Fix Task Scheduler error 0x80041311 (SCHED_E_ACCOUNT_DBASE_CORRUPT)

Quick answer

Delete the corrupted TasksStore.sdb file from %SystemRoot%\System32\Tasks\, then restart the Task Scheduler service. Your existing tasks will be gone, but you'll regain full control of scheduled tasks.

What actually causes this error

You're seeing 0x80041311 – SCHED_E_ACCOUNT_DBASE_CORRUPT because Windows Task Scheduler's internal security database, which stores encrypted user account credentials for each task, got corrupted. This happens more often than you'd think — especially after a sudden power loss, a failed Windows Update, or when you're running third-party backup software that tries to mess with the Tasks folder. The error message says "the database has been reset" — that's Windows trying to fix itself by nuking the database. Problem is, your scheduled tasks are now orphaned. They still show up in the Task Scheduler library but won't run. You'll get this error when you try to view or modify any task properties, or when you create a new task that requires stored credentials.

Fix it: step by step

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt. Press Win + R, type cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
2. Stop the Task Scheduler service. Type net stop schedule and press Enter. You should see "The Task Scheduler service is stopping." followed by "The Task Scheduler service was stopped successfully."
3. Delete the corrupted security database. Type del %SystemRoot%\System32\Tasks\TasksStore.sdb and press Enter. You won't get a confirmation message — that's normal. If you see "Access is denied," you need to take ownership first (see Alternative Fixes below).
4. Restart the Task Scheduler service. Type net start schedule and press Enter. You should see "The Task Scheduler service is starting." and then "The Task Scheduler service was started successfully."
5. Close the Command Prompt by typing exit and pressing Enter.
6. Open Task Scheduler. Press Win + R, type taskschd.msc, and press Enter.
7. Create your tasks again. If you had important tasks, you'll need to recreate them manually. Windows doesn't back up the security database separately. For each task, click "Create Task" in the right-hand pane, give it a name, set the trigger (e.g., daily at 3 AM), and specify the action (e.g., run a script).

Alternative fixes if the main one fails

Option A: Take ownership of Tasks folder first

If step 3 gives you an access-denied error, the corruption might have set weird permissions. Here's the fix:

1. In the elevated Command Prompt, run takeown /f %SystemRoot%\System32\Tasks /r. You'll see "SUCCESS: The file (or folder) now owned by..."
2. Then run icacls %SystemRoot%\System32\Tasks /grant administrators:F /t. You should see "processed file: ..." for each subfolder.
3. Now try the delete command from step 3 again.

Option B: Use System Restore

If you just got this error after a Windows Update or driver install, roll back. Type rstrui from the Run dialog (Win + R), pick a restore point from before the error started, and follow the prompts. Your scheduled tasks will be restored too — as long as they were created before the restore point.

Option C: Reset Task Scheduler entirely

If nothing works and you're still getting the error, you can wipe the whole Tasks folder. I only recommend this if you've already tried everything else and you're okay losing all tasks.

1. Stop the service: net stop schedule
2. Delete the entire Tasks folder contents: del /s /q %SystemRoot%\System32\Tasks\*.*
3. Start the service: net start schedule

Prevention: stop this from happening again

The real fix is to avoid corrupting the database in the first place. Here's what I've seen work:

• Don't let backup software touch the Tasks folder. If you use Acronis, Macrium Reflect, or Veeam, exclude C:\Windows\System32\Tasks from your backup. These tools sometimes lock or modify files there, causing corruption.
• Shut down Windows properly. Hard power-offs (holding the power button or pulling the plug) are the #1 cause of this error. Always use Start > Power > Shut down.
• Export your tasks regularly. In Task Scheduler, right-click any task and choose "Export". Save the .xml files somewhere safe. If the database gets corrupted again, you can re-import them via "Import Task" in the right-hand pane. Takes 5 minutes and saves hours of frustration.