Error messege: the selected task "{0}" no longer exists. to see the current task, click refresh

Anonymous

When I go to start the task scheduler, I get this messege "the selected task "{0}" no longer exists. to see the current task, click refresh" So I go ahead and click refresh, and get the same error messege. How can I resolve this issue? Any help and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

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Anonymous

I spent a few minutes and tracked down the problem and a solution. The issue is a result of task files which exist in the Tasks folders which have no entry in (presumably) in the registry. Here's how I worked through the issue - will take some time, but it has cleared up the issue completely for me:

Open Task Scheduler and click OK when prompted with the error. It may seem like you are receiving the same error over and over, but this is really due to the number of tasks which are broken. Make a note of the number of times you are prompted with the the selected task "{0}" error. This is the number of task files that are out of sync with the registry.
Start with the first folder under Windows tasks (Task Scheduler(Local)\Task Scheduler Library\Microsoft\Windows) and select each folder in turn until you receive the the selected task "{0}" error. This folder contains files that are not in sync with the task scheduler.
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the tasks file folder (%SystemFolder%\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows) and find the folder which corresponds to the folder in which you received the error.
For some tasks you will be able to determine which files need to be deleted by comparing the list in the Task Scheduler with the list of files in Explorer. Some tasks will only have a single file in explorer, or, in one case I had 2 and the first was missing. Once Task Scheduler encounters this error it will no longer display tasks so it makes the job of getting the two in sync a little more difficult. Once you have determined which files exist in the File Folder but do not exist in the Task Scheduler folder, delete those files.
IMPORTANT - Close and Re-open Task Scheduler. Once the error is encountered, Task Scheduler no longer displays the tasks so you need to close it and restart in order to continue your synchronization effort.
Continue to select folders in Task Scheduler under Windows tasks until you encounter the error again and repeat the process of determining which file exists on the file system, but not in Task Scheduler.

I had 6 files that were out of sync with what was displayed in Task Scheduler. Once I deleted all of the offending files, Task Scheduler fired up without issue.

Good luck.

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Anonymous

Hi,

I had the same issue and here is what I did to solve my problem and hope it helps someone else in the future. If you disabled the Disk Defrag Schedule, then go back and enable it. It solved my problem and i've reported this bug to the Windows 7 team.

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131 additional answers

Anonymous

2013-05-25T17:35:27+00:00

Hope this helps anybody using Windows 7 still having problem with :-

        "The selected task "{0}" no longer exists"

Made mistake of changing Media Center schedule to Monthly big mistake I forgotten

that I had the problem with Defrag in 2010 (left message on this site).

I decided to confirm that its the Monthly setting is the problem in all schedules.

Note:- manually created schedule seemed to be the exception. (any answers?)

I was going to give blow by blow but decided the shorter the better for those who don't know there

way around Windows 7, here goes :-

If problem schedule known skip to [HERE]

Otherwise type "cmd" in start press ctrl+shift+enter to enter command prompt.

At command prompt enter :- schtasks /Query /FO LIST /V > C:\all_tasks.txt

                     Information:- To show info on schtasks use "schtasks /Query /?"

                        (Thanks to PCJCO who used the above command)

Exit.

Open all_tasks.txt in notepad and search(clicking edit/Find) for "Monthly", note all entries you find.

You can close notepad.

[HERE] Open Windows Explorer goto :-

       C:\windows\system32\tasks\microsoft\windows\ (this location contains bulk of schedules)

           (For schedules added by the user or by applications, try starting in Tasks)

Now search for schedules you noted earlier and copy to safe location.

Goto the first location delete the schedule you noted previously (Do not delete any folders).

(you may have to delete all the schedules in that folder if so don't forget to copy to safe location)

If you noted more then one "Monthly" than I would suggest completing the following procedure before going on to next.

Open Administrative Tools click on Task Scheduler click on Task Scheduler Library to find the

folder/schedule you are looking for, Right click on folder and import task from location you saved

the original schedule.

Once the schedule opens you can reverse your previous setting or change to Daily,Weekly or One time.

                              DO NOT LEAVE IT SET ON MONTHLY.

IF you originally found more than one "Monthly", repeat the previous procedure

using the next schedule you had noted earlier.

The previous procedure does solve "The selected task "{0}" no longer exists" but not the problem,

thats up to MICROSOFT. As Windows 7 has been retired I can't see a solution coming!

To confirm that changing schedule to monthly causes the error message, I used the samples below :-

                             Defrag               (ScheduledDefrag)

                             Media Center         (mcupdate_scheduled)

                             Time Synchronization (SynchronizeTime)

The number of schedules varies depending on the individuals PC and

how many applications that use the task scheduler.

May be worth checking installation of new applications if schedules are implemented.

I not sure how the task scheduler works but when a schedule fails it appears to stop the display

of schedule information after the schedule that had the task changed to monthly?

Please note there are implications when copying schedule to other locations i'e permissions changes

on the schedule file. Have not noticed any problem at moment. If anyone knows the correct way

for doing the above procedure perhaps you can correct.
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Anonymous

2013-04-11T13:44:08+00:00

agreed - hope MS reads. Thank you.
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Anonymous

2013-03-08T15:01:54+00:00

Oddly enough, my issue was in the folder just below Defrag folder. Once I deleted the Schedule file in the Diagnosis folder, all was well.
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