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Defrag via Group Policy in Server 2008

I'm learning Server 2008 as I go here and I've run into a bit of a bump with scheduling a Defrag. I've got scripts and things that would allow me to Defrag with alternate methods... but I'd like to understand why the following isn't working...

Start inside of a 2008 GPO: Computer or User Configuration > Preferences > Control Panel Settings > Scheduled Tasks

My thought is that this would be a really easy place to set up "%systemroot%\system32\defrag.exe c:" to run under a Domain Admin account who has also been given "run as a batch job" permissions.

After I "GPUpdate /force" a XP SP3 workstation, I see the task has been created (only when I log in as a local admin do I see the task... that normal?). At any rate, clicking Run doesn't work. After the scheduled task attempts to run at the desired time, I get a "Could Not Start" error 0x0.

If I go into %systemroot%\schedlgu.txt, I see the following error:

"Defrag C.job" () 4/15/2009 2:36:06 PM ** ERROR **
      Unable to start task.
      The specific error is:
      0x80070005: Access is denied.
      Try using the Task page Browse button to locate the application.

I decide to try out the task under the domain\administrator account without any change.

I figure that it's a permissions issue but attempt the following anyway:

I tried enclosing the text of the tasks command in quotes "%systemroot%\system32\defrag.exe c:"... nothing.

I try changing the text of the task from %systemroot% to C:\windows\... nothing.

The password is not blank for any of the accounts I was trying to run this under.

So... here I am... confused. Anyone dealt with this area in 2008 GPO's yet?

Darius Ghassem

Check these out this should answer your question of why it isn't working.

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21619325/Disk-defragment-Cleanup-Group-Policy.html

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/22590462/GPO-Defrag.html

bkrontz

ASKER

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate the links to other solutions, but I'm really just trying to figure out why this specific instance isn't working as advertised. I have scripts that will defrag, but this seems like a way to get rid of scripts and control things via Group Policy... which should work, no?

Darius Ghassem

No, you must run the scripts to run through GPO. I wish we could run a defrag without scripts but that still isn't available.

bkrontz

ASKER

While you might be right, I don't understand why this wouldn't work. It creates the task as advertised... it tries to run as advertised... but there's a permission issue somewhere that shouldn't be a show stopper, imho.

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Darius Ghassem

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bkrontz

ASKER

Thanks for helping out! What a bummer... had my hopes up.

bkrontz

ASKER

Thanks again!