Maintenance Plan not deleting the old files

  • I just ran through several tests executing that stored procedure. The only time I had any problems with it deleting files is when I had an extra space at the end of the path, or when I had a period in the extension.

    All other tests worked correctly and the backup files were removed as expected.

    I would make sure the path is correct, without any spaces at the end. Like I said, I tested running the procedure directly and it worked as expected.

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

  • RML51 (8/5/2009)


    We had this same problem with log (.txt) files, and never did find a solution.

    There was a bug until an SP2 hotfix. But it should be OK in SP3.

  • Ewan Hampson (8/6/2009)


    RML51 (8/5/2009)


    We had this same problem with log (.txt) files, and never did find a solution.

    There was a bug until an SP2 hotfix. But it should be OK in SP3.

    I thought of that also, but that issue is with the report files and not the backup files. The only issue I recall concerning backup files was pre-SP2 servers (or maybe it was pre-SP1) where the tasks did not have the option to include sub-directories.

    That was not an issue with the extended procedure - just an issue with the task.

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

  • Was there any proper resolution to this?

    I'm having the same issue with the Maintenance Cleanup Task (and xp_delete_file ) on many of my SQL 2005 servers (SP2 & SP3 ) - it's an on-going thing that seems to raise it's head for seemingly no obvious reason (and no amount of searching for hidden spaces is going to fix it...)

    The fact is, I can get around the issue by writing either some explicit T-SQL tasks, or a batch job fired through the SQL Agent as an additional step in the SQL backup job...

    But that's not the point. It seems to me and, looking around google, to others that there is an obvious bug ( or design flaw! ) here that Microsoft should be addressing.

    The Maintenance Cleanup Task is unreliable... how about a fix?

  • HarryH (9/2/2009)


    Was there any proper resolution to this?

    I'm having the same issue with the Maintenance Cleanup Task (and xp_delete_file ) on many of my SQL 2005 servers (SP2 & SP3 ) - it's an on-going thing that seems to raise it's head for seemingly no obvious reason (and no amount of searching for hidden spaces is going to fix it...)

    The fact is, I can get around the issue by writing either some explicit T-SQL tasks, or a batch job fired through the SQL Agent as an additional step in the SQL backup job...

    But that's not the point. It seems to me and, looking around google, to others that there is an obvious bug ( or design flaw! ) here that Microsoft should be addressing.

    The Maintenance Cleanup Task is unreliable... how about a fix?

    Although there have been problems, especially related to SP2 and the re-release of SP2 and post SP2 fixes - I have not had any issues with the cleanup tasks or maintenance plans that could not be directly related back to either:

    1) Permissions on the service account running SQL Server

    2) Putting .BAK or .TRN for the extension instead of just BAK or TRN.

    3) Trying to create maintenance plans on a server at SP2 or greater with client tools at RTM. In other words, you have to have your client tools upgraded to at least the same release that you are working with.

    4) Or just plain me doing something stupid

    We have more than 160 servers running SQL Server with most of those at or above SQL Server 2005 SP2 - all using maintenance plans and backing up to network storage (yes, across the network with no problems).

    Jeffrey Williams
    “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”

    ― Charles R. Swindoll

    How to post questions to get better answers faster
    Managing Transaction Logs

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