Scheduled task doesn't run.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt Modica
  • Start date Start date
M

Matt Modica

I have a sheduled McAfee virus scan at 2:00 AM every week on thursday and
sunday, but it only ran once and hasn't again. I have the following options
checked:
Run only if logged on
Enabled
Don't start the task if the computer is running on batteries
Wake the computer to run this task
There have been several occasions where I have had to reformat and reinstall
over the time I have had my computer, and this seems to happen on each
install.
 
Scheduled Tasks|Advanced|View Log may provide some details. If the job
connects to another machine you may need to add the user/ group 'logon as
batch job' rights (server side). Control Panel|Admin Tools|Local Security
Policy\Local Policies\User Rights Assignments
"Log on as a batch job"

If the task completes but the job does not then there is a problem in the
job itself. Remember that if it involves network resources to make sure the
user account has permissions to the resources and also use UNC paths as
mapped drives won't natively exist when no one is logged on.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I have a sheduled McAfee virus scan at 2:00 AM every week on thursday and
| sunday, but it only ran once and hasn't again. I have the following
options
| checked:
| Run only if logged on
| Enabled
| Don't start the task if the computer is running on batteries
| Wake the computer to run this task
| There have been several occasions where I have had to reformat and
reinstall
| over the time I have had my computer, and this seems to happen on each
| install.
|
|
 
On Thu, 11 May 2006 21:29:36 -0400, "Matt Modica"
I have a sheduled McAfee virus scan at 2:00 AM every week on thursday and
sunday, but it only ran once and hasn't again. I have the following options
Click to expand...
checked:
Run only if logged on
Enabled
Click to expand...

Are you logged on at the time the Task runs?
Or is screensaver set to return to the Welcome screen?

If ? and Yes, the answers become No and Yes - AFAIK the screensaver
logs "you" out, so that you have to log in again at the Welcome
screen. So when the Task runs under the screensaver, "you" are not
logged in, and so the Task doesn't run.
Don't start the task if the computer is running on batteries
Wake the computer to run this task
Click to expand...

Those are OK, though if the PC suspends, it may not "wake"
There have been several occasions where I have had to reformat and reinstall
over the time I have had my computer
Click to expand...

Why did you "have to" wipe and rebuild?
and this seems to happen on each install.
Click to expand...

I suspect MS duhfault settings are in effect. Wiping and reinstalling
the OS will do that; so can a "repair" install, for some settings.

Blind re-installing Windows is a very poor substitute for tshooting.


------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope
 
No, not correct. Being logged on is not a requirement for tasks to run.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Are you logged on at the time the Task runs?
| Or is screensaver set to return to the Welcome screen?
|
| If ? and Yes, the answers become No and Yes - AFAIK the screensaver
| logs "you" out, so that you have to log in again at the Welcome
| screen. So when the Task runs under the screensaver, "you" are not
| logged in, and so the Task doesn't run.
|
| >Don't start the task if the computer is running on batteries
| >Wake the computer to run this task
|
| Those are OK, though if the PC suspends, it may not "wake"
|
| >There have been several occasions where I have had to reformat and
reinstall
| >over the time I have had my computer
|
| Why did you "have to" wipe and rebuild?
|
| >and this seems to happen on each install.
|
| I suspect MS duhfault settings are in effect. Wiping and reinstalling
| the OS will do that; so can a "repair" install, for some settings.
|
| Blind re-installing Windows is a very poor substitute for tshooting.
|
|
|
| >------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
| The most accurate diagnostic instrument
| in medicine is the Retrospectoscope
| >------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
 
On Sat, 13 May 2006 07:37:22 -0600, "Dave Patrick"
No, not correct. Being logged on is not a requirement for tasks to run.
Click to expand...

From my own testing, I've observed this mileage in XP:

[x] Run when logged on
Blank account password
-> Runs

[x] Run when logged on
Non-blank account password
-> Runs

[x] Run when logged on
Wrong account password and/or PC or user name
-> Runs

[_] Run when logged on
Blank account password
-> Silently does not run

[_] Run when logged on
Non-blank account password
-> Runs

[_] Run when logged on
Wrong account password and/or PC or user name
-> Silently does not run

Or as a state chart...

[X] [_]
+ o Blank account password
+ + Non-blank account password
+ o Wrong account password and/or PC or user name

The problem without that checkbox (as is the case in orginal XP
release) is that folks are obliged to use a non-blank account
password, even if they don't want a password at all.

So they use something trivial and guessable, just to get Tasks
working. In XP Pro, any non-blank password enables remote network
access to "admin shares" that expose EVERYTHING on the HD to deletes,
edits, malicious code drops, etc. While these admin shares are hidden
from the user, they always have the same predictable names c$, d$ etc.
and thus they are quite easy for malicious code to use.

The question is whether the Task will run while the screensaver is
active, if screensaver is set to return to the Welcome screen. From
what I can remember, they don't, if the checkbox is relied upon to run
Tasks with blank (or incorrect) account password.

-- Risk Management is the clue that asks:
Click to expand...
"Why do I keep open buckets of petrol next to all the
ashtrays in the lounge, when I don't even have a car?"
 
The screensaver, in of itself, has nothing to do with this. Yes, Scheduled
Tasks requires a passworded account. Just create a new user account to use
with Scheduled Tasks.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| From my own testing, I've observed this mileage in XP:
|
| [x] Run when logged on
| Blank account password
| -> Runs
|
| [x] Run when logged on
| Non-blank account password
| -> Runs
|
| [x] Run when logged on
| Wrong account password and/or PC or user name
| -> Runs
|
| [_] Run when logged on
| Blank account password
| -> Silently does not run
|
| [_] Run when logged on
| Non-blank account password
| -> Runs
|
| [_] Run when logged on
| Wrong account password and/or PC or user name
| -> Silently does not run
|
| Or as a state chart...
|
| [X] [_]
| + o Blank account password
| + + Non-blank account password
| + o Wrong account password and/or PC or user name
|
| The problem without that checkbox (as is the case in orginal XP
| release) is that folks are obliged to use a non-blank account
| password, even if they don't want a password at all.
|
| So they use something trivial and guessable, just to get Tasks
| working. In XP Pro, any non-blank password enables remote network
| access to "admin shares" that expose EVERYTHING on the HD to deletes,
| edits, malicious code drops, etc. While these admin shares are hidden
| from the user, they always have the same predictable names c$, d$ etc.
| and thus they are quite easy for malicious code to use.
|
| The question is whether the Task will run while the screensaver is
| active, if screensaver is set to return to the Welcome screen. From
| what I can remember, they don't, if the checkbox is relied upon to run
| Tasks with blank (or incorrect) account password.
|
|
| >-- Risk Management is the clue that asks:
| "Why do I keep open buckets of petrol next to all the
| ashtrays in the lounge, when I don't even have a car?"
| >----------------------- ------ ---- --- -- - - - -
 
On Sun, 14 May 2006 07:57:56 -0600, "Dave Patrick"
The screensaver, in of itself, has nothing to do with this. Yes, Scheduled
Tasks requires a passworded account.
Click to expand...

This was certainly true with the original XP release, but it changed
slightly around the time of SP1 or SP2, when the "run only when logged
on" checkbox appeared.

At the time XP first came out, I thought the need for a password as a
good idea for security reasons (protect against malware droppingin as
a Task) and when I noticed the new feature, I saw this as a risk.

When "only when logged on" is checked, the Task will run irrespective
of the user account password. Note that this mileage is with accounts
that have a blank password; YMMV if you have a non-blank password and
try a Task with a different password.

Based on the above, the next question is: Are you considered to be
logged on at the time the screensaver kicks in, if the screensaver
system is set to return to the Welcome screen? I'd guess No.
Just create a new user account to use with Scheduled Tasks.
Click to expand...

I don't like that approach for two broad reasons...

1) New accounts are a nightmare to manage:
- they start with MS duhfault settings and paths
- difficulties managing malware across accounts
- disk bloat from massive IE cache, CD burning, etc.
- new data location falls outside backup arrangements

2) UI difficulties with Tasks running from other accounts

For an example of both; my practice is to locate large Pics, Music
etc,. and infected/infectious material such as My Recieved Files
outside of the data set, and then set a Task to archive this to
another hard drive volume.

New accounts lose the path changes so that the new data locations
aren't backed up, and would me bloated and septic if they were.

The archiver sometimes stop to prompt the user what to do, e.g. when
files are "in use"; I could CLI it not to do that, but I prefer users
to be aware that leaving data apps open impacts on this particular
backup arrangement. If the Task is running from a different count, it
may not display the prompts and will stall waiting forever for
response. I'm not sure if setting to interact with desktop will fix?


The other puzzle is; when does Windows auto-track changes and update
settings automatically, and when does it not? For example, rt-drag
and Move will update My Pics, My Music, My Videos and Desktop, but not
ServicePackFiles or My Recieved Files.

In the context of Tasks, YMMV when the name of the PC or account is
changed. Typically the Tasks won't run, and trying to manually set
the new PC and/or user account name just fails to "take".

So I create a new Task, and that starts out with the correct PC and
user names. Then I copy and paste that into existing Tasks; often
after I do one (none?) they're all updated automatically and work.


-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Click to expand...
Tip Of The Day:
To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...
 
This article may help.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310715

The bottom line is password the account you use and you'll have no more
problems along this line.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| This was certainly true with the original XP release, but it changed
| slightly around the time of SP1 or SP2, when the "run only when logged
| on" checkbox appeared.
|
| At the time XP first came out, I thought the need for a password as a
| good idea for security reasons (protect against malware droppingin as
| a Task) and when I noticed the new feature, I saw this as a risk.
|
| When "only when logged on" is checked, the Task will run irrespective
| of the user account password. Note that this mileage is with accounts
| that have a blank password; YMMV if you have a non-blank password and
| try a Task with a different password.
|
| Based on the above, the next question is: Are you considered to be
| logged on at the time the screensaver kicks in, if the screensaver
| system is set to return to the Welcome screen? I'd guess No.
|
| >Just create a new user account to use with Scheduled Tasks.
|
| I don't like that approach for two broad reasons...
|
| 1) New accounts are a nightmare to manage:
| - they start with MS duhfault settings and paths
| - difficulties managing malware across accounts
| - disk bloat from massive IE cache, CD burning, etc.
| - new data location falls outside backup arrangements
|
| 2) UI difficulties with Tasks running from other accounts
|
| For an example of both; my practice is to locate large Pics, Music
| etc,. and infected/infectious material such as My Recieved Files
| outside of the data set, and then set a Task to archive this to
| another hard drive volume.
|
| New accounts lose the path changes so that the new data locations
| aren't backed up, and would me bloated and septic if they were.
|
| The archiver sometimes stop to prompt the user what to do, e.g. when
| files are "in use"; I could CLI it not to do that, but I prefer users
| to be aware that leaving data apps open impacts on this particular
| backup arrangement. If the Task is running from a different count, it
| may not display the prompts and will stall waiting forever for
| response. I'm not sure if setting to interact with desktop will fix?
|
|
| The other puzzle is; when does Windows auto-track changes and update
| settings automatically, and when does it not? For example, rt-drag
| and Move will update My Pics, My Music, My Videos and Desktop, but not
| ServicePackFiles or My Recieved Files.
|
| In the context of Tasks, YMMV when the name of the PC or account is
| changed. Typically the Tasks won't run, and trying to manually set
| the new PC and/or user account name just fails to "take".
|
| So I create a new Task, and that starts out with the correct PC and
| user names. Then I copy and paste that into existing Tasks; often
| after I do one (none?) they're all updated automatically and work.
|
|
|
| >-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
| Tip Of The Day:
| To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...
| >-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
 
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