You might want to have look at simple command line scheduler "at":
C:\Documents and Settings\mahendra.patil>at/?
The AT command schedules commands and programs to run on a computer at
a specified time and date. The Schedule service must be running to use
the AT command.
AT [\\computername] [ [id] [/DELETE] | /DELETE [/YES]]
AT [\\computername] time [/INTERACTIVE]
[ /EVERY:date[,...] | /NEXT:date[,...]] "command"
\computername Specifies a remote computer. Commands are scheduled on the
local computer if this parameter is omitted.
id Is an identification number assigned to a scheduled
command.
/delete Cancels a scheduled command. If id is omitted, all the
scheduled commands on the computer are canceled.
/yes Used with cancel all jobs command when no further
confirmation is desired.
time Specifies the time when command is to run.
/interactive Allows the job to interact with the desktop of the user
who is logged on at the time the job runs.
/every:date[,...] Runs the command on each specified day(s) of the week or
month. If date is omitted, the current day of the month
is assumed.
/next:date[,...] Runs the specified command on the next occurrence of the
day (for example, next Thursday). If date is omitted, the
current day of the month is assumed.
"command" Is the Windows NT command, or batch program to be run.
I could have sworn I'd seen a little task scheduler GUI like you're talking about prior to Vista, but maybe I was thinking of the "Add Scheduled Task" wizard.
You might have to settle for opening the scheduled tasks explorer with this command:
control schedtasks
I couldn't find any way to launch the "Add Scheduled Task" wizard from the command line, unfortunately (there has to be a way!)
Yes, the GUI is available in XP. I can get the list of scheduled tasks (but not the GUI) to open with the following command,
control.exe schedtasks
Then you can use the wizard to add a new scheduled task, for example.
In XP, you can find the Scheduler GUI from within Windows Help if you search for "Scheduled Tasks" then click on "Step by Step instructions" and open the scheduler GUI. Clicking on the last link executes the following command, which likely could be translatedinto something that would open the Scheduler GUI from the command line. Does anyone know how?
Name it something easy like "tsks.lnk" and then save it in c:\windows\system32.
You can now press Windows Key + R, then type "tsks" and press Enter and voila. No mouse necessary at that point.
Or in Windows Vista/7/2008, just press Windows Key, then type "tsks" and press Enter.
I'm using Windows 2003 on the server. I'm in action with "SCHTASKS.EXE"
SCHTASKS /parameter [arguments]
Description:
Enables an administrator to create, delete, query, change, run and
end scheduled tasks on a local or remote system. Replaces AT.exe.
Parameter List:
/Create Creates a new scheduled task.
/Delete Deletes the scheduled task(s).
/Query Displays all scheduled tasks.
/Change Changes the properties of scheduled task.
/Run Runs the scheduled task immediately.
/End Stops the currently running scheduled task.
/? Displays this help message.
Examples:
SCHTASKS
SCHTASKS /?
SCHTASKS /Run /?
SCHTASKS /End /?
SCHTASKS /Create /?
SCHTASKS /Delete /?
SCHTASKS /Query /?
SCHTASKS /Change /?
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Executed Wed 02/29/2012 10:48:36.65 │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
It's quite interesting and makes me feel so powerful. :)