Click on Start Programs Accessories System Tools Scheduled Tasks
The Scheduled Tasks Window opens. Just Double Click “Add Scheduled Task”/
The wizard opens telling you what it does. Click Next.
Since the task we are scheduling is a Windows feature just scroll down until you find the built in utility. Click Next.
Now we can type in a name for our task and schedule how often we would like it execute. For Disk Cleanup I chose Monthly.
Now we choose the specific time to start the task. Since I don’t want Disk Cleanup to run while I am on the computer I choose a time I know I won’t be on it. Yes, 2AM … not all geeks drink Red Bull!
If needed you need to enter in your administrator user name and password.
You’re done! Click Finish.
This is a very simple example of how Scheduled Tasks can be utilized. If done right, you can really have a lot of automated processes occur while away from your PC. In an IT environment at work I use Scheduled Tasks to run macros and other scripts on our network. As I mentioned I will go more in depth with using this feature including Vista. You can even create your own batch files to run on a scheduled basis. This is a great way to take a lot of control over what Windows does to benefit your efficient system!