What is the Windows version of cron?

windows cron scheduling scheduled-tasks
Thomas Owens picture Thomas Owens · Sep 25, 2008 · Viewed 312.1k times · Source

A Google search turned up software that performs the same functions as cron, but nothing built into Windows.

I'm running Windows XP Professional, but advice for any version of Windows would be potentially helpful to someone.

Is there also a way to invoke this feature (which based on answers is called the Task Scheduler) programatically or via the command line?

Answer

Kris Kumler picture Kris Kumler · Sep 25, 2008

For the original question, asking about Windows XP (and Windows 7): Windows Task Scheduler

For command-line usage, you can schedule with the AT command.

For newer Microsoft OS versions, Windows Server 2012 / Windows 8, look at the schtasks command line utility.
If using PowerShell, the Scheduled Tasks Cmdlets in Windows PowerShell are made for scripting.

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