1

We have problem with scheduled tasks on Windows Server 2008 RC2.

Lets say that I want to open Firefox browser, everyday at same time, using batch file(we actually want to run Selenium tests, but I simplified problem).

I set it, and it run fine, when I select 'Run this task when user is logged in'.

The problem is that we want to run this task, no matter if user is logged in or not, so we selected this option('Run tasks no matter if user is logged in or not'), selected 'Highest Priority' for this task, but it doesn't work. It showing that task is started, but browser is not opened. Even when I manually run this task, when I am logged in, it still doesn't open browser(It works perfect when I select to run task only when user is logged in).

Administrators from our web hosting company told us that this is not possible, due some security issues, but I am sure there must be way to archive this.

Thanks in advance.

Ivica
  • 795
  • 2
  • 8
  • 20
  • Which desktop do you want this to run on? – David Heffernan Jan 24 '12 at 16:59
  • No, which desktop? This is a GUI app and it needs a desktop to run on. If you don't want it to run on the desktop of the logged in user, where do you want it to run? – David Heffernan Jan 24 '12 at 17:35
  • It is not problem if it will run on desktop user, but I want those taks to run, even when user is not logged in. On Windows Server 2003 it works perfectly, but not on Windows 2008. – Ivica Jan 26 '12 at 10:58
  • 2
    If there is no user logged in then there will be no desktop available. Are you familiar with session 0 isolation and the changes that took place with services between XP/2003 and Vista/2008? – David Heffernan Jan 26 '12 at 11:33
  • David, I am not Windows administrator, and even I don't use Windows for my desktop computer. So, is there any way to make task scheduler to work same way like it works on Windows 2003? – Ivica Jan 26 '12 at 13:20
  • I think it's going to be hard to run a task like Firefox that assumes there is a desktop available, if there are no logged in users. – David Heffernan Jan 26 '12 at 13:36
  • Can't user be logged automatically, and get desktop somehow? WHen I create scheduled tasks, I am asked as which user I want to run tasks, and I choose Administrator user, and entered password. – Ivica Jan 26 '12 at 15:43
  • 1
    Looking at my own machine, I have a task that ends up running a GUI program. It's configured to Run only when user is logged in. I have a gut feeling that's what you need to do for tasks with GUI. You'd be better off asking this question at superuser.com I suspect. – David Heffernan Jan 26 '12 at 15:48
  • @DavidHeffernan Assuming your familiarity with session 0 isolation is better than mine, I think you should turn your comments into an answer. – Neil May 04 '12 at 23:02

1 Answers1

1

I had exactly the same problem that you describe, it was resolved by specifying the 'Start in' directory for the action. I simply entered the name of the folder where the command file was.

It now runs with 'Run whether user is logged in or not' selected and without checking 'Run with highest privileges.

StevenageBorough
  • 11
  • 1