Task Scheduler

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brian
  • Start date Start date
B

Brian

When I schedule a task to run using the Windows Task
Scheduler (mstask.exe), it does not run. If I open Windows
Task Manager, the task appears in the processes list but
it is not actually running. The log file indicates no
errors and says the task completed normally. What is wrong?
 
What account is it set to run under?
What does the task do?
Note that scheduled tasks require a password for the account being used -
and if it's a task that requires anything other than local machine access,
you can't use localsystem or a local account - have to use a domain account
& its password.
 
I only have Administrator set up on this computer and no
password required. None of my scheduled tasks have ever
required one. The Task Scheduler was working fine up until
a couple of weeks ago and then just stopped. I use it to
run things like Microsoft Outlook at a specific time in
the morning, and other regularly scheduled tasks like
virus scanning. None of this works anymore. The programs
show up in Windows Task Manager as running processes at
the scheduled time, but they are not really running. If I
manually start the scheduled program after Task Scheduler
thinks it has started it, a duplicate occurence of the
program appears in Task Manager.
 
Brian said:
I only have Administrator set up on this computer and no
password required. None of my scheduled tasks have ever
required one.
Click to expand...

All scheduled tasks require an account with a password....but are you using
the localsystem account?
The Task Scheduler was working fine up until
a couple of weeks ago and then just stopped. I use it to
run things like Microsoft Outlook at a specific time in
the morning, and other regularly scheduled tasks like
virus scanning. None of this works anymore. The programs
show up in Windows Task Manager as running processes at
the scheduled time, but they are not really running. If I
manually start the scheduled program after Task Scheduler
thinks it has started it, a duplicate occurence of the
program appears in Task Manager.
Click to expand...

Try setting a password and test....

 
I am not sure what you mean when you say all sheduled
tasks require a password. In the past, all I have had to
do was open the Windows Task Scheduler application,the
wizard popped up, I put in what application I wanted to
run and when. When the wizard got to the user/password
section I always left the password blank. The applications
always worked. Microsoft Outlook started itself every
morning at 6:00 AM as scheduled and shut itself down on
schedule also. Other tasks were put in Task Scheduler
automatically on their installation such as Norton Anti-
Virus. It put a system scan into Task Scheduler which
always worked fine and on time. Norton Anti-Virus could
not possibly have known or entered any password to run
this task. I also am unclear as to your question about
localsystem account. It makes me wonder if we are talking
about the same thing. I am logged on to Administrator
account. It's the only user I have set up on this
computer. When Windows 2000 boots up, I left the password
field blank on initial startup so it always goes right by
it without prompting me for a password. It is a lone
computer and is not on a network, although it is set up to
be on one. One final thought...I noticed that when a task
is "started" by Task Scheduler, the memory usage appears
very close to the same as if the program were actually
running, but it isn't. It's as if the program were
running "hidden", not on the taskbar or systray, no way to
access it or bring it up onto the screen. Sometimes I can
manually start the program that Scheduler thinks it has
started and the program will then run and be on screen,
and two instances of the same program will show in Windows
Task Manager. Sometimes that doesn't work depending on the
specific program. On some programs, after Scheduler thinks
it has started it, I will click on the shortcut to the
program to manually start it and nothing happens. I
appreciate your time and assistance in helping me to solve
this most peculiar mystery.

Brian.
 
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