How to move PCK files to different Drive in SCCM 2007

The SMSPKG share contains the compressed PCK files for the packages that have been targeted to a particular SMS/SCCM Site.

When the SMS /PCK drives Full /Limited space available,you would require to either extend the disk space or the PCK files to different drive But what happens when you move ?

Cut and past will work ? are there settings/configurations needs to be done to make the new PCK file work ?

P.S :Below are the steps which I have noticed while carrying out this activity and you may have different approach /solution in getting this done.

Below is the process to get this done.

1.Identify the packages(.PCK) files which you want to move to different drive (H) to get more space and move them do different drive.

2.check if Read only Attribute is Set and No Archive.

3.********Editing Database*******. Please use at your own risk and TEST, TEST, TEST in a non-production environment

The pck file path has to be changed from current path(for Ex: \\servername\f$\smspkg\P010012E.PCK  to New path \\servername\H$\smspkg\P010012E.PCK

query to check PCK file path:

select * from pkgstatus where ID=’P0100012E ‘ and sitecode=’P01’ and type=1

The above query gives you information about PCK file path where it is stored.

Now we will change the PCK file path to new location. Use the below query to change .

Note: If you have 2-3 tier hierarchy,you will have to change the pck file path with location on all the reporting site database. Let say I have Primary (P01) reporting to PE1 and PE1 reporting to Central site.

So I will have to execute the below query on all 3 databases(P01,PE1 and CEN).

Update PkgStatus Set Location='\\servername\H$\SMSPKG\P010012E.PCK' where ID='P010012E' and Type='1' and SiteCode='P01' 

If you have multiple packages,you can run multiple queries at one go but make sure you provide correct path.

Ok now we have changed the PCK file path what next ? are we done with this ? No

Lets Watch out whether my P01 site is aware about these changes ? how do I do this ? try Refreshing the package and see if P01 will identify the changes about new pck file path change ?

From above ,you see Error  SMS Distribution Manager failed to decompress package "P010012E" from "F:\SMSPKG\P010012E.PCK .The compressed Package  "F:\SMSPKG\CEN00613.PCK" is either missing or corrupted.

CTool Return Code=3.

So SMS Distribution Manager will attempt to recover the package by requesting a new compressed package image from the site that sent it.

This Error is expected because we moved the package to New Drive location.

For all the packages,you may not see the same error,sometimes you may also see “The compressed files for package P010012E hasn't arrived from site CEN yet, will retry later”.

To Fix this error ,try doing Preload of the moved package using below syntax:

PreloadPkgOnSite.exe PackageID /updatestoredpkgversion X

 

OR you can also simply try

 

PreloadPkgOnSite.exe PackageID

For more information about Preload Tool and updatestoredpkgversion value,please refer TechNet Blog http://blogs.technet.com/b/configurationmgr/archive/2009/05/07/configmgr-2007-the-preload-package-tool-preloadpkgonsite-exe-explained.aspx

This process should start setting up the PCK location in the database and start verifying/Decompressing it.You are done.

For some reason,if the preload says below Below Error ,You may have to try refreshing the package once ,wait for the status updates and then do preload,that should work.

Because if you do a preload without refreshing,site server will think that ,it already has the correct version of the package and set in Database so no changes are needed. here is what you see if you do a preload without Refresh.

The compressed package path for package [P010012E] is already set in the database OR this is the site where the package was created.
There is no need to use this tool for this package on this site.

Now refresh the package and see what happens ! site is looking for Delta files which are missing and it connects to central site to get them and starts decompressing the package.

This concludes the changes are affected and next time,when you have any updates to the source Version,it gets the new version and process the package without any issues.

These changes you can also monitor from Site Registry what are being processed and what packages are in Queue.

Listing out steps what to be Done :

1.Move the PCK files to different Drive.

2.Change the PCK file path from Database on the existing site and its reporting sites until you reach central.

3.Refresh the package to let server know the pck files are moved.

4.Preload the package .

And Finally,you would require to change the the location of the compressed packages from SMS/SCCM console.

Navigate to Site Database | Site Management | <SiteCode> | Site Settings | Component Configuration | Software Distribution and you will see a box for the drive on which to store these compressed files. Simply changing this drive letter does not affect compressed files that have already been placed on the server, but rather all future files will be placed on the new drive/folder.

Hope if helps !

Until Next