Error message when you run an old scheduled task or a newly created scheduled task on a domain controller: "0x8007000d: The data is invalid"

This article provides the resolution for the error message "0x8007000d: The data is invalid" when you run an old scheduled task or newly created scheduled task on a domain controller.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2012 R2
Original KB number:   958837

Symptoms

You cannot run an old scheduled task on a domain controller after you install Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2) on the domain controller. Additionally, you cannot run a newly created scheduled task that you create by using the Scheduled Task Wizard. When you try to run an old scheduled task or a newly created scheduled task, you receive the following error message:

General page initialization failed.
The specific error is:
0x8007000d: The data is invalid.
An error has occurred attempting to retrieve task account information. You may continue editing the task object, but will be unable to change task account information.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Stop the Task Scheduler service on the domain controller. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then press ENTER.
   2. In the list of services, double-click Task Scheduler.
   3. Click Stop, and then click OK.
   4. On the File menu, click Exit.

2. Change the attribute of the Tasks folder to make the folder a typical folder. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then press ENTER.

   2. At the command prompt, type cd %windir%, and then press ENTER.

      Note

      %windir% specifies the path where Windows is installed. Typically, C:\Windows is the path where Windows is installed.

   3. Type attrib -s tasks, and then press ENTER.

3. Switch to the Tasks folder. To do this, type cd tasks, and then press ENTER.

4. Back up the Sa.dat file. To do this, type copy sa.dat <backup_path>, and then press ENTER.

   Note

   The backup_path placeholder specifies the path of the location where you want to copy the Sa.dat file.

5. Delete the Sa.dat file. To do this, type del sa.dat, and then press ENTER.

6. Change the attribute of the Tasks folder to revert the folder back to a system folder. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. At the command prompt, type cd %windir%, and then press ENTER.
   2. Type attrib +s tasks, and then press ENTER.

7. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

8. Start the Task Scheduler service on the domain controller. To do this, follow these steps:

   1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then press ENTER.
   2. In the list of services, double-click Task Scheduler.
   3. Click Start, and then click OK.
   4. On the File menu, click Exit.