Running a program in Windows Server 2008 R2

[MMock]

We just got in our new servers that are running Windows 2008 R2. I set up scheduled tasks in Windows that we were running nightly on our old servers. I tested one from the scheduler, and it didn't work (error was Task Scheduler failed to start instance "{70532dfe-5485-4ac6-8533-50ffc6312f3f}" of "\NightlySettleEmail" task for user "RLGY\mmock" . Additional Data: Error Value: 2147942667.) So then I got the bright idea of running it directly from the OS. I am in Windows Explorer and I clicked on the program, it's a VB.NET executable. I got an error message "Windows cannot find C:\Program Files(x86)\NightlySettleEmail.exe". That makes no sense since I am *in* C:\Program Files(x86)" when I click on NightlySettleEmail.exe. What exactly can't it find?

[NeedSomeAnswers]

Are you running 32 or 64 Bit Server 2008 ?

[MMock]

Why would I run a 64-bit operating sytem 32-bit; isn't it always 64-bit? The program I am trying to run is 32-bit, which is why it's in (x86). Do I have to do something else special other than put it in the (x86) flavor of Program Files? Thanks.

[NeedSomeAnswers]

You can get 32 bit & 64 bit versions of Server 2008 !

Your problem is almost certainly that your 32 bit program is not 64 bit compatible. This could be for any number of reasons. If you wrote the program then your best bet would be to debug it on a 64 bit Windows 7 or something. Then you could determine what is failing.

[MMock]

We have a handful of Windows scheduled tasks that run nightly. They are a combination of vbscript files, vb 6 executables, and vb.net executables. None is 64-bit. Are you saying none of them will run on a 64-bit os? I thought that was what the Program Files(x86) folder was for.

[NeedSomeAnswers]

We have a handful of Windows scheduled tasks that run nightly. They are a combination of vbscript files, vb 6 executables, and vb.net executables. None is 64-bit. Are you saying none of them will run on a 64-bit os? I thought that was what the Program Files(x86) folder was for.

I am not saying they all wont run, i have no idea it depends on the program.

You can get 32 Bit programs to run on 64 bit OS's but what i can tell you is that the software i develop we had to validate against 64 Bit OS's and mostly we didn't have to change anything, however we did have some code that for instance launched IIS.

Now on 64 Bit operating system this code would not work because you cant launch 64 Bit process from a 32 Bit program.

So if any of your VB programs or VB.Net programs are trying to launch or use a windows programs or process (which will now be 64Bit) you could have a problem. That is just 1 issue you could have other which is why i recommended debugging your programs on Windows 7 64 Bit if you can get a copy. If you turn UAC off you can still install VB on Windows 7 too.