Task Scheduler service won't start - Error 5 - XP SP3 32-bit

[glnz]

Just noticed that my Task Scheduler service won't start.  If I try to "run" a scheduled task, I get error messages that end with "Error 5".  See screenshots attached (three pages).

My PC is XP SP3 32-bit, kept updated with the POS hack discussed elsewhere on this very good forum.

There's a complicated suggestion at http://www.realgeek.com/forums/task-scheduler-service-access-is-denied-334006.html , but the steps aren't well described.

Any simpler ideas?  (I already turned the service off and on - no help.)  Could anyone translate that realgeek series of steps for me?

EDIT - I just ran cacls for tasks and it seems to show FULL CONTROL for EVERYONE.  That's at the end of the screenshot attachment.  But is that good enough?

Thanks.

 

 

Screenshots when try to run scheduled task.doc

Edited June 25, 2016 by glnz

[Dave-H]

It may be one of the tasks you've got scheduled that is causing the problem.
To check that try moving all the files temporarily out of the C:\Windows\Tasks folder, including the hidden sa.dat file.
Does the service run then?
If it makes no difference just put the files back and nothing should have been lost.
To properly access all the files in the Tasks folder you will have to use the Recovery Console, or some other file manager than Explorer, as it is a "special" folder.
If you can't do that, remove its attributes and you should then be able to access it like a normal folder.

 

[glnz]

Dave-H - Many thanks for hitting the bulls eye.  It seems that the task avast! Emergency Update.job - the Avast Emergency Updater - is wrecking my Tasks.  I still have to test further, but "Repairing" Avast AV, which reinstalls that job, causes the problems.

I am attaching that avast! Emergency Update.job file here as a zip, but I would suggest NOT installing it in normal XP.  If you have a virtual XP you can discard, I'd try installing it in that.  (I don't have a virtual XP here at the moment.  I might try later in XP Mode in my Win 7, but I'm not sure how to discard a change after a reboot and get back to the prior version.)

avast! Emergency Update.zip

Edited June 25, 2016 by glnz

[Dave-H]

Well I'm glad it was that!
Looking at the contents of "avast! Emergency Update.job", it looks as if just runs the file "AvastEmUpdate.exe".
Maybe try setting up your own task to do the same thing with the same parameters and see if that causes the same problem.

 

[glnz]

If anyone would like to contribute to my new thread on the Avast forum about this, here it is:

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=187822.0

There are still problems with this.

Thanks.

Edited June 26, 2016 by glnz