Enabling xp_cmdshell in Microsoft SQL Server

Posted on by treaclepumpkin

By default the sproc is disabled, something to do with a security concern.

To enable the procedure run the following in a query window:
EXEC sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell', 1
Reconfigure

If that doesn’t work, and it didn’t for me – I’m running SQL Server 2008 R2. Then run the following commands:
EXEC sp_configure 'show advanced options', 1;
Reconfigure;
GO
EXEC sp_configure 'xp_cmdshell',1
Reconfigure
GO

You can then run something like:
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'iisreset'
GO