Process.Start() fails to execute when run as Scheduled Task

Question

I have a .NET console application written in C# (myApp.exe), that runs an external application ('bob.exe'). The console application works great when I run myApp.exe manually. The C# code that calls the application is:

System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo procStartInfo =
    new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo("C:\\bob.exe");
procStartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
procStartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;

// Do not create the black window.
procStartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;

// Create the process and assign its ProcessStartInfo and start it
System.Diagnostics.Process proc = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
proc.StartInfo = procStartInfo;
proc.Start();

In Windows Server 2003, I created a Scheduled Task that executed 'myApp.exe' on a regular basis. It was set to execute even if the user was not logged in. The Scheduled Task worked and called 'bob.exe' (I was able to verify this by viewing the output files from 'bob.exe')

We then upgraded to Windows Server 2012. I created a Scheduled Task in Windows Server 2012, setting it to execute even if the user was not logged in and configuring it for Windows Server 2003.

I set the Action to call 'C:\\myApp.exe', similar to how I had it set up in Windows Server 2003

When the scheduled tasks executes and I am logged in, the 'bob.exe' application is executed from 'myApp.exe'. However, when I am not logged in and the scheduled task executes, 'myApp.exe' is executed but 'bob.exe' is never executed (I can verify this by seeing there are no output files from 'bob.exe'). There are no errors reported by the Scheduled Task and the Last Run Result says "The operation completed successfully. (0x0)".

I found a similar post here but I was unable to resolve my situation. What am I missing?

Answer 1

I had a similar issue with my app calling out 7za.exe to archive db backups. When I ran my app manually it worked fine, but when I scheduled my app via Task Scheduler, the 7z routine would not fire off and didn't give my app a verbose error. I found that adding the directory I ran my app from to the task scheduler's Start in (optional): box corrected my issue.

Program/script: "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\CustApp\\CustApp.exe"

Start in (optional) C:\\Program Files (x86)\\CustApp\\

Note not to use double-quotes on the "Start in (optional)" setting for the directory, it errors when I did.

Answer 2

I had a similar problem with running a Batch file (on WS2008) and the problem was due to the permissions given to the user executing the scheduled task on the folders where the Batch file and the Executable files were set. I'm not sure if the security of WS 2012 is different, but if I were You I'll try to debug the application (if you have the code) checking for permissions. HTH