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Windows 7 Task Scheduler Issue

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3 replies

by jgatys

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I've created a task in task scheduler which basic meaning is to shutdown PC (using shutdown.exe) at 9:30 P.M. if computer is idle for at least 30 min. If it's not system is waiting for another 4 hours for idle to run this task. It's quite simple, isn't it? Every thing SHOULD work fine and it worked for two days. After that my computer stoped to shutting down from scheduler.

Here's what I found i task log (this is my own translation from polish version of Windows so not all quotes may be as they are in english version):

1. 9.30 P.M. (as scheduler should start task): Task scheduler started task "...."
2. 1:30 A.M. (excacly four hours after scheduled task start and when he should abandon job if computer isn't still IDLE): Task scheduler couldn't start task "...." because computer was not idle ..... (what the fuck????)

From this log we can read that scheduler tried to start task at scheduled time but failed to start 4 hours later because computer WAS NOT IDLE !!! through this time. According to task settings scheduler should wait for 4 hours and if computer is not idle should abandon this job. THAT IS CORRECT !!! But... computer WAS IDLE begging from 9:00 P.M. as long to 1:30 A.M. Better - screen saver just ran fine after 10 min. of idle so why scheduler says that PC was NOT idle for 4 hours???? As far as I know screen saver and scheduler are using same "resources" (don't know excacly what) to determinate if computer is idle or not.

Just to remind... just after creation, task worked fine for next 2 days. After that it stoped working with syptoms mentioned above. Can anyone tell me what the hell is wrong ???

P.S. Nothing, I mean NOTHING was changed in task settings mean while.

3 replies

by older mycroft

I'm not convinced that the CPU will return an IDLE status as long as it is constructing a moving image on the screen.

Apart from the 2 Days when you reckon it was working alright, how many Days has it NOT WORKED? It might be that W7 has been seeking Updates which would prevent it from idling.

What defragmentation utility are you running? Some defrag utilities kick in after a period of inactivity (my PerfectDisk certainly does) - this would also prevent the idle clock from counting up to your 30 minutes.

You should go back to the Event Viewer, where it was reported that the computer was NOT idle, then have a look around at some of the events before and after the reported failure - see what else the system WAS doing at that time.

by jgatys

Screen Saver is already off. I only turned it on to check if computer "is having" idle state and according to the fact that screen saver is running it seems that my PC can be idle.

Anyway usually screen saver is turned off in Windows settings. I'm only using blanking screen (turning off monitor) instead of some freaky screen saver. I also changed some settings in my "shutdown job" for testing. I set that job should start if computer is idle only for 1 min and "wait for idle" set also to 1 min. Then I set hour of starting job some 5 min ahead and stopped touching the mouse and keyboard. That also failed. One minut after time when job should start I have a message in log that job was abandoned because computer wasn't idle in periodic time (1 min.).

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