Edit

Error when you use the /z switch together with the Schtasks command in Windows Vista: The task XML is missing a required element or attribute

  • Article

This article helps resolve an issue where you receive an error when you use the /z switch together with the Schtasks.exe command in Windows Vista.

Applies to:   Windows Vista
Original KB number:   2004151

Symptoms

When you use the /z switch together with the Schtasks.exe command in Windows Vista, you may receive the following error message:

Error: The task XML is missing a required element or attribute.

The /z switch is used to delete a task after it's completed. For example, you can use the following command to start the Calc.exe process at a specified date and time:

schtasks /create /tn "calculator" /tr c:\Windows\System32\calc.exe /sc once /sd 12/02/2010 /st 03:39:00 /z

Note

This issue affects only the Schtasks.exe tool. You should be able to use the Scheduled Tasks interface to auto-delete a task after it's completed.

Cause

This issue occurs because of changes in the Task Scheduler service in Windows Vista.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, use the /V1 switch. The /V1 switch creates a task that is compatible with pre-Windows Vista platforms. For example, use the following command to start the Calc.exe process at a specified date and time in a pre-Windows Vista environment:

schtasks /create /tn "calculator" /tr c:\Windows\System32\calc.exe /sc once /sd 12/02/2010 /st 03:39:00 /V1 /Z

More information

For more information about the /V1 switch, visit the following MSDN website:

Schtasks.exe