SQL server2008 cleanup Maintance Plan not working

Question

I have a customer whose scheduled maintence clean up  is not working?  I see this occured and there are fixes for SQL server 2005 but nothing on SQL 2008.  It is scheduled to delete files older than 4 days but does nothing.  No error messages.

Thoughts Ideas???

Answer 1

Hello,

Some things to check:

1. If it's part of a larger plan, is the cleanup being fired?
2. Is the owner of the job a valid SQL login with correct access?
3. Does the service account have the correct permissions to delete in that directory?
4. In the extention field make sure there is no period ".", to delete all bak file just have "bak".
5. If I remember correctly, SQL Server checks the backup file to see if it's a valid backup and doesn't just look at the extention.
6. If sub-folders are involved make sure the first level sub-folders option is checked.
7. Generate the TSQL output for that part of the job and manually run it.

-Sean

Answer 2

Hi NickieBee,

Use the Maintenance Cleanup Task to remove old files related to maintenance plans, including text reports created by maintenance plans and database backup files.

Maintenance Cleanup Task: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms177182(v=sql.100).aspx.

Thanks,
Maggie

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Answer 3

if the maintenance cleanup tasks completes successfully and then if still files are left over then check the task. Edit the task and see the path from which you have specified is correct. Also check the extension is correct. Make sure there is no "." (DOT) before the extension.

HTH

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Regards, Ashwin Menon My Blog - http:\\sqllearnings.com