Windows Server 2016 Task scheduler: Tasks return error 0xC0000142

Question

i have a strange problem with the task scheduler under Windows Server 2016.

I create a task which triggered daily at 3am. This tasks only start a simple batch file which delete some files on a local drive. So nothing special.

The result by running this task is 0xC0000142. No matter if i start this task manually or it starts by windows at 3am.

But if i restart the whole server and start the task manually it works. The result is 0x0. I try to incease the "Windows SharedSection" via registry and restart, but nothing happens. The next morning i get the 0xC0000142 result.

My task in XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<Task version="1.4" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2004/02/mit/task">
  <RegistrationInfo>
    <Date>2018-11-29T11:46:43.174076</Date>
    <Author>ECB189B\Administrator</Author>
    <URI>\Delete temp</URI>
  </RegistrationInfo>
  <Triggers>
    <CalendarTrigger>
      <StartBoundary>2018-11-29T03:00:00</StartBoundary>
      <Enabled>true</Enabled>
      <ScheduleByDay>
        <DaysInterval>1</DaysInterval>
      </ScheduleByDay>
    </CalendarTrigger>
  </Triggers>
  <Principals>
    <Principal id="Author">
      <UserId>S-1-5-21-3460449123-1791338768-3707012617-500</UserId>
      <LogonType>S4U</LogonType>
      <RunLevel>HighestAvailable</RunLevel>
    </Principal>
  </Principals>
  <Settings>
    <MultipleInstancesPolicy>IgnoreNew</MultipleInstancesPolicy>
    <DisallowStartIfOnBatteries>false</DisallowStartIfOnBatteries>
    <StopIfGoingOnBatteries>true</StopIfGoingOnBatteries>
    <AllowHardTerminate>true</AllowHardTerminate>
    <StartWhenAvailable>false</StartWhenAvailable>
    <RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable>false</RunOnlyIfNetworkAvailable>
    <IdleSettings>
      <StopOnIdleEnd>true</StopOnIdleEnd>
      <RestartOnIdle>false</RestartOnIdle>
    </IdleSettings>
    <AllowStartOnDemand>true</AllowStartOnDemand>
    <Enabled>true</Enabled>
    <Hidden>false</Hidden>
    <RunOnlyIfIdle>false</RunOnlyIfIdle>
    <DisallowStartOnRemoteAppSession>false</DisallowStartOnRemoteAppSession>
    <UseUnifiedSchedulingEngine>true</UseUnifiedSchedulingEngine>
    <WakeToRun>false</WakeToRun>
    <ExecutionTimeLimit>PT0S</ExecutionTimeLimit>
    <Priority>7</Priority>
  </Settings>
  <Actions Context="Author">
    <Exec>
      <Command>C:\mybatch.bat</Command>
    </Exec>
  </Actions>
</Task>

My batch:

@ECHO OFF
del /Q /S C:\temp\*.*

This problem affect only one server. All other servers with the same task doesn't have this problem.

/EDIT
Okay i try something. I change RUN WHETHER USER IS LOGGED ON OR NOT to RUN ONLY WHEN USER IS LOGGED on. This works. I get no more error messages on running this task at 3am, but it isn't the solution. Why the RUN WHETHER USER IS LOGGED ON OR NOT mode doesn't work? I try the Administrator and the SYSTEM user.

Solution

according to http://blog.ylnotes.com/winfix-error-0xc0000142-windows-task-scheduler-fails-to-run-in-batch-mode/

Windows Task Scheduler fails to run in batch mode when the machine has run out of non-interactive desktop heap space. Rebooting the server may rectify the temporary problem until the desktop heap is again exhausted. Adjusting the size of the non-interactive desktop heap has been known to resolve this error permanently.

Desktop Heap Info Default Desktop heap settings: Windows 32-bit servers: SharedSection=1024,3072,512 Windows 64-bit servers: SharedSection=1024,20480,768

For Windows NT:

SharedSection specifies the system and desktop heaps using the following format:

SharedSection=xxxx,yyyy For Windows 2000 and above:

SharedSection uses the following format to specify the system and desktop heaps:

SharedSection=xxxx,yyyy,zzzz

to FIX:

1. Run Registry Editor regedit.exe

2. Browse to the following key in the registry editor: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\SubSystems

3. Click to modify the SubSystems\Windows value. %SystemRoot%\system32\csrss.exe ObjectDirectory=\Windows SharedSection=1024,20480,768 Windows=On SubSystemType=Windows ServerDll=basesrv,1 ServerDll=winsrv:UserServerDllInitialization,3 ServerDll=winsrv:ConServerDllInitialization,2 ServerDll=sxssrv,4 ProfileControl=Off MaxRequestThreads=16

4. Locate the SharedSection parameter within the data of this value. This parameter will have 3 or 4 values.

5. Increase the third SharedSection value incrementally by 256 or 512 until the issue resolved

6. Restart may be required to take effect.

Comments

[harrymc]

Error 0xC0000142 usually means that the application was unable to start correctly. Maybe try to move the batch file to some folder, not in C:.

[Athris]

Try it. Same result : /

[harrymc]

Check whether S4U account has these permissions: Logon as a batch job, Logon as a service. Note that when running at 3 AM, it's perhaps unlikely to have a signed-on user at this hour.

[Athris]

I check the permissions. Everyone is fine. After one night it isn't even possible to run the task manually. Only a complete restart solve the problem for some hours.

[Athris]

Okay i try something. I change RUN WHETHER USER IS LOGGED ON OR NOT to RUN ONLY WHEN USER IS LOGGED on. This works. I get no more error messages on running this task at 3am, but it isn't the solution. Why the RUN WHETHER USER IS LOGGED ON OR NOT mode doesn't work? I try the Administrator and the SYSTEM user.

[DavidPostill]

Welcome to Super User! Please read How to reference material written by others.