Setting up backups for SQL Express

Since SQL Express 2005 does not come with the SQL Server Agent, maintenance plans cannot be configured to backup SQL databases. To get around this, you will need to utilize the following scripts and the Windows Scheduled Task Manager.

Before you begin, create a folder called SQLBackups located under the root of C:\


Then complete the following steps.

1. Download this
zip to your server and extract the files to C:\Windows.
2. Open up Scheduled Tasks (All Programs ->Accessories -> System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks).
3. Click on “Add Scheduled Task.”
4. From the Wizard, click “next” then “Browse” then go to C:\Windows and double click on BackupExpress.cmd.
5. The name will be auto filled as BackupExpress; now choose the task to be performed “Daily,” then click Next.
6. Set the Start time to 9:00PM, then click “Next”.
7. Enter your user’s password, click “Next” then click “Finish”.
8. Verify the Task works by right-clicking on the task name and choose “Run”.
9. Browse to C:\SQLBackups and make sure your databases are located within this folder.

With this script, the database backups will be overwritten daily and the name of the file will be something like this.

Ex. Servername_SQLEXPRESS-dbname-dayofweek.bak

The CommVault backups will now be able to successfully backup your SQL Express databases.

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