DOCUMENT:Q237840 10-AUG-2001 [winnt] TITLE :Soon.exe Schedules Tasks for Next Day Instead of Current Day PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows NT PROD/VER:WINDOWS:5; winnt:4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbtool ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, on platform(s): - the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT - Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5 for Windows NT 4.0, on platform(s): - the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT - Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5, on platform(s): - the operating system: Microsoft Windows NT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you schedule a task using the Soon tool (Soon.exe) included with the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit, the task may be scheduled for the next day instead of the current day. NOTE: This behavior may occur with other tools that call the AT command. CAUSE ===== This behavior occurs when Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 is installed on your computer. After you install Internet Explorer 5, the Scheduler service is replaced by Task Scheduler. Task Scheduler checks the task list every minute, instead of every second like the Scheduler service. Therefore, the AT command is modified so that it schedules a task for tomorrow if the specified time is equal to the actual system time, and the seconds are ignored. For example: At 10:00:00, you type the following command: at 10:00:05 /interactive notepad.exe This task is scheduled for tomorrow because of the behavior described in this article. However, the task is scheduled for today and Notepad.exe starts in one minute, if you type the following command: at 10:01:00 /interactive notepad.exe By default, Soon.exe calls the AT command with the actual system time plus five seconds. For example, using Soon.exe at 10:00:55 works fine, but from 10:00:00 until 10:00:54 the task is scheduled for tomorrow. This behavior occurs because of the "new" way the AT command interprets the specified time. WORKAROUND ========== To work around this issue, use Soon.exe and specify a delay with a minimum of 60 seconds. To do this, use the appropriate method: - Call Soon.exe and specify the delay parameter. - Call "soon.exe /l [delay]" (without the quotation marks) to set the default delay for local jobs. - Call "soon.exe /r [delay]" (without the quotation marks) to set the default delay for remote jobs. Additional query words: reskit ====================================================================== Keywords : kbtool Technology : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch Version : WINDOWS:5; winnt:4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.