Hi, I have a scheduled task that runs every morning at 4:00am. It has been running great. Then one morning it did not run. I believe my son had watched a video on full screen and that may have prevented the scheduled task from starting. When I got to the computer the full screen video was still opened. Can someone confirm that a full screen app will prevent a scheduled task from starting? Also, is there a way to have the task start if that is the case. Thanks,

From my experience, I can't think of any reason why a full screen app would prevent the Task Scheduler from running a task. Having said that, I have no idea what programs you are running, what settings you have on the task, what software you have installed, etc, etc. Is the issue that the task scheduler did not launch the task, or the task launched, but whatever program it runs did not execute? Look at the task history and the last/next run times. Was the task launched at the correct time? What return code was generated? What logging have you implemented in the process that the task runs? Did the program encounter an error?

Hi Bertman29-3612, If you have a script set to run at a specific time, and that task runs the script but the script doesn't run properly and gives back an error code, then the problem is with the script not the task scheduler. The task scheduler sees the script successfully ran so there is no need to restart the task. Therefore, setting the task to rerun on failure won’t work. It’s possible that an open app prevented the task, but it depends on the function of the task. Can you please post the error code? In the mean time please be sure to check the following articles released by Microsoft: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721846.aspx - Troubleshooting Task Scheduler http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951246 - A scheduled task does not run as expected http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd851678.aspx - Configure a Scheduled Task Item --If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--

Scheduled task prevented by fullscreen app

Accepted answer

MotoX80 31,656 Reputation points

2022-05-03T14:15:21.64+00:00

From my experience, I can't think of any reason why a full screen app would prevent the Task Scheduler from running a task. Having said that, I have no idea what programs you are running, what settings you have on the task, what software you have installed, etc, etc.

Is the issue that the task scheduler did not launch the task, or the task launched, but whatever program it runs did not execute?

Look at the task history and the last/next run times. Was the task launched at the correct time? What return code was generated? What logging have you implemented in the process that the task runs? Did the program encounter an error?
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Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-27T14:19:02.937+00:00

Thanks for the reply, sorry I didn't receive a notification that somebody had replied to my question. So the problem happened again this morning (May 27th, 2022). My task was scheduled to start at 4:05 am but didn't start due to my son leaving a Youtube video paused in full screen running in Firefox. I can see The task last ran on May 26th at 4:05:01am and is scheduled to run next on May 28th at 4:05am. If the computer isn't left with Firefox in full screen mode the tasks run as scheduled, every day at 4:05am. My History was disabled for the task, I have now enabled it. My task runs a Powershell Script. Under the General tab it is set to run only when user is logged in. For Triggers, it is set to run daily at 4:05am. and status is Enabled. Under Actions it is set to start a program, C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -WindowStyle Hidden -ExecutionPolicy unrestricted -Command "& 'C:\Users\User1\Documents\User1\Powershell Scripts\Script.ps1'". Under the Conditions tab, nothing is check marked.
Under the Settings tab, Allow task to be run on demand, Stop the task if it runs longer than 2 hours, and If the running task does not end when requested, force it to stop, are check marked.

Thanks,

MotoX80 31,656 Reputation points

2022-05-27T16:15:43.833+00:00

I don't have Firefox installed on my Win11 laptop, so I tested it with Edge and Chrome. The task ran fine.

Create a second script that does something simple like writing the time to a file.

get-date | out-file C:\temp\temp.txt

Create a second task that is configured like your 4am task but runs the second script. Define a trigger that runs in a few minutes, Then go browse a video with Firefox and see if the task runs and writes to the file. Then test again with Edge. Check the task history along the way.

Let's see what happens.

Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-28T01:07:56.14+00:00

I will give it a try tomorrow and post the results. Thanks for your help.

Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-28T16:30:42.417+00:00

Alright I gave it a try and got the same result, the scheduled task did not start.

I created the scheduled task to start at 11:05am. At 11:03am I opened Firefox with a youtube video paused on fullscreen then waited till 11:06am. As you can see in the screenshot the task never ran. I haven't had a chance to try with Edge or Chrome yet.

MotoX80 31,656 Reputation points

2022-05-28T17:53:38.237+00:00

Since the task is set to run "only when the user is logged on", then it would appear that Firefox is somehow blocking interaction with the desktop. Testing with Edge/Chrome would be good.

Anything interesting in the task history tab?

And check the task scheduler log to see if there are any additional events that might have "unable to start task due to..." at the time the task should have run.

Event viewer\Applications and Services Logs\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler\Operational.

Does the real task need to interact with the desktop? Or run as "your account"? Could it run in the background as SYSTEM?

Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-28T18:12:48.06+00:00

Played with it some more. Same thing happened in Edge. Looking at the history, every time I play a video in fullscreen in either Edge or Firefox, it disables my scheduled task. Once it's out of fullscreen mode it seems to be fine.

Not sure what's causing that to happen.

Tried playing around with different users, as in SYSTEM but made no difference.

Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-28T18:29:06.31+00:00

Upon further digging, this seems to be an issue with Avast Anti-Virus' "Do not disturb" mode when apps are in fullscreen. I will play around with this later and confirm if this is the issue or not.

Further information can be found here.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=249063.0

MotoX80 31,656 Reputation points

2022-05-28T18:54:56.633+00:00

That would make sense because I can't find anything in the Windows settings that would block tasks when running a video.

Bertman29 31 Reputation points

2022-05-29T01:59:09.493+00:00

I've confirmed it was an issue with Avast. If anyone has this problem I fixed it by going in Avast. Under the Performance option, select Do Not Disturb, then click the gear icon, uncheck the checkbox called Pause Windows Update. Simply disabling the Do Not Disturb options for Edge and Firefox fullscreen notification options didn't work. Pause Windows Update was the culprit.

ComputerL 0 Reputation points

2024-04-20T04:07:10.3166667+00:00

Thank you Bertman29 for the solution. This is very helpful!
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Scheduled task prevented by fullscreen app

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