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How to Schedule Image for Windows Backups Using Task Scheduler

If you use Image for Windows under Windows 2000/XP/2003, Windows Vista, or Windows 7/8.x/10, you can schedule backups using the Windows Task Scheduler service.  Image for Windows makes this very easy by providing a "Schedule Backup" button on the backup summary screen.  In the event that you prefer to manually create a scheduled task, you may refer to the procedure below.

Please follow the instructions specific to the version of Windows you're using:
Windows Vista, Windows 7/8.x/10
Windows 2000, XP, 2003

 

 

Running Image for Windows with Task Scheduler in Windows Vista or Windows 7/8.x/10

  1. Log into an Administrator account.

  2. Click the Start button or press the Windows Logo key (WinKey).

  3. Type "task scheduler" (without the quotes) into the search box. Windows will search for matches and should display Task Scheduler in the Programs list. If Task Scheduler is highlighted, simply press ENTER. Otherwise, click on Task Scheduler to run the program. If you get a UAC prompt, click Continue or Yes to allow it to run.

    Windows 8: The search won't find the Task Scheduler unless the Show administrator tools option is enabled for the Start screen (the default is disabled). The Task Scheduler can be run by pressing WinKey+R to bring up the Run dialog and typing taskschd.msc into the Open box. Then click OK.

  4. Click the Action menu, then click Create Task...

  5. The Create Task window will open and the General tab should be selected (if not, click on it).

  6. In the Name box, type in the name for the task. For example: Image for Windows Backup

  7. In the Security options section, the When running the task, use the following user account text box should be filled with a default value. Ensure that the user name specified is a member of the Administrators group since Image for Windows requires it. If necessary, change this entry (use the COMPUTER NAME\USER NAME format).

    • Note: If the user name specified in the task is logged onto Windows when the task runs, the Image for Windows interface will be shown on screen (as will the command window, if running from a batch file). If a different user (or no user) is logged on at the time, no interface will be shown. For this reason, if you will be running a batch file as a scheduled task, you must ensure that it is fully automated if it will ever be running without the specified user being logged into Windows. Please refer to the tip below regarding use of the /uy command line parameter.

  8. Still in the Security options section, check the Run with highest privileges option. If you are creating the task in Windows 10 you should also set the Configure for drop-down option to Windows 10.

  9. Click the Triggers tab, then click the New... button. The New Trigger window will open.

  10. Choose the appropriate schedule options, depending on when you want this task to run. When finished, click the OK button.

  11. Click the Actions tab, then click the New... button. The New Action window will open.

  12. In the Action drop-down box, make sure Start a program is selected (this is the default action).

  13. Click the Browse... button, browse to the Image for Windows folder, double-click on imagew.exe (or imagew64.exe) or select it and click the Open button. The Program/script box should now contain the complete path to imagew.exe (or imagew64.exe).
    For example: "C:\Program Files (x86)\TeraByte Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite\imagew64.exe"

    If you are running Image for Windows from a batch file, you can specify the path to the batch file in the Program/script box.

    • Tip:  If you run Image for Windows from a batch file (such as the script available from TeraByte Unlimited), the command window may appear for the duration of the backup, depending on the other content in your batch file.  To make the command window run minimized (in effect), put this line of code at the top of the batch file:

      if not defined RunIFWTask set RunIFWTask=1 & start "Image for Windows" /min %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe /c "%0" & goto :EOF

  14. In the Add arguments (optional) box, type in or copy & paste the parameters.
    For example: /wait /b /uy /d:w0@0x1 /f:"D:\BACKUP" /rb:0 /vb /enc:3 /pw:"my password"

    • You can find detailed information on Image for Windows command line options in the Image for Windows User's Guide.

    • Using the /wait option is recommended. This allows Image for Windows to wait until another instance of the program finishes before proceeding with the specified operation. Otherwise, if another instance is running, Image for Windows will ignore the specified operation and switch to the running program.

    • Tip:  You may want to use the /uy command line option when you run Image for Windows unattended.  This option automatically responds "Yes" to all Yes/No prompts and answers "OK" to all OK/Cancel prompts.

  15. Click the OK button to close the New Action window.

  16. Set any options on the Conditions tab as desired. Make sure to enable the Wake the computer to run this task option if the computer will be sleeping when the task is scheduled to begin.

  17. Set any options on the Settings tab as desired.

  18. Click the OK button to close the Create Task window and save the task. If asked, enter the password for the Administrator account associated with the task and then click OK.

  19. To test the new task, right-click it and select Run. Image for Windows should appear and run according to the command line options you selected.

The task will now run according to the schedule you specified above. If you ever wish to temporarily disable the task, you can simply right-click it and select Disable from the pop-up menu.

 

 

Running Image for Windows with Task Scheduler in Windows 2000, XP, 2003

  1. Open the Scheduled Tasks folder.  This folder can be found under Control Panel, in an Explorer window under %SystemRoot%\Tasks (C:\Windows\Tasks, for example), or under the Accessories | System Tools folder of the Start Menu.

  2. Right-click on an empty spot of the Scheduled Tasks window and select New | Scheduled Task from the context menu that appears.

  3. Give the new task a name (e.g. Image for Windows Backup) and then press Enter.

    • You can rename the scheduled task as you would any other file: By selecting it and either pressing F2 or by right-clicking and selecting Rename.

  4. Double-click the new scheduled task to edit its settings.

  5. On the Task tab, enter the desired command line in the Run text box.

    Here is an example command line:

    "C:\Program Files\TeraByte Drive Image Backup and Restore Suite\imagew.exe"
    /wait /b /uy /d:w0@0x1 /f:"D:\BACKUP" /rb:0 /vb /enc:3 /pw:"my password"

    If you are running Image for Windows from a batch file, you can specify the path to the batch file in the Run text box.

    • Using the /wait option is recommended. This allows Image for Windows to wait until another instance of the program finishes before proceeding with the specified operation. Otherwise, if another instance is running, Image for Windows will ignore the specified operation and switch to the running program.

    • Tip:  If you run Image for Windows from a batch file (such as the script available from TeraByte Unlimited), the command window may appear for the duration of the backup, depending on the other content in your batch file.  To make the command window run minimized (in effect), put this line of code at the top of the batch file:

      if not defined RunIFWTask set RunIFWTask=1 & start "Image for Windows" /min %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe /c "%0" & goto :EOF

    • Tip:  You may want to use the /uy command line option when you run Image for Windows unattended.  This option automatically responds "Yes" to all Yes/No prompts and answers "OK" to all OK/Cancel prompts.  Please refer to the Image for Windows User's Guide for more information on using command line parameters.

  6. The Run as text box should be filled with a default value.  Ensure that the user name specified is a member of the Administrators group since Image for Windows requires it.  If necessary, change this entry (use the COMPUTER NAME\USER NAME format).

    • Note:  If the user name specified in the task is logged onto Windows when the task runs, the Image for Windows interface will be shown on screen (as will the command window, if running from a batch file).  If a different user (or no user) is logged on at the time, no interface will be shown.  For this reason, if you will be running a batch file as a scheduled task, you must ensure that it is fully automated if it will ever be running without the specified user being logged into Windows.  Please refer to the tip above regarding use of the /uy command line parameter.

  7. On the Schedule tab, choose the appropriate schedule options, depending on when you want this task to run.

  8. On the Settings tab, choose the appropriate settings. Make sure to enable the Wake the computer to run this task option if the computer will be sleeping when the task is scheduled to begin.

  9. Click OK (enter the applicable user password, if you are prompted to do so).

  10. To test the new task, right-click it and select Run.  Image for Windows should appear and run according to the command line options you selected.

The task will now run according to the schedule you specified above.  If you ever wish to temporarily disable the task, you can simply double-click it and uncheck the Enabled (scheduled task runs at specified time) option.

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