Task Schedulling, wake from sleep as an alarm clock, and play music

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Godsninja

Godsninja

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2011
36
0
18,530
I posted this to the application section but received no help.

Hi, I'm having trouble using task scheduler with windows. What I'm trying to do is use my laptop as an alarm clock. I usually take my battery out and put the computer to sleep before I hit the hay, and I'd like it if my laptop awoke from sleep, turned iTunes on, and started playing music, to wake me up.

I've searched the forum as well as Google the problem, but nothing anyone says helps, and I couldn't find the same problem as I'm having.

I'd actually like to do more than that, like somehow connect the rooms in my light so they turn on at the same time as my laptop w/ music, but that's for later.

My laptop is an HP Pavilion g6, Intel Core i3 CPU M380 @ 2.53 GHz using Windows 7. I think my motherboard is an Intel HM55 Express Chip set LPC Interface Controller 3B09.

I read somewhere that I need to make sure my BIOS is compatible to be awaken from hibernate. I don't know how to check that, and I don't know if it matters that I want to wake it from sleep instead of hibernate. I've successfully got the task scheduler to play music, but I couldn't get it to open iTunes and to play it through that.

Also, no matter what I do I can't create a task that wakes my laptop up from sleep, and this is SOOOOOO frustrating. I've done many different combinations, it should be working.

Here is what I've done so far:
- checked 'run whether user is logged on or not'
- checked 'do not store password: the task will only have access to local resources'
- checked 'run with highest privileges'
- chose configure for: windows 7
- triggered to begin the task only on a daily schedule, as well as on idle (like as in sleep?)
- unchecked all advanced settings except for 'enabled'
- set action as 'start a program', chose the script as:"C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe"
- added argument as:"C:\Users\Tomi\Music\My Songs\Flux Pavilion\Gold Dust (Flux Pavilion Remix).mp3"
- checked/set the only condition as 'wake the computer to run this task'
- checked the settings: 'allow task to be run on demand', 'run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed' and 'if the running task does not end when requested, force it to stop'
- no history enabled

With these settings, the song starts playing while the computer is on normally in desktop, but does NOT wake the computer from sleep.

I've included as much info as I can. I have no idea why this isn't working, because it should. I tried to do this myself because the interface is fairly simple, but I can't, and most online guide instructions are plain and only explain everything that's self-explanatory. It doesn't make any sense to me, this should be working. If there's anything else you need to know, just ask.

Thanks.
 
Solution
Branden
so you've created a task that works fine when run manually (and the laptop is on and the user logged in), but doesn't automatically (with laptop asleep), correct?

first, make sure your laptop has wake timers enabled. if wake timers are not enabled it won't allow a task to wake it up from standby. wake timer setting is found in advanced power settings.

and keep in mind hibernate and standby are very different things, a task can be set to wake a computer from standby but not from hibernate. if you want to wake a computer from hibernation at specific times that'd have to be set in the BIOS.
Sort by date Sort by votes
chugot9218

chugot9218

Honorable
May 8, 2012
2,254
0
12,160
As far as waking your computer, I was thinking some kind of batch file could do it, and apparently, it is as simple as sending an echo to the console. Here is an article that details most of the steps you are looking for. http://www.groovypost.com/howto/schedule-wake-sleep-windows-automatically/ I would think you would have the task run that "wake" batch file and then your Itunes piece directly after. I don't think you need to disable hibernate although they suggest it, if you are still having issues, post back.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Branden

Branden

Distinguished
Jan 22, 2009
598
0
19,060
so you've created a task that works fine when run manually (and the laptop is on and the user logged in), but doesn't automatically (with laptop asleep), correct?

first, make sure your laptop has wake timers enabled. if wake timers are not enabled it won't allow a task to wake it up from standby. wake timer setting is found in advanced power settings.

and keep in mind hibernate and standby are very different things, a task can be set to wake a computer from standby but not from hibernate. if you want to wake a computer from hibernation at specific times that'd have to be set in the BIOS.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
Godsninja

Godsninja

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2011
36
0
18,530
Yes Branden, the wake timers were disabled, and I now have them enabled. Thankyou! Now I'm wondering how to play a song through an application that's opened and viewable. Like before, when I did it, it would play, but nothing would be open, and I would have to wait for the song to finish or the task to be shut down. Then, when I'd try to open iTunes, it would say something like another user is using it, and for them to shut it down before I can use it.

So the action field fields kind of confuse me.

The program/script field seems like where I put the exe field for w.e. music player I use.
Then there's add arguments, where I put the address for the song.
Then there's "Start in (optional)"

Can someone explain to me, or direct me to, where these fields are explained?

And p.s. I don't have room for an alarm clock. I had one but threw it out. I'm using my phone alarm now, but just like with the alarm clock, doesn't work to keep me awake after I've woken. If my laptop wakes me up, then I have a reason to stay awake :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Godsninja

Godsninja

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2011
36
0
18,530
Update: So now when the task is running, my laptop screen turns on, and is open to the select user account screen. I only have 1 account on my laptop. When it wakes up from sleep it shows it as locked, I'm not sure if that might be the reason that there's no other programs open, and no music playing, when the laptop awakes.

The action looks like this, from script, argument, to start in:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe"
C:\Users\Tomi\Music\My Songs\System of a Down\Streamline
C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Branden

Branden

Distinguished
Jan 22, 2009
598
0
19,060
now you need to set "require password on wakeup" to "no" (in advanced power options) for it to wake up logged in.

as for writing a script to do what you want afterwards that's where my help stops, i'm not fluent enough in such things. but i suspect a simple batch file isn't up to the job, you may have to look into itunes parameters/CLI or a powershell script to get that working.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Godsninja

Godsninja

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2011
36
0
18,530


Ok, thanks for helping out. It looks like you're right so I'll look into those 2 things.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom