Scheduled tasks - access denied, no permission

Win XP x64 -- I'm trying to use the task scheduler to run a batch file. After I set this up and click OK, I always get the message, "An error has occurred while attempting to set task account information. The specific error is: access is denied. You do not have permission to perform the requested operation."

The "Run as" box specifies "T3400\Administrator" where T3400 is the computer name. I am logged on as Administrator but I don't have a logon password, since no one else has access to this computer.

This same setup works OK under XP Pro.

Thanks,
Don Culp

Correction --

The task scheduler works OK under W2K but not under XP Pro, which gives the message, "The scheduled task did not run because no user account password was entered." However, if I try to enter a password in the scheduler I get the error message below. As with the XP x64 computer, I don't use a password when this computer boots; I just click OK when the logon screen appears.

Don,

I am not sure if I understand this correctly - can I ask you if you configured your machine to boot this way by using [ENTER] as the 'Password', or if you configured it to log you on automatically using no password?

The distinction may be important as auto-logon is a standard 'Mode' that should be passed on by the system to other app's, while substituting the password fools the system to believe a password was used and informs everything else that a password was used.

Sorry, if this explanation seems a bit convoluted.

The XP x64 computer bypasses the logon screen. After having established the scheduled task, if I right-click for Properties and then just click OK from the Properties menu, I don't get an error message. If I right-click for Properties and then click "Set password", then regardless if I enter a password or just click OK (without entering a specific password), then when I exit the Properties menu I get the message, "An error has occurred while attempting to set task account information. The specific error is: access is denied. You do not have permission to perform the requested operation." For any condition the scheduling Status says "Could not start" (presumably after trying to start at the scheduled time).

The XP Pro computer shows the logon screen and I just press Enter for the password. For the Task Scheduler this computer acts the same as the XP x64 except:

1. In the Properties menu of the scheduler, if I click "Set password" and then just click OK (without entering a specific password), then no error message is displayed when I exit the Properties menu.

2. For any condition the scheduling Status says "The scheduled task did not run because no user account password was entered."

For either of the above, the "Run only if logged on" is not checked.

I have not created a specific password for either computer. Do I need to do this?

I would change either logon procedure if it would solve the scheduling problem.

As far as my analytical powers reach, I cannot spot anything obviously wrong in your setup. You might want to keep both machines set up the same, however, my own experience tells me, having two machines with the same OS using different setup's has a danger of provoking 'brainware-error'.

I know what you are saying, but each of my machines serves a very different purpose in my computing life and setting them up the same would not be helpful. In fact, I have more than one because trying to do everything kind of thing on one machine messes me up more. There are always many way to see a thing, eh?

You're right about that, Colin and I'm actually much in the same boat myself - but usually not things that borders the spinal intelligence or the instinctive powers of the realm of the elongated small brain in the back of
your head (as with the log-on procedure), I pick one that serves the general purpose of my entire setup.

If - for instance - I had a web or FTP server as part of my private setup, then I would probably use a strict form of security as a set-up for all my machines, even those that would only be a pain in this respect in it's daily use.

I entirely agree, that using one single setup for everything a machine is or could be doing would hardly be a purposefull strategy

The problem appears to be that the task scheduler *requires* a password, even if you don't otherwise need or use a password. Therefore, you have to set a password in Control panel\User accounts and then use this password in the task scheduler. This worked for both the XP x64 computer and the XP Pro computer.

I noticed that in a reply that was posted that Don had said "Run only if logged on" was not selected. Selecting this gets rid of the need for a password since the user is already logged on. Hopes this helps anyone who was having this problem.