Task Settings

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista

Task settings specify how a task is run, stopped, or deleted. A task's settings are displayed on the Settings tab of the Task Properties or Create Task dialog box. The following list contains the descriptions of task settings.

• Allow task to be run on demand

  You can specify whether a task can be run manually before or after it is scheduled to run by allowing the task to be run on demand. The default setting allows a user to run the task at any time on demand. For more information about how to run a task on demand, see Run a Task on Demand.

• Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed

  If this setting is checked, the Task Scheduler service will start the task if the task was scheduled to run at a certain time, but for some reason (for example, the computer was turned off or the Task Scheduler service was busy) the task was not activated. The Task Scheduler service will not start the task immediately after the task was missed. By default the service waits ten minutes before starting the missed task.

• If task fails, restart every: <time period>

  Use this setting to restart a task if the task fails to run (the last run result of the task is not a success). You specify the time interval that takes place between task restart attempts, and the number of times to try to restart the task.

• Stop the task if it runs longer than: <time period>

  This setting allows you to limit the amount of time a task is allowed to run. Use this setting to limit tasks that might take a long period of time to execute, causing an inconvenience to the user.

• If the task does not end when requested, force it to stop

  If this setting is selected, the task will be forced to stop if the task does not respond to a request to stop.

• If the task is not scheduled to run again, delete it after: <time period>

  If this setting is selected, the Task Scheduler service will automatically delete the task if it is not scheduled to run again. The Task Scheduler service will wait for the specified time period before deleting the task. If this setting is not selected, the Task Scheduler service will not automatically delete the task. The task must include at least one trigger with an expiration date in order to select this setting.

• If the task is already running, then the following rule applies:

  You must specify how the Task Scheduler service should run the task if another instance of the task is already running:

  • Do not start a new instance: The Task Scheduler service will not run the new instance of the task and will not stop the instance that is already running.

  • Run a new instance in parallel: The Task Scheduler service will run the new instance of the task in parallel with the instance that is already running.

  • Queue a new instance: The Task Scheduler service will add the new instance of the task to the queue of tasks that the service will run, and the service will not stop the instance of the task that is already running.

  • Stop the existing instance: The Task Scheduler service will stop the instance of the task that is already running, and run the new instance of the task.

Additional references

Schedule a Task

Change an Existing Task