Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

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Chapter 20: Handling Routine Maintenance and Troubleshooting

Managing and Troubleshooting Tasks

You can access the current tasks configured on your computer through the Task

Scheduler. You can view and manage scheduled tasks you or other people created by

completing the following steps:

1. Click Start and then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel, click System and

Maintenance and then click the Schedule Tasks link under Administrative Tools.

2. In the left pane, select the Task Schedule Library node to display tasks created

by you or other people.

3. Select a task to view its properties using the tabs provided. Note the task status,

last runtime, and last run result. If a task has a status of Queued, it is waiting to

run at a scheduled time. If a task has a status of Ready, it is ready to run on its

next runtime. If a task should be running automatically but has a Last Run Time

of Never, you’ll need to check the task’s properties to determine why it isn’t run-

ning. If the Last Run Result is an error, you’ll need to resolve the referenced

problem so that the task can run normally.

4. On the History tab, as shown in Figure 20-29, you’ll see a detailed history of the

task from its creation to its last runtime. Use the history information to help you

resolve problems with the task.

5. If you want to manage the task, right-click the task and then:

• Select Delete to delete the task.

• Select Disable to disable the task so that it doesn’t run.

• Select Properties to edit the task’s properties.

• Select Run to run the task.

• Select End to stop a running task.

Figure 20-29. Reviewing the task status and history

Scheduling Maintenance Tasks

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When checking for problems with tasks, keep in mind that a task that is listed as

Running might not in fact be running, but instead might be a hung process. You can

check for hung processes using Last Run Time, which tells you when the task was

started. If a task has been running for more than 24 hours, there is usually a prob-

lem. To stop the task, right-click it in the Task Scheduler and then select End.