taskscheduler

# Task Scheduler Manage Windows Task Scheduler jobs via PowerShell when the user explicitly asks for Task Scheduler, a Windows scheduled task, or `schtasks`. Ordinary recurring or later Aiden work belongs to Reliable Automations. ## When to Use - User explicitly asks to use Windows Task Scheduler or `schtasks` - User explicitly wants a Windows scheduled task for a script or program - User asks to list all scheduled tasks or find a specific one - User wants to enable, disable, or delete a scheduled task - User needs to check when a task last ran or why it failed - User explicitly wants a Windows startup-triggered task ## How to Use ### List all non-disabled tasks ```powershell Get-ScheduledTask | Where-Object State -ne 'Disabled' | Select-Object TaskName, TaskPath, State | Sort-Object TaskName | Format-Table -AutoSize ``` ### Get task details (last run, next run) ```powershell Get-ScheduledTaskInfo -TaskName "MyTask" ``` ### Create a daily task ```powershell $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" ` -Argument "-NonInteractive -File C:\scripts\daily-backup.ps1" $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "08:00AM" $settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -ExecutionTimeLimit (New-TimeSpan -Hours 1) Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "DailyBackup" ` -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -Settings $settings ` -Description "Daily backup at 8 AM" -RunLevel Limited ``` ### Create a task that runs at Windows startup ```powershell $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "powershell.exe" ` -Argument "-File C:\scripts\startup.ps1" $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtStartup Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "StartupScript" ` -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -RunLevel Limited ``` ### Create a task that runs every 30 minutes ```powershell $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "python.exe" ` -Argument "C:\scripts\monitor.py" $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -RepetitionInterval (New-TimeSpan -Minutes 30) -Once -At (Get-Date) Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MonitorEvery30m" ` -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -RunLevel Limited ``` ### Enable or disable a task ```powershell Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskName "DailyBackup" Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName "DailyBackup" ``` ### Run a task immediately ```powershell Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "DailyBackup" ``` ### Delete a task ```powershell Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "DailyBackup" -Confirm:$false ``` ### View task run history ```powershell Get-WinEvent -LogName "Microsoft-Windows-TaskScheduler/Operational" | Where-Object { $_.Message -match "DailyBackup" } | Select-Object TimeCreated, Message | Select-Object -First 10 ``` ## Examples **"Schedule a Python script to run every day at 9 AM"** → `New-ScheduledTaskAction` with `python.exe` + script path, `New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At "09:00AM"`, then `Register-ScheduledTask`. **"List all tasks that are currently ready to run"** → `Get-ScheduledTask | Where-Object State -eq 'Ready' | Select-Object TaskName, TaskPath` **"When did my backup task last run and did it succeed?"** → `Get-ScheduledTaskInfo -TaskName "DailyBackup" | Select-Object LastRunTime, LastTaskResult` (0 = success) ## Cautions - Tasks registered with `-RunLevel Limited` run as the current user without UAC prompt — preferred for most automation - `-RunLevel Highest` requires the task to be created in an elevated session; it will not prompt the user during execution - `LastTaskResult` of 0 means success; any other value is an error code - Task Scheduler event log must be enabled to use `Get-WinEvent` history queries