Your scheduled tasks will not be performed if
Figure 9-6. The Create Task window is another way to enter the scheduling details of a
task, particularly useful if you??™re not fond of step-by-step wizards
574 | Chapter 9: Scripting and Automation
your computer is turned off, if Windows isn??™t running (or has crashed), or if
the Task Scheduler service isn??™t running for some reason. Also, some tasks
will only run if you??™re logged in, and then only if you??™re running on AC
power (not on a battery). These may be obvious, but they can be easy to forget,
and Windows won??™t necessarily tell you whether it missed any tasks; for
this, you??™ll need to check the event log.
If you??™re using a laptop, and are worried that some of your
tasks aren??™t being performed when you??™re running off a battery,
you can change this on a task-by-task basis. First, edit a
task by double-clicking it, and then choose the Conditions
tab.Turn off the Start the task only if the computer is on AC
power option to run it regardless of the power source. If you
put your PC to sleep frequently, you may also want to turn
on the Wake the computer to run this task option. (Naturally,
use these options only for vital tasks to prevent needlessly
draining your battery.) Click OK when you??™re done.
The use of a scheduler opens up some interesting possibilities. Scheduling
helps with repetitive chores, such as running Disk Defragmenter or synchronizing
network files; it also helps by taking care of things you may not
remember to do yourself, such as backing up or checking the amount of disk
space and sending you a text message on your cell phone when it drops
below a certain point.
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