Not sure what makes the scheduled tasks but this might uncover a key to my problem in my "store owner email alerts not working" http://forum.abantecart.com/index.php/topic,5162.0.html post as to why the store owner is not receiving alerts by email.

See attached image

Here are the details from the error log:

Check setting of your store domain URL in System Settings . Loading default store configuration for now. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/config.php on line 210
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Task_id (or step_id) has not been set. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Looks like task #0 does not contain step #0 in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step #0. Unknown settings for it. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php</b> on line <b>119</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'result' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/task_manager.php</b> on line <b>140</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - Scheduled step #1 of task #6 failed during process
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Task_id (or step_id) has not been set. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step. Looks like task #0 does not contain step #0 in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - App Error: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Cannot run task step #0. Unknown settings for it. in /home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php on line 161
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/admin/controller/task/sale/contact.php</b> on line <b>119</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'result' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/core/lib/task_manager.php</b> on line <b>140</b>
2016-11-11 21:21:12 - Scheduled step #1 of task #6 failed during process

I'm unable to activate new accounts via email activation.

This is the log entries for the activation errors.

2016-08-30 5:21:22 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'email_activation' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/storefront/controller/pages/account/login.php</b> on line <b>233</b>
2016-08-30 5:21:22 - warning: AbanteCart core v.1.2.8 Illegal string offset 'email_activation' in <b>/home/kirkblack/public_html/a1counterparts.com/ecommerce/storefront/controller/pages/account/login.php</b> on line <b>236</b>


This is the code snippet of my login.php file (with line numbers)

232            $customer_info = $this->model_account_customer->getCustomerByLoginname($loginname);         
233            if($customer_info && !$customer_info['status'] && $customer_info['data']['email_activation']) {
234               //show link for resend activation code to email
235               $enc = new AEncryption($this->config->get('encryption_key'));
236               $rid = $enc->encrypt($customer_info['customer_id'].'::'.$customer_info['data']['email_activation']);
237               $this->error['message'] .= sprintf($this->language->get('text_resend_activation_email'),