Fix Disk Defragmenter Error “Storage optimization cannot start”

When you start the Disk Defragmenter utility in Windows 8 or 10, the following error occurs and the Disk Defragmenter window doesn’t open.

Storage optimization cannot start because the task scheduler service is not running. Start the task scheduler service and try again.

Just as the error message instructs, starting Task Scheduler resolves the problem. Use these steps:

  1. Click Start, type services.msc and press ENTER
  2. Double-click Task Scheduler service from the list.
  3. Verify if the service is started and the startup type set to Automatic.
  4. If it’s not started, click the Start button to start the service. If the startup type is set to anything other than Automatic, such as Manual or Disabled, and the option is grayed out, download Scheduler.reg fix (for Windows 7, 8, and Windows 10) referenced in article Task Scheduler Service Grayed Out in Services MMC and run it.

The REG file should set the Task Scheduler service startup type to Automatic. Restart Windows and check if Task Scheduler starts automatically.

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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7 thoughts on “Fix Disk Defragmenter Error “Storage optimization cannot start””

  1. Hey, my Task Scheduler service is set for automatic but still I have the same message “Storage optimization cannot start because the task scheduler service is not running. Start the task scheduler service and try again”

    Any other ideas?

    Thanks,
    Shlomo.

    Reply

    • @Shlomo: It may be set to Automatic.. but is scheduler actually “running”.. ?
      You can check that out in Services console.

  2. You say return to this and that, but how?
    I keep coming back to where I started but never find the “key” you talk about…

    Reply

  3. my task scheduler on services.msc is set to automatic but status is “stopped”. I tried to start it by clicking start but it gives an error: “Windows couldnot start task scheduler service on local computer. error127: the specified procedure couldnot be found”. I need some help on this.

    Reply

  4. it says “the task scheduler service on local computer started and than stopped”
    can anyone help me please?

    Reply

  5. OK, if you want people to “like” your post(s), you actually need to provide complete, working solutions.

    “Storage optimization cannot start because the task scheduler service is not running.”

    Go to services, try to start the Task Scheduler service, and one gets: “The Task Scheduler service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they are not in use by other services or programs.”

    Typical Microsoft gobbledygook, buried in the millions of lines of WinNT code that they can’t manage or corect.

    Reply

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