PRB: Database/Object Transfer Scheduled Task Fails After Owner's Password Changes (305824)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft SQL Server 6.5
This article was previously published under Q305824

SYMPTOMS

In SQL Serve 6.5 Enterprise Manager you can use the Database/Object Transfer tool to schedule tasks. If the owner's password changes, the scheduled task fails. If the task fails because the owner's password changed, use the Manage Scheduled Tasks utility to find the task in the Task List. After you locate the task, view the History for the task. This error message is recorded for the failure:
Process Exit Code 1. Cannot connect to destination server.
If the Event logging of failure option was selected during the creation of the task, the following error message displays in the Application Event Log of the SQL Server computer:
Source: SQL Executive
Event ID: 208
Category: Task Engine
Description: SQL Server Scheduled Task: #, '<task name>' -- Status Failed -- Task invoked on <Date Run> -- Message: Process Exit Code 1. Cannot connect to destination server.
If you try to edit the task you cannot modify the command line or change the password for the account. An example of a dimmed Command field in the Edit Task dialog box follows: 
XFRAGENT.EXE "SERVERNAME" "sa" <Encrypted Text>
Also, if you use the SQL-DMO Tasks collection to view the command line of the task, you see that the third parameter is encrypted and cannot be deciphered or changed.

CAUSE

The third parameter in the Xfragent.exe scheduled tasks command line is dependent upon the password of the creator of the task at the time the task was created. If the password for the owner (creator) changes, the third parameter can no longer be deciphered.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem either:
  • Revert to the original password for the owner's account.

    -or-

  • Change the owner's password to NULL. Changing the owner's password to NULL is a security risk in most environments, so please consider all other options first.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/3/2003
Keywords:kbprb KB305824 kbAudDeveloper
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.