Task Scheduler - Multiple Triggers?

[njparton]

I'd like to slip a 460 GTX into my HTPC an run GPU3 when no-one's around or overnight etc.

Can this be accomplished via a single/simple task scheduler setup?

I'd like to use a series of time windows for folding:

Mon - Thu 08:00 to 17:00 and 22:00 to 06:00
Fri 08:00 to 13:00 and 22:00 to 06:00
Weekends 23:00 to 07:00

Can task scheduler's triggering mechanism cope with that?

[7im]

Yes. Setup a task for each time slot. (be sure they don't over lap)

I have used Tasks to fold at work, during non-business hours.

[Napoleon]

I would think so, here's what I have in among W7 (Ult) Task Scheduler options:


Haven't tried myself, but those start/stop when idle options sound promising... perhaps that is what you are hoping for? WXP Task Scheduler might not have all those bells and whistles, though.

[7im]

MS KB: How To Schedule Tasks in Windows 7


And here is the trick for getting the task to start and stop when you want...

Set the task to stop after a certain number of hours. For example, you wanted fah to run from 08:00 to 17:00. So then start the task at 08:00 and set the number of hours to 9.



You do not want the task to stop if the system stops being idle (someone moves a mouse, hits a keyboard), but you can set that on this same screen if you must. I had a problem with the task starting up for a few hours, and then stop several hours before it was supposed to stop. I had the stop if the system is not idle enabled. What happened is the nightly cleaning crew would bump the table while vacuuming, just enough to move the mouse. No more idle, no more folding.

The other option that Napoleon is suggesting is to start the fah client task so that it is scheduled to run all the time, not using specific hours. But set the task to stop if the computer is not idle, and resume when it is idle. That way the client is always running when the computer is idle, and never running when someone is mousing or typing.

Pick whichever methods works best for you.

[njparton]

So I will need a separate task for each time slot rather than a series of different triggers in just one scheduled task?

[7im]

I don't have a Windows 7 box to look at this very moment. You may need to set a trigger for each time slot, unless Windows 7 supports mutliple time slots.

I can't tell from this screen shot I found online.



EDIT: I guess you can set multiple time slots for a single task.

Schedule settings
If creating, updating, or replacing a task, configure the frequency with which to run the task on the Schedule tab. For a task scheduled to be run daily, weekly, monthly, or one time only, select the start time at which to begin the task.

Configure any optional scheduling settings desired:

To let a daily, weekly, or monthly task run only during a specific range of dates, click the Advanced button, and select a Start Date and End Date.


To run the task repeatedly, click the Advanced button, select Repeat task, and configure the frequency and end time or duration.


You can configure multiple schedules. To do this, select the Show multiple schedules check box. For the first schedule that you want to create, select a frequency, start time, and any advanced options for the task. Click New to add another schedule to the list, and then configure settings for it. Any schedule modifications are applied to the schedule currently viewed, but all the schedules are run.

[njparton]

Thanks for the replies. I tried this last night: 2 triggers in one task. One set at 22:00 and one at 08:00. Didn't start. I've therefore set up 2 seperate tasks one with each trigger as I think all the triggers need to fire before a task will start. Task scheduler must evaluate the triggers using the boolean "AND" and not "OR".

As my HTPC only currently has a 220 GT card (soon to change...) I can't run it all the time with idle conditions set as the card isn't powerful enough to run WMC and GPU2 at the same times for a few secs whilst GPU2 is paused so it's obvious that somethings running in the background and the refresh rate slows down to zilch.

What I may do is invest in a used 250 GTS or stretch to a 450 GTS and run GPU2 or 3 continuously at 80% so there's some spare horsepower for WMC...