Knowledge Base

This article gives explanation of why one cannot set a task to be executed at shutdown/logoff in Acronis True Image when it is run in Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. This article also provides a workaround for this issue.

Symptoms

There is no option to set a scheduled task to be run at shutdown or user logoff if you are using Acronis True Image in Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008.

Cause

The Winlogon service of both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is totally different from the one of previous Windows operating systems.
The scheduled tasks associated with Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 have been disabled
in GUI.

Solution

You can use the Pre/Post commands option of Acronis True Image to work around the problem:

• Run the Schedule Task wizard;
• At the Set Backup Options step choose Set the options manually;
• Click Pre/Post commands;
• Choose the Use commands option;
• Hit the Edit button next to the After the backup process field;
• Put in the Post command as specified below:
  

  Command: shutdown
  
  Working directory: C:\Windows\System32\
  
  Arguments: -s

This command will automatically shut down the computer after the completion of backup process.

Please note that the Validate backup archive upon operation completion option cannot be used with this workaround. The post command is executed right after backup completion, not after the validation procedure.

More information

You can also put in any other shutdown command parameter in the Arguments field. For the complete list of the parameters please see:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/shutdown.mspx?mfr=true