trying to schedule a task for backing up database

gib65 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-09-11, 15:52

I'm trying to schedule a task in Windows Server 2003 to backup my database once a day.

According to this website: How to use Schtasks.exe to Schedule Tasks in Windows Server 2003, I should be able to type something like the following at a command prompt:

schtasks /create /tn "mysqldump" /tr "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1\bin\mysqldump.exe -u*** -p*** gibsdb > gibsdb_backup.sql" /sc daily /st 18:00:00 /ed 12/31/2020

I type that in and it tells me that the task has been successfully created. But when I look in the bin folder for my backup file gibsdb_backup.sql after the specified time, it's not there.

Any suggestions as to why not?

Pat Phelan · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-11, 16:39

Check the task to see what happended.

-PatP

it-iss.com · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-11, 02:47

From a UNIX/Linux perspective when you schedule a job it is not known what the current working directory is. The recommendation is always to use a full path name when redirecting the output. Also instead of redirecting you should use the -r (--result-file=) option which outputs the results into that file. Again make sure you use a full pathname.

gib65 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-11, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Phelan

Check the task to see what happended.

-PatP

The only way I know how to do that is to type "schtasks /query" and that gives me:

C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1\bin>schtasks /query

Code:

TaskName                             Next Run Time            Status
==================================== ======================== ===============
mysqldump                            6:00:00 PM, 11/9/2011    Could not start
website backups                      5:05:00 PM, 11/9/2011

So all it tells me is that it couldn't start.

I understand there's supposed to be a SchedLgU.txt log file somewhere but I searched for it and couldn't find it. I'm told it's supposed to be under C:\Windows but it isn't.

Any way to probe into this further?

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