I have a problem with the Task Scheduler related to (but not exactly the same as) that described in this thread . The "Run only when user is logged on" parameter in task scheduler is badly labelled, and it's implications and usage are not clear from the user interface. The Requirement I use the Speedfan utility on my machine. This needs to run with admin privileges, so I set it up in the Task Scheduler to run "At log on of any user", and "Run with highest privileges". Note i am the only user with admin privileges on this machine, but I am happy to enter my password in the Task Scheduler to allow this task to run with admin privs. The Problem The option for "Run only when user is logged on" parameter is wonderfully ambiguous. It doesn't say whether it means: Run only when the user named under the setting for "When running this task, use the following user account" is logged in, or- Run when ANY user is logged in. In practice I find if I have "Run only when user is logged on", the task runs in the system tray as required, but it only works if I am the user logged in. If I select "Run whether user is logged in or not", the task runs as a background process (a daemon in Unix terms) with no user interface, no use at all. I have discovered from reading the forums (including the thread linked to above) that checking "Run whether user is logged in or not" implicitly forces the task to run as a daemon, with no UI. The fact that the Task scheduler interface makes no mention of this at all is not helpful. The alternative has the task running only if one user (me) happens to be the person logged in. Not what is required. Task scheduler - Needs some work done on these badly labelled and ambiguous options. Seems to lask a required option for "Run Task when ANY user is logged on, and show a UI". Is the latter point achievable?, or is task scheduler simply broken in this regard? Regards: colin_e

The option for "Run only when user is logged on" is not miss labeled. It does what the name says. The task is run when the user (you select) is logged on the system."A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" CLIP- Stellvertreter http://www.winvistaside.de/

The option for "Run only when user is logged on" is not miss labeled. It does what the name says. The task is run when the user (you select) is logged on the system. "A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" CLIP- Stellvertreter http://www.winvistaside.de/ I disagree. It could say either- "Run when a user is logged in" or "Run when the above user is logged in" but it specifies neither.

"Run when user is logged in" is enough, no need to add "above". You are the first user having issues with this. All other users understand it. Send Feedback to MS: http://mymfe.microsoft.com/Windows 7/Feedback.aspx?formID=195 and report that this is irritating for you and that MS should clarify it more in Windows 8."A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" CLIP- Stellvertreter http://www.winvistaside.de/

Also, you can discuss this in Feedback and Comments Forum. Regards, MiyaThis posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. | Please remember to click "Mark as Answer" on the post that helps you, and to click "Unmark as Answer" if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Some comments- Re: "You are the first user having issues with this." Clearly not the case, I referred to another thread from another user having similar problems with this function in my original posting. Re: "All other users understand it." I'm sorry, but this is nonsense. I doubt that more than 1% of Windows users know the task scheduler exists, let alone have tried to use this particular function. Of the millions of MS Windows users out there, of the tiny proportion that may try this option and may be confused by it, only a proportion of them will go online to raise the issue on a forum, and only a proportion of THAT proportion will choose this particular site in order to do so. If what you mean is "I have not seen many questions about this function on this site" please say so. References to "all other users" are neither meaingful or helpful. Re: "Send Feedback to MS:" I tried, but the form has a small (and unspecified) limit on the number of characters in the feedback message. I have entered an extremely truncated, and thus not very detailed or specific, description of the problem here. None of this of course helps solve the original question- Is it possible in Windows 7, to configure a trusted application to start automatically when ANY user logs in, and have that application run with admin privileges, with a User Interface (minimised to the system tray or not), without a UAC prompt. If the answer is "no", then I humbly suggest that this is a gap in functionality, because there are valid use cases, I gave Speedfan as one example. Regards: colin_e

Is it possible in Windows 7, to configure a trusted application to start automatically when ANY user logs in, and have that application run with admin privileges, with a User Interface (minimised to the system tray or not), without a UAC prompt. If the answer is "no", then I humbly suggest that this is a gap in functionality, because there are valid use cases, I gave Speedfan as one example. The answer is NO . Running with any user run the tool in session 0 and you can't see a GUI. So you can only use this to run background programs which have no GUI."A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" CLIP- Stellvertreter http://www.winvistaside.de/

Thank you for your more reasoned tone, but I am confused by the link you gave. This link points to a "Feedback and Comments" forum for the Microsoft Genuine Advantage programme. My issue is with a microsoft product (Win 7) not one of their OEM marketing programmes. This forum is cluttered with a seemingly random mix of questions, comments and rants. While Microsoft can't be held responsible for the incoherent nature of some of their customers, I don't think the lack of clarity over the purpose of the forum helps. Regards: colin_e

This is a "Users are helping users" forum, NO official support. If you want supprt directly from MSFT contact the support: Contact a support professional by E-mail, Online, or Phone"A programmer is just a tool which converts caffeine into code" CLIP- Stellvertreter http://www.winvistaside.de/

I have to agree with Colin. I ran into the same problem and was going nuts trying to figure it out. The use of running a task with admin privileges when a user logs on is very useful especially in an enviroment of many virtual machines. I needed this feature to setup a machine for initial use. Now I know I cannot do it this way. If someone knows the way to work around this Windows bug, please post a solution here.

I also FIRMLY agree that this is a gap in functionality and that this should be addressed. I use E-MU PatchMix DSP which runs my audio interface and allows me high functionality for the audio applications I run. Without the GUI I can't use it properly. Simply put - enabling the ability to give a program full admin access under any user is simply a logical expectation that us users have. And the few that bothered to search further, came here... the few that bothered to sign in and comment... are here... MANY more read it, and MANY more than that didn't bother searching because they are tired of dealing with a serious lack of a user-friendly system. I don't care if this is the right forum in MS's eyes or not. I am an MS fanboy and one thing I can say is this... Searching via G, brought me here... THUS, I post here for the higher amount of readers reading this post and NOT the right forum. I love Windows but as power user functionality was taken to the masses with Office 2007 and later, Windows badly needs this. I am a composer, not someone who wants to waste time learning the millions of things I need to learn about windows and everything else just to get things working the way that isn't just how I like... but is logical, secure, and is the only reasonable solution. - If every security-wise bit of advice out there says create an admin account with admin access then user accounts for daily use... why isn't this standard? The reason Apple is becoming more popular with everyone I know my age (college) is because people want simple and for the Workstation environment and portable devices (growing trends) we need simple. Less time working on getting things working right, more time being productive. Windows is great, Windows 7 is amazing. Windows 8 probably won't have this stuff fixed by then and that's sad. I get that it's about profit but I can easily name 100 different gui improvements that are simpler, easier, and with the same or more functionality than windows currently uses... and they will never be added. Windows Explorer alone needs to me massively revised to stay current. Windows 8 adding touch 'buttons' in a ribbon is HARDLY enough to qualify as improvement. It's the same thing, with basic touch functionality added. That is NOT improvement! - I love MS and always have. I will always see MS as the best... but sometimes I wish that certain 'common sense' things were seen as clearly as the competition gets it. -optimistic and hopeful windows user and Microsoft fan

I am having a similar problem here. If we have a Remote Desktop session logged in, but disconnected, is that considered logged in to the scheduler? In practice, sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not work. :-( MisterT99