Scheduled Tasks and Passwords (Home)

Topic

New Reply

I have been having some BIG trouble lately using Windows’s Scheduled Tasks folder.

It seems that I cannot manually run any of my tasks–by right-clicking them and selecting Run–since it seems that some (all?) tasks require passwords?

So, I have been entering and deleting and changing passwords by right-clicking the task, selecting Properties, and then clicking Set Password–but to no avail.

Note: I am the only user of this computer, so I, with the user name “Jonathan Rick,” am the computer administrator and the sole user. Additionally, I believe I don’t have a password, since I do not use one when booting up and when I go to User Accounts via the Control Panel, there is an arrow (option) to “create” (as opposed, I would think, to “change”) a password.

Furthermore, my full computer name, as listed under the Computer Name tab in System Properties (right-click My Computer, select properties) is “jrick.” Which might explain the “Run as:” line in the properties of my scheduled tasks: “JRICKJonathan Rick”

Last: The status of my tasks, if I do not enter a password, is: “The scheduled task did not run because no user account password was entered. The status if I enter a password is: “The scheduled task did not run because an incorrect password or user name was entered.”

Any ideas? I am really lost, especially since some of my scheduled tasks include defragging, virus scanning, and backing-up. Help!

Thanks so much!

Reply | Quote

Replies

Jon, I’m pretty sure that the task scheduler expects passwords. If you don’t want to assing a password to your account then try creating another user account with administrative rights and assign a password to it. Use that user and password on the scheduled tasks.

Joe

--Joe

Reply | Quote

Quite likely, A similar XPerience occurs with “Run as”. If you’re logged in as a Limited account, and want to run an app as an Administrator, it will work only if the Admin account you use has a password.

Why would anyone want full control over security on their system, when Bill knows best?

(There may be a registry tweak to get around these defaults, but I haven’t run into it, yet.)

Reply | Quote

(Edited by Jon_Rick on 19-May-03 21:50. )

Hi Joe,

Sorry for the delay in my response; I’ve been quite remiss.

Can anyone confirm that the XP Home Task Scheduler requires passwords? Perhaps there’s a Microsoft Knowledge Base article somewhere?

Regarding your suggestion to create another user with administrative rights, etc., does this mean that every time I want to run a task I must log-on as that user? What about tasks I want to run automatically?

Thanks, Joe–and Tim; I really appreciate your help!

UPDATE: I just found http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;en-us;311119 and http://www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/…d,106724,00.asp. I’ll let you know how it works out…

Reply | Quote

XP Home and Pro both REQUIRE a password for Task Scheduler to work. The password MUST be the same one that is linked to the account that is setting up the Task. So if you do NOT have a password to log in to Windows XP, the task will not run.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

Reply | Quote

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;en-us;310715%5B/url%5D

Reply | Quote

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;en-us;310715%5B/url%5D

Reply | Quote

I’m not familiar with XP Home, but on XP Pro you can create a completely separate user account and specify the username and password for that account to run a scheduled task. I’m pretty sure that this works even if you happen to be logged on to your own user account at the time the scheduled task runs.

StuartR

Reply | Quote

I’m not familiar with XP Home, but on XP Pro you can create a completely separate user account and specify the username and password for that account to run a scheduled task. I’m pretty sure that this works even if you happen to be logged on to your own user account at the time the scheduled task runs.

StuartR

Reply | Quote

I use XP Pro SP1 and routinely use the task scheduler without setting passwords. For example, I have a calendar come up at 7 am every morning and passwords are not used for this. When creating the task, make sure the Run as: is set to ComputerName/UserID and DO NOT do Set Password. At least that is how I do it..

… Robbie

Reply | Quote

I use XP Pro SP1 and routinely use the task scheduler without setting passwords. For example, I have a calendar come up at 7 am every morning and passwords are not used for this. When creating the task, make sure the Run as: is set to ComputerName/UserID and DO NOT do Set Password. At least that is how I do it..

… Robbie

Reply | Quote