scheduler fails to start task five hours after session close

  • Thread starter Thread starter OBones
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OBones

Guest
Hi all,

I have a strange behavior on my servers where the scheduled tasks fail
to start with message "Could not start". I looked around to find a more
detailed explanation message, but was not able to locate any log file.
Googling for similar terms did not help either so I did a bit of
investigation. Here is the setup:

Servers are on a domain but are not the domain controller
I open sessions onto them using Terminal Services.
I logoff once I have finished a session, using the start menu.
I added one task every hour on the hour that calls the same batch file
with the same credentials, those of the session I opened.

Here is what I observed:

If I keep the session opened, the tasks run fine.
If I close the session and open a new one more than 5 hours later, the
first four tasks have run fine, but the last ones failed with the "could
not start" message. For instance, I logoff at 9:05AM, log back in at
4:05PM, the tasks scheduled at 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 worked but those at 3
and 4 failed with the "Could not start" message.

All the servers on which this happens are under Win2003 server with SP2
applied.

Could anyone help me with this?
Should I post this message on another group?

Thanks in advance for any help
Regards
Olivier
 
Re: scheduler fails to start task five hours after session close

Hello OBones,

Open the scheduled tasks window under Advanced in the menu bar you find View
log.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

> Hi all,
>
> I have a strange behavior on my servers where the scheduled tasks fail
> to start with message "Could not start". I looked around to find a
> more detailed explanation message, but was not able to locate any log
> file. Googling for similar terms did not help either so I did a bit of
> investigation. Here is the setup:
>
> Servers are on a domain but are not the domain controller
> I open sessions onto them using Terminal Services.
> I logoff once I have finished a session, using the start menu.
> I added one task every hour on the hour that calls the same batch file
> with the same credentials, those of the session I opened.
> Here is what I observed:
>
> If I keep the session opened, the tasks run fine.
> If I close the session and open a new one more than 5 hours later, the
> first four tasks have run fine, but the last ones failed with the
> "could
> not start" message. For instance, I logoff at 9:05AM, log back in at
> 4:05PM, the tasks scheduled at 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 worked but those at
> 3
> and 4 failed with the "Could not start" message.
> All the servers on which this happens are under Win2003 server with
> SP2 applied.
>
> Could anyone help me with this?
> Should I post this message on another group?
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Regards
> Olivier
 
Re: scheduler fails to start task five hours after session close

Scheduled Tasks|Advanced|View Log may provide some details. 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"

If the task completes but the job does not then there is a problem in the
job itself. Remember that if it involves network resources to make sure the
user account has permissions to the resources and also use UNC paths as
mapped drives won't natively exist when no one is logged on.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"OBones" wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have a strange behavior on my servers where the scheduled tasks fail to
> start with message "Could not start". I looked around to find a more
> detailed explanation message, but was not able to locate any log file.
> Googling for similar terms did not help either so I did a bit of
> investigation. Here is the setup:
>
> Servers are on a domain but are not the domain controller
> I open sessions onto them using Terminal Services.
> I logoff once I have finished a session, using the start menu.
> I added one task every hour on the hour that calls the same batch file
> with the same credentials, those of the session I opened.
>
> Here is what I observed:
>
> If I keep the session opened, the tasks run fine.
> If I close the session and open a new one more than 5 hours later, the
> first four tasks have run fine, but the last ones failed with the "could
> not start" message. For instance, I logoff at 9:05AM, log back in at
> 4:05PM, the tasks scheduled at 10, 11, 12, 1 and 2 worked but those at 3
> and 4 failed with the "Could not start" message.
>
> All the servers on which this happens are under Win2003 server with SP2
> applied.
>
> Could anyone help me with this?
> Should I post this message on another group?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help
> Regards
> Olivier
 
Re: scheduler fails to start task five hours after session close

Dave Patrick wrote:
> Scheduled Tasks|Advanced|View Log may provide some details. 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"

Thanks, I looked at the log and it said that the user did not have
enough credentials to start the job.
So I went and looked for the "Log on as a batch job" right in the place
you told me to look.
Sure enough, my user was not in there. However, I had to go to the
domain controller GPO to set this as it was a value set for an entire
set of machines, not just one.
In the end all works well again.

Many thanks for your help.
Cheers
Olivier
 
Re: scheduler fails to start task five hours after session close

Good to hear. You're welcome.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"OBones" wrote:
> Thanks, I looked at the log and it said that the user did not have
> enough credentials to start the job.
> So I went and looked for the "Log on as a batch job" right in the place
> you told me to look.
> Sure enough, my user was not in there. However, I had to go to the
> domain controller GPO to set this as it was a value set for an entire
> set of machines, not just one.
> In the end all works well again.
>
> Many thanks for your help.
> Cheers
> Olivier
 
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