After almost one year of endless trials, to find a solution for this
scheduler-problem, I am conviced, that this is a real

problem of the Microsoft-security-update KB841873 (MS04-022). In the
meantime I could confirm this scheduler-problem with

approx. 10 new installations of Windows 2000 Professional Sp4 german and
with one new installation of Windows 2000

Professional Sp4 chinese. So I think, that it might concern all
language-versions of Windows 2000 Professional SP4.

As a german customer without a service-agreement I would have to pay 99,--
EUR for an eMail-request to Microsoft and much more

for a phone-call. Maybe there is somebody with a service-contract, who could
tell Microsoft about this.

From my point of view there are for the moment only two possible workarounds:

1. Use an alternative scheduler

   (if you can - I cannot for certain reasons)

2. Do not install the updates concerned

   Note:
   -----

   If you do not install KB841873 (MS04-022),
   the security-risk remains on your computer.

Workaround 2. in detail:
-----------------------

- deinstall Past_Sp4_Rollup1 (KB891861),
  using "Software" in Start - Settings - Computer
  and restart your computer, as desired.

- confirm, that schedule is running
  (it should).

- activate "automatic updates" and wait, until
  "new updates are available".
  (You can force this by visiting the Windows-Update
   website, but do not install any updates offered
   there for the time being).

- start the installation of updates by clicking
  the respective tray icon and choose
  "user defined installation".

- deselect Past_Sp4_Rollup1 (KB891861) and confirm,
  that you do not want to see this update again.

- wait again, until
  "new updates are available".
  (You can force this by visiting the Windows-Update
   website, but do not install any updates offered
   there for the time being).

- start the installation of updates by clicking
  the respective tray icon and choose
  "user defined installation".

- deselect KB841873 (MS04-022) and confirm,
  that you do not want to see this update again.

Now you can set "automatic updates" as you like it.
Generally I recommend, to leave it on "automatic".

Note:
----

If you ever chosse the option "show disabled updates again"
in the settings of automatic updates, Past_Sp4_Rollup1 (KB891861)
will be installed again and schedule will be broken again.
Then you have to repeat the whole procedure, as described above.

Reinhard



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You might try asking in the partner newsgroups.

https://partner.microsoft.com/US/30000104

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Hi Dave,

The solution of the problem is in security settings of the computer.

While the old version of mstask was working well with
ports 135 and 1025 closed, the new version needs
ports 135 and 1025 opened.

A description can be found here:

http://www.ntsvcfg.de/ntsvcfg_eng.html#_known-probs

and here more detailed in german:

http://www.ntsvcfg.de/scheduler.html

Just to complete the information here are the different
versions of mstask.exe and mstask.dll:


Sp4:      mstask.exe 4.71.2195.6704 dated 06/20/2003
          mstask.dll 4.71.2195.6704 dated 06/20/2003

KB841873: mstask.exe 4.71.2195.6920 dated 04/05/2004
          mstask.dll 4.71.2195.6920 dated 06/10/2004

KB873405: mstask.exe 4.71.2195.6961 dated 07/27/2004

Rollup 1: mstask.exe 4.71.2195.6972 dated 06/02/2005
          mstask.dll 4.71.2195.6972 dated 06/02/2005

Many thanks for your advice, to ask in the partner newsgroup. I found the
right lead there.

Reinhard



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Good to hear. You're welcome.

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