Execute A Batch File(or Any Other Program)

[shanenin]

Is there a way to execute a batch file or any other program automatically at logout or shutdown using xp home?

[Guest fbelzile]

First make sure the program it self dosn't have this feture in the Options, this will save you lots of time and effort.

If it doesn't, to make it start-up on log-in, all you have to do is copy the batch file into the User's start-up folder located here:

For Single User:

C:\Documents and Settings\**Username**\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

For all users:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Hopes this helps

[shanenin]

that works great for startup, but I need it to happen when I log out :-) I want to automate my backup procedure. At backing up at shutdown it will not slow my bootup times.

[Guest fbelzile]

Mmmm, tough one...

When you tell Windows you want to shutdown, it tries to close all programs running to do so. This means, if you try to run an application when Windows is shutting down, the OS will stop it and continue shutting down.

I saw some applications make it possible, but with Windows XP by itself... Not possible.

You can however, make a program run when the computer is idle.

[Freidog]

there are a couple ways to do it I think.

There is a logoff script in windows,

you can edit it under the group policy snap-in the Microsoft Management Console (start run MMC, add group policy as a snap-in to console root). Under windows settings in there you've got scripts log on and log off.

You should be able to invoke bat files and I think .vbs files from those. But I've never actually done that.

There's also the option of running your own file when you want to log off and after the backup utilities / everything you want to run is finished, call a shutdown utility like PsShutDown (I think XP has something like this built in, for 2000 you need the resource kit or a 3rd party utlility like that)

It's not as intuitive as clicking shutdown and having windows do it for you, but it should work all the same.

[shanenin]

thanks for the suggestions :-)

As far as I can tell the first option does not seem to be supported with windows xp home. It just may be user(me) error, I will see if i can make it work.