Clone Windows Scheduled Tasks

Question

I would like to copy all scheduled tasks on a computer with Windows Server 2003 to another Server 2003 computer. I can guarantee that all executables will be available on the new computer. Can I do this and, if so, how?

This seems better: https://superuser.com/questions/377372/windows-server-2008-r2-how-to-copy-a-scheduled-task — user2254951, Jul 26 '19 at 10:03
Someone should archive these obsolete question/answers so they don't show up in the main search results anywhere. — James Bowery, Jan 22 '20 at 05:03

score 11 · Answer 1 · answered May 06 '13 at 23:09

I found an action in the WHS task scheduler to "export task". Select the task and on the lower right of the window the export task option shows up. It will save a files as .xml. You can copy that xml file to another machine and use the "action" menu to "import" task.

I am about to test this process.

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 26 '11 at 14:24

5

Copy the .job file(s) from C:\Windows\Tasks from one computer to the next.

_{Note: I'm not sure if these files are compatible from one version of Windows to the next, but they exist in XP/2003/Vista/7/2008/R2...}

answered Apr 26 '11 at 14:24

Chris S

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Worked great, thank you. The only quirk is that the "Run as" user name was set to mine. Easy fix though. – Nick Vaccaro Apr 26 '11 at 14:53

G3n1us · Answer 3 · 2015-08-25T15:49:32.647

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If you just want to copy tasks on the same machine, one at a time, the following steps will work:

Export a task, which will have a .xml extension. Rename the task. Import the task. Make any changes necessary and apply them.

This method will allow you to change a couple details without creating the entire task from scratch.

Edit: This is applicable to Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise SP1. A search for copying scheduled tasks lead me to this question. None of the answers exactly fit what I needed, but did give me enough info to figure it out. Hopefully this helps someone that finds this question on a similar search. =)

edited Aug 25 '15 at 15:49

answered Aug 25 '15 at 12:55

G3n1us

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Welcome to SF. When adding updated information to an old question, please do not forget to add some detail about the changes that triggered your entry - e.g. *"the supported procedure has changed for Server 2008 and later - you need to 'export' a task [...]"* otherwise people might mistake it for inaccurate information and downvote the answer – the-wabbit Aug 25 '15 at 13:02

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 16 '15 at 16:02

Select the task in task scheduler
Copy the task by right clicking and selecting copy
Paste the task to your desktop or somewhere you can remember
Rename the file (which you're just created)
Then copy it back into task scheduler or another machine.

This should give you a copy of the original task with a new name.

Clone Windows Scheduled Tasks

4 Answers4