGHA.736@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Andrew:
> I figured it out. Thanks for making me think. Here is the correct command.
> ren "c:\test20.bak" test1.bak
> Thats why I adore SQL MVPs. They make SQL guys think logically.
> Best Regards
> "Meher" <NOSPAM_mmsagar@.hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eUC6IY8SGHA.4952@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>

Removing old .bak & .trn files

I've run into a problem I didn't expect with my backup program. It seems
that Windows admins are very lax about writing scripts to remove old backup
files after copying them to tape, even though they say its easy, they don't
do it for all database backups on all servers in the farm.
So, I'm wondering first, if I should do it from my backup program (based on
RealSQLGuy's) and second, how I should go about it.
My rough thought is to do an xm_cmdshell('dir') in the backup directory into
a table variable, parse the date from the filename into a datetime column,
select the old files and issue an xp_cmdshell('del <file>') command via
dynamic sql.
Thanks,
JayHello Jay!
In SQL Server 2005, you could use Maintenance Plan Wizard to create a
Maintenance Cleanup Task to delete old bak and trn files.
Ekrem Önsoy
"Jay" <spam@.nospam.org> wrote in message
news:eQNEUct9HHA.5404@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> I've run into a problem I didn't expect with my backup program. It seems
> that Windows admins are very lax about writing scripts to remove old
> backup files after copying them to tape, even though they say its easy,
> they don't do it for all database backups on all servers in the farm.
> So, I'm wondering first, if I should do it from my backup program (based
> on RealSQLGuy's) and second, how I should go about it.
> My rough thought is to do an xm_cmdshell('dir') in the backup directory
> into a table variable, parse the date from the filename into a datetime
> column, select the old files and issue an xp_cmdshell('del <file>')
> command via dynamic sql.
> Thanks,
> Jay
>
>|||Maintenance plan in 2005?
Besides, I do all my maintenance through SQLagent after writing the scripts
myself.
"Ekrem Önsoy" <ekrem@.btegitim.com> wrote in message
news:OOO8bft9HHA.5424@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hello Jay!
>
> In SQL Server 2005, you could use Maintenance Plan Wizard to create a
> Maintenance Cleanup Task to delete old bak and trn files.
>
> --
> Ekrem Önsoy
>
> "Jay" <spam@.nospam.org> wrote in message
> news:eQNEUct9HHA.5404@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> I've run into a problem I didn't expect with my backup program. It seems
>> that Windows admins are very lax about writing scripts to remove old
>> backup files after copying them to tape, even though they say its easy,
>> they don't do it for all database backups on all servers in the farm.
>> So, I'm wondering first, if I should do it from my backup program (based
>> on RealSQLGuy's) and second, how I should go about it.
>> My rough thought is to do an xm_cmdshell('dir') in the backup directory
>> into a table variable, parse the date from the filename into a datetime
>> column, select the old files and issue an xp_cmdshell('del <file>')
>> command via dynamic sql.
>> Thanks,
>> Jay
>>
>|||This is just me but I would create a batch file to delete the files and give
it to the Windows group to execute it after they do the tape backup. Make
sure that the batch file execution step depends on the tape backup so that
you are not without your backups if the tape backup fails.
"Jay" wrote:
> Maintenance plan in 2005?
> Besides, I do all my maintenance through SQLagent after writing the scripts
> myself.
> "Ekrem Ã?nsoy" <ekrem@.btegitim.com> wrote in message
> news:OOO8bft9HHA.5424@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > Hello Jay!
> >
> >
> > In SQL Server 2005, you could use Maintenance Plan Wizard to create a
> > Maintenance Cleanup Task to delete old bak and trn files.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Ekrem Ã?nsoy
> >
> >
> > "Jay" <spam@.nospam.org> wrote in message
> > news:eQNEUct9HHA.5404@.TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> >> I've run into a problem I didn't expect with my backup program. It seems
> >> that Windows admins are very lax about writing scripts to remove old
> >> backup files after copying them to tape, even though they say its easy,
> >> they don't do it for all database backups on all servers in the farm.
> >>
> >> So, I'm wondering first, if I should do it from my backup program (based
> >> on RealSQLGuy's) and second, how I should go about it.
> >>
> >> My rough thought is to do an xm_cmdshell('dir') in the backup directory
> >> into a table variable, parse the date from the filename into a datetime
> >> column, select the old files and issue an xp_cmdshell('del <file>')
> >> command via dynamic sql.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Jay
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>