Schedule a Windows XP reboot?

[Lewis]

Using the task scheduler, does anyone know what application to choose? Or if there is a different method you go about trying to do this. Thanks!

-Lewis

[Steven Edwards]

Shutdown -r -f

I think that'll work for XP.

-Steven

[Lewis]

I'm not sure what to do with that http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif

-Lewis

[jimnms]

Easy, do this:

1) Don't click the "Add Scheduled Task" icon, instead click "File", "New", and select "Scheduled Task." Rename it to "Reboot" or something.

2) Double click on the new task, and type "shutdown -r -f" in the Run box (but don't type the quotes).

3) Go to the Schedule tab and set the time and day(s) to run the task.

4) Go to the Settings tab and set any of those you want.

5) Click OK. It may prompt you for a password, it is the password for your Windows profile. If you don't have one, leave it blank and click OK.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

[BlkDiamond]

I would recommend using the -l (Lowercase L not a number one) instead of -f. This will do two things - close any open applications, and log-off the current user saving any profile changes that may have occurred during the current session before rebooting the system.

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created
them."

[Lewis]

I tried both.

When it prompts for a password, if I click cancel the scheduled task "cannot start." If I click OK, "the scheduled task did not start because no user account password was entered."

I do not have any passwords set. I doublecheck that. And yes, I am the administrator (owner).

-Lewis

[Steven Edwards]

Lewis,

Microsoft says in this (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;311119) Knowledge Base article that domain accounts, but not local users, can run tasks without setting a password.

Hope this helps. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif

-Steven

[Lewis]

Unfortunately, having to set a password requires me to log back into the computer when it reboots.

I was hoping that I could restart my computer at night for maintenance reasons, but I require programs to load back up upon restarting. Except, it would be password protected and I would have to manually log back in :-(

Long story short, it's not going to work.

-Lewis

[krstofer]

Yeah, I was wondering, why restart?
I just leave all mine on.... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

http://krstofer.org

[jimnms]

I have a password, maybe that's why it worked for me. Here's what you can do. Download TweakUi (http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/c/a/fca6767b-9ed9-45a6-b352-839afb2a2679/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe) from Microsoft and install it.

Set a password for your windows profile. Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts. Select your profile, click Create a password.

Now run the TweakUI that you installed, it should be under "Power Toys for Windows XP" on the start menu. It has an option to auto log in:

http://www.ircore.com/~reaper/uploads/autologin.jpg

Put in your username, click set password, and click OK. Now windows will login without prompting you for the password. Don't forget the password though, you'll need it if you ever need to change or remove it later.

Back to the shutdown command line in the scheduled task, I recommend using just "shutdown -r." The -l only works by itself, and just logs out the current user. The -r by itself will tell all programs to shutdown normally. The -f switch will force them to close without warning, and could problems.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

[Lewis]

Originally posted by jimnms:

I have a password, maybe that's why it worked for me. Here's what you can do. Download http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/c/a/fca6767b-9ed9-45a6-b352-839afb2a2679/TweakUiPowertoySetup.exe from Microsoft and install it.


Thank you!

Out of curiosity, using -r, does that tell the programs to shut down normally as if I the end user manually exited from them?

-Lewis

[Lewis]

Originally posted by krstofer:

Yeah, I was wondering, why restart?
I just leave all mine on.... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/wink.gif

http://krstofer.org

I'm a quadriplegic using voice recognition to use my computer. The program I use (Dragon NaturallySpeaking) works better when the computers not left on all the time. However, my home automation software needs to be running all the time. Hence, the restart allows the computer to be on all the time and satisfies the voice recognition software.

-Lewis

[jimnms]

Originally posted by Lewis:

Thank you!

Out of curiosity, using -r, does that tell the programs to shut down normally as if I the end user manually exited from them?

-Lewis

The -r does the same thing as if you shutdown from the start menu. The programs will close normally, but you will still lose any unsaved information.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.