Windows Media Player Alarm Clock using Task Scheduler

This is fairly simple, but useful. You can create an alarm clock with Windows Media Player in scheduled tasks (Task Scheduler) by programming the following into the Task Scheduler:

Step 1: Launch Task Scheduler

Code:

Start
Search
Task Scheduler

OR

Code:

Start Key +R
Run...
taskschd.msc /s

Step 2: Create the Scheduled Task

• Right-Click on "Task Scheduler Library" and "Create Basic Task..."
• Name: Windows Media Player Alarm Clock
• Description: Wake the hell up!
• Hit next...
• "When do you want this task to start?" Choose Daily.
• Choose your time to wake up on the Daily trigger tab
• On the Action tab select "Start a program"
• Program/script is: "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" (Keep the " ")

Step 3: Configure Additional Arguments and Set your Sound/Music File

IMPORTANT: Add additional arguments

This is where you choose your music file to play.

Example:

"X:\Music\Linkin Park\Hybrid Theory [Bonus CD] Disc 1\02 One Step Closer.mp3"

Again, use " " before and after the file path

Step 4: Configure the Additional Settings

When this is all done, re-open the properties of this task...

Under "General" tab, set the following:

• Turn on "Run whether user is logged on or not"
• "Run with highest privileges"
• Select Configure for: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

Under the Conditions tab, set the following:

• Wake the computer to run this task
• Uncheck "Start the computer only if this computer is on AC power"

Under the Settings tab, set the following:

• Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed

Press OK and you will be prompted for the password for your account. This is in case you are not logged in, it will still try to start Media Player.

Step 5: Finalize your Alarm Clock Configuration:

Now, from the Task Scheduler Library, look for your newly created task "Windows Media Player Alarm Clock", right click it, and hit Run. It should now work. BUT, before you close WMP, set the volume to its highest levels possible, and set the repeat button to ON. Set your speakers physically to their highest setting, and you will have the loudest alarm clock possible.

Let me know if this works for you!

Update: Here is a copy of the XML file which you can import into Task Scheduler, but you will have to change the computer name and username to fit your computer as well as the path to your music file. Follow the instructions diligently and it should work for you.

Excellent! Great post Mike!

I've always used third party app for an alarm and this negates the need to do so..

I'll try it out later and let you know how I got on..

The only problem with this alarm clock is that if you are LOGGED OUT or the system is in standby prior to activating, it will run WMP as admin and you wont even see it open when you log in. To turn it off you will have run Task Manager and actually kill the process. A small price to pay for the reliability of a loud clock (In my opinion). I created this because I got tired of my 5 dollar Timex clocks no longer waking me up on time. The brain after hearing the same sound, over and over again for years, must decide to ignore it. Either that or Im not getting enough sleep at night Plus there is no snooze button on this one.. lol.

how do i shut off the task?

my attempt before searching the net for solutions was to just start the task ".../..x.mp3"; not as an argument to any program, but as the line to launch!

it worked! but i saw no way to turn the playback off :S
what is playing it? what task in task manager etc. - couldn't figure it out, even with help from i/o-reads...

then i tried your solution, but same deal! how do i stop the alarm :S

If it opens in the background when you are logged out, you will need to Ctrl-Shift-Esc to get into Task Manager and look for wmplayer.exe under processes. End the process. Although not an ideal solution, it is a work around.

After messing around with this for a few hours, I finally got the results I was after. Although the above method of using the scheduler as an alarm clock works, it's way more complicated than it needs to be. All you need to do under the Action tab is simply browse to the media file you wish to open and click on it. The default player will play it. Under the General tab you will need to select "Run only when user is logged on" if you wish to actually see the player and be able to turn it off. If you select "Run whether user is logged on or not" the player will be invisible and you will have to open task manager to turn it off. XP always showed the player. I don't know why they messed with it.

Keek, that was helpful. I will try your solution.

Mike: there is no wmplayer.exe or any other playback process running that i can identify...

Originally Posted by fqa

Keek, that was helpful. I will try your solution.

Mike: there is no wmplayer.exe or any other playback process running that i can identify...

You may need to click the "show processes from all users" button, in order to see the wmplayer.exe process.

Originally Posted by skbinok

You may need to click the "show processes from all users" button, in order to see the wmplayer.exe process.

that just might be it! thanks! now i feel like a noob! damn hidden settings in plain sight..
give it a try tonight!

If we could get it to make coffee too we'd really have something.