Task Scheduler cannot start

[IanD]

Has anyone else experienced this/found a workaround?

Windows 2000 sp4
Apply Update Rollup 1 (details here)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891861#XSLTH3305121123120121120120

Try and start the Task Scheduler Service:
MMC says:
Could not start the Task Scheduler service on Local Computer.
Error 87: The parameter is invalid.

Take the rollup off and all is back to normal.

I have a sneaking suspicion that update 841873 (included as part of the
rollup) is the culprit. I'd really like to be running the latest W2k patches
but it's a major downside if that stops my backups working.

I know all about log on as LocalSystemAccount and Allow interact with
desktop. The hardware profile is also enabled and dependencies RPC and
Protected Storage are running.

I can't be the only one, can I?......hello?

TIA

Ian D

 

[Sky King]

Hi;

Just to be sure, can you enter "services.msc" in the Start/Run line and
verify that the Task Scheduler service is set to Automatic and is started?

Then check what items are in the schedule. If you have multiple items, copy
them down then enter one at a time and test it to see which one is giving
you that error. IOW, if you remove all items from the Scheduler does it
open normally? If so, then add in one task at a time until it fails.

BTW, what other browsers do you have installed, and what version of Java
support do you have on that system?

--

....Sky

Tom "Sky" King
============

 

[IanD]

Hi;
Hello Tom

Just to be sure, can you enter "services.msc" in the Start/Run line and
verify that the Task Scheduler service is set to Automatic and is started?

This is the crux of it Tom, Task Scheduler is set to automatic and it
doesn't start nor can it be made to start.

Then check what items are in the schedule.

Nothing scheduled. If I add a task it gives me an error saying TSS isn't
running

BTW, what other browsers do you have installed, and what version of Java
support do you have on that system?

Firefox 1.5.0.1
Sun Java 2 Platform Standard Edition v1.5.0
upgrading build 1.5.0_04_b05 to 1.5.0_06_b05 makes no difference

...Sky

Ian

 

[Sky King]

Hi,

This is the crux of it Tom, Task Scheduler is set to automatic and it
doesn't start nor can it be made to start.

First, open a CMD window and type this in:
"C:\WINDOWS\system32\schtasks.exe"

Does that give you a list of tasks or does it give you an error?

Do you have a C:\Windows\Tasks folder? If so, and while still in the CMD
window, change to that folder and type "dir /a" to get a list of files
there. You should see Desktop.INI and a file named SA.dat, plus and .JOB
files for previously scheduled tasks. At the C:\ prompt type "type
desktop.ini" + Enter. You should see the following:

[.ShellClassInfo]
CLSID={d6277990-4c6a-11cf-8d87-00aa0060f5bf}

If either the folder does not exist or the Desktop.INI and SA.DAT files
don't exist, EXIT the CMD window, and right-click the file
"C:\WINDOWS\inf\mstask.inf" and select Install. If prompted for your CD,
supply it or a location where the i386 folder holds the setup files for
Windows. Hopefully that will re-install and re-register the necessary files
and permit the Task Scheduler to run normally.

IF that doesn't work, not sure. You may need to do a "repair" install
(install Windows on top of itself) or use SFC to rescan your Windows folder
for essential files.


--

....Sky

Tom "Sky" King
============