Check Disabled state after Disable-ScheduledTask status on Running Task

Hello to all, i seek your wisdom!
I am trying to automate the following steps performed manually:
- Disable a running scheduled task, but keeping it running.
- Do actions that stop the task process.
- Do additional actions.
- Enable scheduled task and run it.

I can do all the steps in PowerShell, but the issue i have is that when i use:
Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'TaskName' -TaskPath '\TaskPath\'
while the task remains running, i am not able to get the Disabled state with:
Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'TaskName' -TaskPath '\TaskPath\'
In the taskschd.msc ui i can see the option to enable the task, so i see hat is is disabled
But i need to confirm the Disabled state from PowerShell.
I am not able to find anything in task cim properties either.

I hope one of you knows the solution to my dilema.

Windows PowerShell

LainRobertson
Jun 08, 2023
RedModSK

Hi,

Sorry, try this instead, which checks the Settings.Enabled property:

Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "SystemSoundsService" | ForEach-Object { [PSCustomObject] @{ Task = "$($_.TaskPath)$($_.TaskName)"; State = $_.State; Enabled = $_.Settings.Enabled; } }

The principle is the same as for Triggers, it's just that the Settings.Enabled describes the job as a whole rather than Triggers.Enabled that returns the status of each trigger in the Triggers array.

Cheers,
Lain

5 Replies

LainRobertson

Silver Contributor

Jun 08, 2023

RedModSK

There's two points of interest within the scheduled task WMI class:

The State property, which tells you the current execution status
The Triggers property, which is an array of further WMI MSFT_TaskLogonTrigger objects.

What you are checking for in your final stage is State when you should be checking the Triggers array.

Here is a simple example script that demonstrates the difference between State and Triggers, where each object within the Triggers array contains a property named Enabled, which indicates if the trigger is enabled or disabled, which is what your final question is alluding to.

Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "SystemSoundsService" |
    ForEach-Object {
        $Task = $_;

        for ($index = 0; $index -lt $Task.Triggers.Length; $index++) {
            [PSCustomObject] @{
                Task = "$($Task.TaskPath)$($Task.TaskName)";
                State = $Task.State;
                Trigger = $index;
                TriggerEnabled = $Task.Triggers[$index].Enabled;
            }
        }
    }

Cheers,

Lain

RedModSK

Copper Contributor

Jun 08, 2023

Hello LainRobertson
thank you for your fast reply. I think i understand your State and Trigger explanation. However, the trigger comes back the same enabled : True, when the task is enabled or disabled.

Looking at your script i am a bit confused. You are running a foreach-object, but there seems to be only one state and one trigger property for a service, as far as i can see. For example:

$task = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName "RtkAudUService64_BG" -TaskPath \
$task | Get-Member

   TypeName: Microsoft.Management.Infrastructure.CimInstance#Root/Microsoft/Windows/TaskScheduler/MSFT_ScheduledTask

Name                      MemberType     Definition
----                      ----------     ----------
Dispose                   Method         void Dispose(), void IDisposable.Dispose()
Equals                    Method         bool Equals(System.Object obj)
GetCimSessionComputerName Method         string GetCimSessionComputerName()
GetCimSessionInstanceId   Method         guid GetCimSessionInstanceId()
GetHashCode               Method         int GetHashCode()
GetType                   Method         type GetType()
ToString                  Method         string ToString()
Actions                   Property       CimInstance#InstanceArray Actions {get;set;}
Author                    Property       string Author {get;set;}
Date                      Property       string Date {get;set;}
Description               Property       string Description {get;set;}
Documentation             Property       string Documentation {get;set;}
Principal                 Property       CimInstance#Instance Principal {get;set;}
PSComputerName            Property       string PSComputerName {get;}
SecurityDescriptor        Property       string SecurityDescriptor {get;set;}
Settings                  Property       CimInstance#Instance Settings {get;set;}
Source                    Property       string Source {get;set;}
TaskName                  Property       string TaskName {get;}
TaskPath                  Property       string TaskPath {get;}
Triggers                  Property       CimInstance#InstanceArray Triggers {get;set;}
URI                       Property       string URI {get;}
Version                   Property       string Version {get;set;}
State                     ScriptProperty System.Object State {get=[Microsoft.PowerShell.Cmdletization.GeneratedTypes.ScheduledTask.StateEnum]($this.PSBase.CimInstanceProperti

$task.Triggers

Enabled            : True
EndBoundary        :
ExecutionTimeLimit :
Id                 :
Repetition         : MSFT_TaskRepetitionPattern
StartBoundary      :
Delay              : PT30S
UserId             :
PSComputerName     :

Or do you mean that every object has a corresponding trigger in WMI MSFT_TaskLogonTrigger object?
Sorry for the confusion 😞

RedModSK

Copper Contributor

Jun 08, 2023

i was poking around the system where could i see some additional info and i found this, when running schtasks /query:

PS C:\Windows\System32> schtasks /query /TN "\RtkAudUService64_BG" /XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<Task version="1.2" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2004/02/mit/task">
  <RegistrationInfo>
    <Date>2010-07-30T20:43:10</Date>
    <Author>Realtek</Author>
    <URI>\RtkAudUService64_BG</URI>
  </RegistrationInfo>
  <Principals>
    <Principal id="Author">
      <GroupId>S-1-5-32-545</GroupId>
    </Principal>
  </Principals>
  <Settings>
    <DisallowStartIfOnBatteries>false</DisallowStartIfOnBatteries>
    <StopIfGoingOnBatteries>false</StopIfGoingOnBatteries>
    <Enabled>false</Enabled>
    <ExecutionTimeLimit>PT0S</ExecutionTimeLimit>
    <MultipleInstancesPolicy>Parallel</MultipleInstancesPolicy>
    <IdleSettings>
      <Duration>PT10M</Duration>
      <WaitTimeout>PT1H</WaitTimeout>
      <StopOnIdleEnd>false</StopOnIdleEnd>
      <RestartOnIdle>false</RestartOnIdle>
    </IdleSettings>
  </Settings>
  <Triggers>
    <LogonTrigger>
      <Delay>PT30S</Delay>
    </LogonTrigger>
  </Triggers>
  <Actions Context="Author">
    <Exec>
      <Command>""C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\realtekservice.inf_amd64_ed3f04e1261e4822\RtkAudUService64.exe""</Command>
      <Arguments>-background</Arguments>
    </Exec>
  </Actions>
</Task>

The <Enabled>false</Enabled> line in Settings, is visible only when the task is disabled.

I would rather however use the PowerShell commandlets, to get the values.

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Check Disabled state after Disable-ScheduledTask status on Running Task

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