snapshot replication folder deleting problem!!!!

[Nenad Prekupec]

Hi,
I have a strange situation and I don't know what to do now. I have tried
maybe everything there is to do :)
Ok I have push, transaction replication between two servers. Sql agents run
under the same domain user acc that is in Administrators both server (Win2k
sp4, Sql 2000 SP3a on both server).
Server A is distributor. There are two databases on Server A, one database
is source for replication and the other is subscription database.
Server B is just subscriber with his database.

On Server A, I have two subscriptions set, first subscription is on server
A, and the second is on Server B.
Default unc snapshot folder is used, with permissions set to "Full access"
for Administrators groups and I can access to that folder either from
subscriber and distributor using that unc path. Agents are running with the
same admin account, that is in Adminis group, so jobs have all permissions
Everything works fine, all jobs finish with success!
The main problem is that snapshot folders are NOT DELETED!!!! and they
should be.
I have tried changing retention period but nothing! Subscriptions are
checked to expire and I have tried to play with that time, but nothing.
Eventually I have set these params to default values.

More strange thing is that I have the same replication set on other set of
two servers (with the same configuration!), Server C and Server D, and there
replication works without that problem and snapshot folders are deleted
inside period of 30 minutes.
I even tried to drop replication and configure it from the beginning but
nothing.
One more strange thing is that when I go to explore last snapshot folder in
EM, on the first set of servers (A,B) I get error "The specified file was
not found" although that folder is there and after execution
<sp_browsesnapshotfolder 'publication_name'> I get valid unc path for that
folder and it exist and there are data present for that last snapshot.
That thing works fine on other set of servers (C,D) ok and I can explore
that snapshot folder.

Anyone can HELP? I suspect on some trash inside sys tables but I don't know
where and what to look. According all threads on different news groups these
replication should work as it's planned but it doesn't.

[Paul Ibison]

Nenad,
a few things worth checking: is the Distribution Cleanup Agent active? Can
you check that it is enabled and has run recently.
What is the publication's retention period, and do you have anonymous
subscriptions? If so this will retain the snapshot.
Regards,
Paul Ibison

[Nenad Prekupec]

I forgot to mention this things...There are no anonymous subscriptions,
replication is not configured that way. Distribution cleanup agent is
enabled and is runing every 10 minutes. Retention period is 72 hours. The
same thing is running on that other set of servers C and D.

With regards,
Nenad

"Paul Ibison" <Paul....@Pygmalion.Com> wrote in message
news:usi1n1Gh...@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

[Randy Colvin]

The problem is that EM is looking for explorer.exe in all the wrong
places. I had the same problem and ran filemon while trying to
Explore the snapshot folder from enterprise Manager. Below is what I
found:
mmc.exe:3964 OPEN C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\80\Tools\BINN\explorer.exe FILE NOT FOUND
mmc.exe:3964 OPEN C:\WINNT\system32explorer.exe
FILE NOT FOUND

I copied Explorer.exe from c:\winnt to both c:\winnt\system32 and
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\80\Tools\BINN\

Works like a charm now.
Hope this helps.
Randy

"Nenad Prekupec" <nenad.prekupecATperpetuum.hr> wrote in message news:<uq0HccGh...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl>...

[Nenad Prekupec]

I don't know but EM is using some mothodology when deleting old snapshot
folders.
Is there a know issue about that. For example missing some system optional
.exe or .dll that is invoked by EM (or better said replication agents) when
cleaning snapshot folders?

Maybe there is similar problem during "cleaning" as in exploring latest
snapshot folder!

Nenad

"Randy Colvin" <randa...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:633927c9.04082...@posting.google.com...

[Nenad Prekupec]

Does anyone know if Windows Scripting Host influences on replication and
deleting of old synchronized snapshot folders? What if WSH is not installed
on server that is distributor?

With regards,
Nenad

"Nenad Prekupec" <nenad.prekupecATperpetuum.hr> wrote in message
news:uq0HccGh...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...