All of my exe tasks stopped running!!!!

[TylerMitton]

I have several exe tasks that run on a new Windows Server 2003 (64 bit) machine. The tasks have been running on that machine for well over a month.

Recently they stopped working. They are scheduled via a scheduler and I can see the task try to open (because the little "loading..." window appears (twice), but it never runs any of the commands within the tasks, and the task ends without error or warning. Even if I run the exe manually it gives the same problem.

This problem only exists with windows session0, which is the session that is initially logged into on the server and would be seen if you were physically sitting in front of the server.

If I remote into the server and start another session (usually session1) with that same user, the tasks can be run just fine.

Also, if I go onto the server with this same user account in Session0 and run the exe as a different user (right click, "run as...") it will run the exe no problem.

I've seen this before and it looks like it only happens after a user has been running tasks continually for over a month and it only seems to impact session0 with that user. If I log into session0 with another user it does not have the same problem. The last time I saw this, I concluded there was something messed up with the user account, so I created a new user account. Now over a month later I have the same issue with this new user account.

Last time I worked with the AA support people but they were stumped. I moved on because I found a solution of using a different user account... but I cannot keep switching user accounts each time this happens. We need to figure out what is going on. I'm hopping support will take this seriously and look into it again.

Thanks,

Tyler

[forumsupport]

Hello Tyler,

Could you please try emptying Temp folder located under same user profile/account? To find the path of the temp folder, go to command prompt (cmd.exe) and type echo %temp%. Now, delete all temporary files under this Temp folder.

If it doesn't help then could you please provide your task or the text format of task so we can try to create the similar environment at our end and resolve the issue?

You can locate your task by selecting your task from Task List, right clicking that particular task and selecting 'Locate on disk' from context menu. Otherwise, you can also send text format of task. For that, open your task in a Task Editor, go to Tools->Save as text file and send this text file.

It would help us investigate further.

[TylerMitton]

Great idea, it worked, thank you!!! I just deleted the temporary files and the tasks started working immediately! There was 3.66 GB of data in the temp folder. Deleting those files fixed my problem.

If I watch that folder (C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp) I can see that each time I run a task that it adds a new file with a name like: ~DFF9F9.tmp to that folder.

I guess those files are created over and over again filling up the temp folder. It seems at some point it gets so full (3.66 GB for me) that it can no longer run tasks at all.

Is there something I can do to prevent this? Or will I have to run another job that cleans out that folder?

Thanks,

Tyler

[forumsupport]

Hello,

Yes, you need to create another task for deleting files from Temp folder.

[TylerMitton]

Alright, I will do that. But isn't this a concern for anyone that runs a lot of tasks? Should AA be cleaning up after itself at some point?

I just want to make sure this is not just forgotten about because this problem stumped myself and your developers for a long time... now that we know what it is, will you consider making changes to the software so that it doesn't happen to others?

[forumsupport]

Hello,

May we please know if the solution that support team had provided working for you?

[TylerMitton]

I just did some research into the temp files not being deleted. It is easily reproducible.

If you open IE manually (not using AA), you will see that a temp file gets created of size 0 KB. That file is then deleted when the browser is closed... no problems.

If you open IE from AA, you will see that two temp files are created. The same 0 KB file is created and another 32 KB file is created. When the browser is closed, the 0 KB file is deleted but the 32 KB file remains... forever!

I've attached a task that does this. If you but a break point on the close browser command you will be able to see the two files in your temp folder. Then running the close browser will remove the 0 KB file but not the 32 KB file.

I would like to know if you can reproduce this.

Thanks,

Tyler

[philkryder]

does the internet option to delet temp files help with this problem?

[forumsupport]

Hello,

Try including steps/commands to delete temporary files from temp folder after Close Browser command?

Hope that helps.

[TylerMitton]

Phil, deleting temporary internet files doesn't remove the 32 KB files left over... they stick around forever. These 32 KB files are not in the temporary internet files folder, they are here: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp

forumsupport, I understand how to work around the issue by deleting the temp files. I had asked if were you able to reproduce... were you?