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Scheduled task does not appear to exist, yet still runs

Anonymous
2010-07-15T11:34:18+00:00

Some time ago I set up a simple batch file as a scheduled task to run at 7 AM daily, and it's been doing so ever since.  It starts DTExec.exe to do a data load, and sends me an email when it complete.

Now I want to change the run time - but I cannot find the task schedule anywhere!  I can't see it in Task Scheduler (and yes I did setShow Hidden Tasks ), nor does the task name appear anywhere in \Windows\Tasks or \Windows\System32\Tasks

No such schedule seems to exist - yet the task still runs daily so it must be somewhere!  Where else can I look?

(This is on Windows 7 Home Premium, and my account does have admin rights. The AT task is set to use the System Account.)

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Anonymous
2010-07-16T08:36:03+00:00

Further info: looking at the logs with the Event Viewer, I see in the application log an entry at 07:00:22 for SQLISPackage100 that says my task finished then.

But in the Windows/TaskScheduler Operational log, there is no event at 07:00!  There's something at 06:52 then the next entry is RacTask starting at 07:14:16

Is there something in Windows that can run user tasks at set times OTHER than Task Scheduler?  Maybe I'm looking at the wrong service?

Ah - that's it!  Tasks started by SQL Agent do not appear in the Task Scheduler list, (and I had forgotten I'd set it up that way).

> Wright's 2nd rule of debugging: if you can't find the bug, you're looking for it in the wrong place.  (1st rule: there is always a bug.)

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-03-21T19:46:50+00:00

    This stumped me for a while too.  It may be that when you're looking at task scheduler, you have "Task Scheduler (local)" selected.  Yah, that doesn't work.  Click on "Task Scheduler Library" if you want to see things you've set up.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-02-11T03:47:51+00:00

    Hi David,

    I know this thread is a few months old, but I just encountered the same problem and wanted to shared what I noticed.

    I too, scheduled a Schedule Tasks to run in Windows 7.  my account isn't in the admin group. so when I setup the task, I used a different credential (admin right) to run the task.  Then when i wanted to modify it, I couldn't locate this task I setup.

    Then something came across my mind about using different credential.  I use command prompt, runas as the admin account, then call the Task scheduler.  There it was.  The task that doesn't show in normal control panel.

         Run > cmd

         runas /user:administrator cmd

         <entered my admin password>

         a new prompt appeard, typed:  control schedtasks

    So... I just want to share my experience here, hopefully can help other people that are having the same problem.  Thank you.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-16T07:34:13+00:00

    Yes, I understand that - but I can't set the task to anything, as it does not appear in the task list in Task Scheduler. I can't even stop the task from running daily and set it up a new one!

    Following your second link, I ran

      schtasks /Query >tasks.txt

    My missing task does not appear anywhere in the schtasks output! 

    I do see it says 'INFO: There are no scheduled tasks presently available at your access level.' for some folders, despite my running the command window 'as administrator'.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-07-15T20:42:14+00:00

    It seems that setting a task to "run only when user is logged in" makes the task visible.

    Here's a link (on another forum) where an OP seemed to figure the cause:

    http://superuser.com/questions/78359/why-is-windows-7-scheduled-task-running-hidden

    Also, seehttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721846.aspx

    Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be.

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