Phantom task in Windows Calendar

[Michael]

I have been working this problem for a long time without success, hope
someone can help.
Problem started after I changed the name of my computer, changing back did
not help however.

Calendar basically will not provide reminders unless it is running, the task
scheduler entry for WindowsCalendar is 'empty'. From other discussions
within these groups the solution is to re-populate the task for the
scheduler. Seems reasonable so I attempt to create the task 'Reminders -
walraven' after going thru setting it up an error box pops up:
An error has occurred for task Reminders - walraven. Error message: A task
or folder with this name already exists.

The basic question is WHERE is this task or folder located so I can get rid
of it and start anew. I have searched the hard drive and the registry to no
avail.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Jon]

I have been working this problem for a long time without success, hope
someone can help.
Problem started after I changed the name of my computer, changing back did
not help however.

Calendar basically will not provide reminders unless it is running, the
task scheduler entry for WindowsCalendar is 'empty'. From other
discussions within these groups the solution is to re-populate the task
for the scheduler. Seems reasonable so I attempt to create the task
'Reminders - walraven' after going thru setting it up an error box pops
up:
An error has occurred for task Reminders - walraven. Error message: A task
or folder with this name already exists.

The basic question is WHERE is this task or folder located so I can get
rid of it and start anew. I have searched the hard drive and the registry
to no avail.

Thanks,
Michael

First thing to check would be that you have the 'Reminders should show....'
option checked under File > Options.
Probably obvious, but worth stating.

Secondly you shouldn't ordinarily need to touch the task in Task Scheduler,
in fact doing so should have no effect.. That task normally gets completely
deleted when you start the Calendar program, and recreated when you exit it.
So that's another thing to bear in mind - the task will only exist in
Calendar, when you've exited the program, and not while it's running

Other than that trying this command from both an elevated ('Run as
administrator' option) and non-elevated command prompt, may reveal the task
and the folder it's in.

schtasks /query

schtasks /? for more options

 

[Jon]

Errata

"the task will only exist in
Calendar, when you've exited the program, and not while it's running"

should have read

"the task will only exist in
Task Scheduler, when you've exited the program, and not while it's running"

 

[Michael]

Jon,
Thanks for pointer on schtasks, I will add it to my list of diagnostic
programs.

I hadn't realized that the task 'disappeared' while WinCal was running,
interesting (I have created a special user to test around with calendar and
it did just as you said).

Unfortunately schtasks also doesn't show the Reminders - walraven scheduled
task (ran elevated)

In the task scheduler, at the windows/WinCalendar 'folder' I removed all the
listed items (just one for my test user Reminders - tester).
Then I tried to delete the folder (probably not a good idea but I did
restore point before trying). Error, folder not empty. So at this level the
folder is not empty (although no entries show) and I cannot add a task named
'Reminders - walraven' because it already exists.

One solution would probably be to give up, leave the phantom in there and
change my name - but I like my name.
I suspect that the author of the phantom task is 'WALRAVEN-PC\walraven' ,
that PC name no longer exists and somehow that is having an effect.
I even changed my PC's name back to WALRAVEN-PC but that did not show the
phantom either (I suspect that created another GUID but not the 'same' as
the first instance, just a guess however).

Any more hints on where the phantom is or how to find it gratefully
solicited.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon,
For what its worth, I also applied the 'hot fix' downloaded from MS, The
symptoms it was supposed to fix didn't really match my problem but seemed
worth the risk to try at least. No effect as far as I could tell.

Michael

 

[Jon]

Hi Michael

Another option would be to open up the folder where the scheduled tasks are
stored directly

ie

C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows
(might have to pass a few UAC prompts)


There should be a subfolder in there 'WindowsCalendar' containing the tasks
(in .xml format)

So I would try opening up that folder, and looking for any anomalies (such
as multiple 'WindowsCalendar' folders etc), including looking also for any
hidden files in there, and removing any tasks that shouldn't be there.

The Windows Calendar task isn't ordinarily a 'hidden' one, but there's also
a 'View > Hidden' option on the menus in Task Scheduler, which makes a few
more tasks visible - it's possible that something may have happened to make
the task hidden (?), so perhaps worth trying that option too.

--
Jon

Jon,
Thanks for pointer on schtasks, I will add it to my list of diagnostic
programs.

I hadn't realized that the task 'disappeared' while WinCal was running,
interesting (I have created a special user to test around with calendar
and it did just as you said).

Unfortunately schtasks also doesn't show the Reminders - walraven
scheduled task (ran elevated)

In the task scheduler, at the windows/WinCalendar 'folder' I removed all
the listed items (just one for my test user Reminders - tester).
Then I tried to delete the folder (probably not a good idea but I did
restore point before trying). Error, folder not empty. So at this level
the folder is not empty (although no entries show) and I cannot add a task
named 'Reminders - walraven' because it already exists.

One solution would probably be to give up, leave the phantom in there and
change my name - but I like my name.
I suspect that the author of the phantom task is 'WALRAVEN-PC\walraven' ,
that PC name no longer exists and somehow that is having an effect.
I even changed my PC's name back to WALRAVEN-PC but that did not show the
phantom either (I suspect that created another GUID but not the 'same' as
the first instance, just a guess however).

Any more hints on where the phantom is or how to find it gratefully
solicited.

Michael

 

[Michael]

Jon,

BINGO

There was the task! renamed it, now can create a task named Reminders -
Walraven.
I will work on getting a dummy task properly set up so Calendar can keep it
updated.

Thanks a WHOLE BUNCH,
Michael

Hi Michael

Another option would be to open up the folder where the scheduled tasks
are stored directly

ie

C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows
(might have to pass a few UAC prompts)


There should be a subfolder in there 'WindowsCalendar' containing the
tasks (in .xml format)

So I would try opening up that folder, and looking for any anomalies (such
as multiple 'WindowsCalendar' folders etc), including looking also for any
hidden files in there, and removing any tasks that shouldn't be there.

The Windows Calendar task isn't ordinarily a 'hidden' one, but there's
also a 'View > Hidden' option on the menus in Task Scheduler, which makes
a few more tasks visible - it's possible that something may have happened
to make the task hidden (?), so perhaps worth trying that option too.

 

[Michael]

Jon,
Follow up. I didn't even have to create a dummy task, opened Calendar,
toggled the reminder should show, closed Calendar and there was the proper
task.

Thanks again.
Michael

Hi Michael

Another option would be to open up the folder where the scheduled tasks
are stored directly

ie

C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows
(might have to pass a few UAC prompts)


There should be a subfolder in there 'WindowsCalendar' containing the
tasks (in .xml format)

So I would try opening up that folder, and looking for any anomalies (such
as multiple 'WindowsCalendar' folders etc), including looking also for any
hidden files in there, and removing any tasks that shouldn't be there.

The Windows Calendar task isn't ordinarily a 'hidden' one, but there's
also a 'View > Hidden' option on the menus in Task Scheduler, which makes
a few more tasks visible - it's possible that something may have happened
to make the task hidden (?), so perhaps worth trying that option too.

 

[Jon]

You're welcome Michael. Glad it worked.

--
Jon

Jon,

BINGO

There was the task! renamed it, now can create a task named Reminders -
Walraven.
I will work on getting a dummy task properly set up so Calendar can keep
it updated.

Thanks a WHOLE BUNCH,
Michael

 

[Jon]

Cool. Bit of a strange one that, though. One to watch out for if changing
computer names.