jdx/mise · error

`schtasks {}` failed: {printed}

Error message

`schtasks {}` failed: {printed}

What it means

When applying enable/disable state changes to a scheduled task, the helper runs `schtasks /Change ...` and treats failure as fatal unless the exit code is SCHED_E_TASK_NOT_RUNNING or the printed output matches a known no-op error. Any other non-zero exit from schtasks surfaces as this error with the joined command and its output.

Source

Thrown at src/system/scheduled_tasks.rs:391

        }
        std::fs::write(&staging, &rendered)?;
        if let Err(err) = schtasks(&create).await {
            let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&staging);
            return Err(err);
        }
        // written, not renamed: a rename does not replace an existing
        // definition on Windows
        std::fs::write(&path, &rendered)?;
        let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&staging);
        if end_first {
            // it may have exited between the query and now: the HRESULT
            // says so in every locale; the message is matched as a fallback
            let (status, printed) = schtasks_output(&end).await?;
            if !status.success()
                && status.code() != Some(SCHED_E_TASK_NOT_RUNNING)
                && !end_error_is_noop(&printed)
            {
                bail!("`schtasks {}` failed: {printed}", shell_words::join(&end));
            }
        }
        if start {
            schtasks(&run).await?;
        }
    }
    Ok(())
}

/// Delete the task mise registered for `name`. Returns whether one existed.
pub(crate) async fn remove_task(name: &str, dry_run: bool) -> Result<bool> {
    let task = task_name(name);
    let path = definition_path(name);
    if !exists(name).await? {
        if path.exists() && !dry_run {
            std::fs::remove_file(&path)?;
        }
        return Ok(false);

View on GitHub (pinned to afd2eddd3a)

Solutions

1. Read the `printed` output in the error: fix the underlying cause it reports (name mismatch, missing task, permissions).
2. Run the operation elevated / as the correct user if output indicates access denied.
3. If the task no longer exists, recreate or reinstall the service/task definition before changing its state.
4. Verify the exact task name (including the 'mise\' folder prefix handling) matches the installed task.

// pre-check the task exists and you have rights before changing state
// schtasks /Query /TN "mise\\my-task" -> non-zero means fix name/permissions first

match apply_state_change(task) {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("schtasks") => {
        log::error!("schtasks change failed: {e}; check task name, elevation, and task existence");
        // inspect the embedded `printed` output for the OS-level reason before retrying
    }
    Err(e) => return Err(e),
    Ok(v) => Ok(v),
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling apply with start/stop (enable/disable or run/end) where schtasks_output returns a non-success status that is not the tolerated 'task not running' case — e.g. task name not found, access denied, or malformed task definition.

Common situations: Trying to end a task that is not running in a locale/message not covered by end_error_is_noop; insufficient privileges (service not run elevated); task deleted between check and change; corrupted task XML after a Windows update.

Related errors

• querying scheduled task {task} failed: {}
• could not find the suspended description command's primary t
• user service '{}': environment key {key:?} cannot be set thr
• scheduled task name {name:?} contains characters that cannot
• TEMP is too long to replace mise.exe safely ({len} UTF-16 co

AI-assisted analysis of jdx/mise@afd2eddd3a (2026-09-09). Data as JSON: /api/errors/563322a48aa4f4d0. Report an issue: GitHub.