Group Policy Preferences - Scheduled Tasks

[cookie_monster]

Has anyone used GPP to manage scheduled tasks?

I'm trying to schedule disk defragmenter on our XP clients and the task keeps appearing with quotes around it which causes the job to fail, if I remove the quotes the job runs. Also if I move the closing quotes to before C: it will run the problem is that GPP won't create it like that even though that's the command that I entered in the GPP console.

"C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe" C:

Below is the error due to the quotes

"Defrag.job" () 17/08/2009 16:21:27 ** ERROR **
Unable to start task.
The specific error is:
0x8007007b: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
Try using the Task page Browse button to locate the application.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Michael]

It is perfectly normal for the job to have quotes, even if the path name has no spaces. Usually Scheduled Tasks fail due to permissions, but clearly that isn't the problem in this case. If you create the job manually on a machine instead of using the GPP, does this work as it should?

[cookie_monster]

It is normal for the command to have quotes but it doesn't seem to like the space then the C: command (in this case). If I create the job manually without the quotes it runs if I create it as GPP does it fails. I can also alter the job that is created by GPP and move the quote to before the C: and it runs.

This is how GPP creates the job

"C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe C:"

[Michael]

Have you tried adding a forward slash before C: ?

C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe /C:"

[DaveP]

I am trying to get Group Policy Preferences to add a scheduled task also [Run a PSShutdown script held on the server] I have waited for the task to arrive [be created] at the client end without success. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

Has anyone successfully used GPP to do this?

Thanks.

[cookie_monster]

I'll try a slash before the C tomorrow and let you know cheers.

@ DaveP, it should work fine GPP creates the job for me it's just not running correctly, have you forced an update on the client? gpupdate /force

[PiqueABoo]

Uh.. are you putting the entire line in the GPP run field? You are supposed to split it like this:

Run: C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe
Arguments: C:

[DaveP]

....have you forced an update on the client? gpupdate /force

Hi,

Yes I had thought of that. Tried a gpupdate /force and also tried waiting all weekend [set the GPP on Friday afternoon and checked the stations this morning. Nothing doing.

[cookie_monster]

@ PiqueABoo, i've not used GPP before (just moved to server 2008) for this as previously I used .bat files so I hadn't seen the arguments field, i'll take a look tomorrow.

Thanks.

[Finch7]

What was the fix? I've just had the same error message pop up trying to deploy a scheduled task.

0x8007007b: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

[Killer_Bot]

You may want to post a new thread Finch, this one's been dead for over 2 years

Just a quick suggestion but have you checked what PiqueABoo suggested (i.e. keeping the arguments separate)

Uh.. are you putting the entire line in the GPP run field? You are supposed to split it like this:

Run: C:\Windows\System32\defrag.exe
Arguments: C:

[cyr0n_k0r]

which OS are you trying to deploy this to?
We deploy scheduled tasks just fine using XP.

I'll post my code tomorrow morning with our settings. it works awesome.

[Finch7]

Windows 7 and yep tried the suggestions here. I've encountered the exact same error message before using the printer section of gpp. Didn't solve it that time either. So not entirely sure it's syntax related.

New thread started here..

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/window...tml#post754450