Run a command on Windows startup (not login!)

windows windows-server-2003 startup

31,934

Solution 1

Define a startup script with your desired BAT file. Do this either via Local Computer Policy (for standalone machines) or via GPO (if in a domain.)

Solution 2

If you need to set the startup script programatically, you can use Scheduled Tasks:

schtasks.exe /create /tn "Task Name" /ru SYSTEM /Sc ONSTART /tr
"C:\command2run.cmd"

To run the task with elevated permissions (Vista and later), add the parameter /RL HIGHEST

Solution 3

Use Group Policy to run a Computer Startup script - this will run when the machine starts up without needing someone to login

31,934

Steve Townsend

Systems Administrator, Consultant, Programmer, Linux geek, Computer geek, Networking geek. I work for Net Direct, Canada's leading Linux solutions provider and largest Canadian IBM System x VAR. LinkedIn Profile Achievements Unlocked

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Steve Townsend over 1 year
How do you tell Windows to run a command on each system startup?

I have a large number of servers on which I will need to run a command on system startup that makes a non-persistent configuration change.

I can run the command either:
- as an executable with multiple parameters
- as a batch file that calls above executable with appropriate parameters
How do I instruct Windows to run my command on every boot, without any sort of login?

related: https://stackoverflow.com/q/5899978/93180
Steve Townsend about 13 years

How do I programmatically merge my changes into the computer policy? Do I just create a new key under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy\State\Machine\Scripts\Startup and put the appropriate entries there?
mfinni about 13 years

You're generally not supposed to manually touch anything in GPOs, AFAIK. And scripting options for making specific changes to GPOs are fairly lacking, from what I recall. You can export, import, create/delete, and link GPOs from scripts, but I don't think you can make specific changes to specific GPOs (easily.) Anyway, that's a different question, and one probably better suited to StackOverflow.
Steve Townsend about 13 years

Yeah, writing up my question now. I'll need to add an entry to the GPO as part of an installer.
Steve Townsend about 13 years

Actually, now that I know what to look for: nsis.sourceforge.net/LGP_Startup/Shutdown_Script
Jaans over 9 years

Much nicer (and simpler to do) solution!! You can also use the Task Scheduler GUI if you prefer.