Windows XP or later Windows How can I run a batch file in the background with no window displayed

Question

I know I have already answered a similar question  Running Batch File in background when windows boots up   but this time I need to launch a batch    from another batch  without any console window displayed  with all arguments passed to the invisible batch    The first batch is executed in a console window  However  I do not want the second batch  launched by the first in a asynchronous way  to also display a console window   I have come up with a VBScript script which does just that  and I put the script as an answer for others to refer to  but if you have other ideas solutions  feel free to contribute   Note  The console window of Windows command processor is named not really correct DOS window by many people     Thank you all for the answers  From what I understand  if I need to asynchronously call a script to run in an invisible mode    From a second script already in a console window  start  b is enough  From Windows  without triggering a second window  my solution is still valid

User · Answer

In the other question I suggested autoexnt. That is also possible in this situation. Just set the service to run manually (ie not automatic at startup). When you want to run your batch, modify the autoexnt.bat file to call the batch file you want, and start the autoexnt service.

The batchfile to start this, can look like this (untested):

echo call c:\path\to\batch.cmd %* > c:\windows\system32\autoexnt.bat
net start autoexnt

Note that batch files started this way run as the system user, which means you do not have access to network shares automatically. But you can use net use to connect to a remote server.

You have to download the Windows 2003 Resource Kit to get it. The Resource Kit can also be installed on other versions of windows, like Windows XP.

User · Answer

You also can use  start  MIN notepad exe   PS  Unfortunatly  minimized window status depends on command to run  V G  doen t work  start  MIN calc exe

User · Answer

You can run your  bat file through a  vbs file Copy the following code into your  vbs file    Dim WshShell Dim obj Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    obj   WshShell Run  C  Users file1 bat   0   obj   WshShell Run  C  Users file2 bat   0   and so on set WshShell   Nothing

User · Answer

Run it under a different user name  using  runas  or by scheduling it under a different user in Windows Scheduled Tasks

User · Answer

You also can use  start  MIN notepad exe   PS  Unfortunatly  minimized window status depends on command to run  V G  doen t work  start  MIN calc exe

User · Answer

Here is a possible solution   From your first script  call your second script with the following line   wscript exe invis vbs run bat      Actually  you are calling a vbs script with    the  path  name of your script all the other arguments needed by your script        Then  invis vbs will call your script with the Windows Script Host Run   method  which takes    intWindowStyle   0 means  invisible windows  bWaitOnReturn   false means your first script does not need to wait for your second script to finish   Here is invis vbs   set args   WScript Arguments num   args Count  if num   0 then     WScript Echo  Usage   CScript   WScript  invis vbs aScript bat  lt some script arguments gt       WScript Quit 1 end if  sargs      if num  gt  1 then     sargs           for k   1 to num - 1         anArg   args Item k          sargs   sargs  amp  anArg  amp          next end if  Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    WshShell Run       amp  WScript Arguments 0   amp        amp  sargs  0  False

User · Answer

In the other question I suggested autoexnt. That is also possible in this situation. Just set the service to run manually (ie not automatic at startup). When you want to run your batch, modify the autoexnt.bat file to call the batch file you want, and start the autoexnt service.

The batchfile to start this, can look like this (untested):

echo call c:\path\to\batch.cmd %* > c:\windows\system32\autoexnt.bat
net start autoexnt

Note that batch files started this way run as the system user, which means you do not have access to network shares automatically. But you can use net use to connect to a remote server.

You have to download the Windows 2003 Resource Kit to get it. The Resource Kit can also be installed on other versions of windows, like Windows XP.

User · Answer

I think this is the easiest and shortest solution to running a batch file without opening the DOS window  it can be very distracting when you want to schedule a set of commands to run periodically  so the DOS window keeps poping up  here is your solution  Use a VBS Script to call the batch file      Set WshShell   CreateObject  WScript Shell     WshShell Run chr 34   amp   C  Batch Files  mycommands bat   amp  Chr 34   0  Set WshShell   Nothing    Copy the lines above to an editor and save the file with  VBS extension  Edit the  BAT file name and path accordingly

User · Answer

Do you need the second batch file to run asynchronously   Typically one batch file runs another synchronously with the call command  and the second one would share the first one s window   You can use start  b second bat to launch a second batch file asynchronously from your first that shares your first one s window   If both batch files write to the console simultaneously  the output will be overlapped and probably indecipherable   Also  you ll want to put an exit command at the end of your second batch file  or you ll be within a second cmd shell once everything is done

User · Answer

Convert the batch file to an exe  Try Bat To Exe Converter or Online Bat To Exe Converter  and choose the option to run it as a ghost application  i e  no window

User · Answer

Here is a possible solution   From your first script  call your second script with the following line   wscript exe invis vbs run bat      Actually  you are calling a vbs script with    the  path  name of your script all the other arguments needed by your script        Then  invis vbs will call your script with the Windows Script Host Run   method  which takes    intWindowStyle   0 means  invisible windows  bWaitOnReturn   false means your first script does not need to wait for your second script to finish   Here is invis vbs   set args   WScript Arguments num   args Count  if num   0 then     WScript Echo  Usage   CScript   WScript  invis vbs aScript bat  lt some script arguments gt       WScript Quit 1 end if  sargs      if num  gt  1 then     sargs           for k   1 to num - 1         anArg   args Item k          sargs   sargs  amp  anArg  amp          next end if  Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    WshShell Run       amp  WScript Arguments 0   amp        amp  sargs  0  False

User · Answer

I think this is the easiest and shortest solution to running a batch file without opening the DOS window  it can be very distracting when you want to schedule a set of commands to run periodically  so the DOS window keeps poping up  here is your solution  Use a VBS Script to call the batch file      Set WshShell   CreateObject  WScript Shell     WshShell Run chr 34   amp   C  Batch Files  mycommands bat   amp  Chr 34   0  Set WshShell   Nothing    Copy the lines above to an editor and save the file with  VBS extension  Edit the  BAT file name and path accordingly

User · Answer

Do you need the second batch file to run asynchronously   Typically one batch file runs another synchronously with the call command  and the second one would share the first one s window   You can use start  b second bat to launch a second batch file asynchronously from your first that shares your first one s window   If both batch files write to the console simultaneously  the output will be overlapped and probably indecipherable   Also  you ll want to put an exit command at the end of your second batch file  or you ll be within a second cmd shell once everything is done

User · Answer

In the other question I suggested autoexnt. That is also possible in this situation. Just set the service to run manually (ie not automatic at startup). When you want to run your batch, modify the autoexnt.bat file to call the batch file you want, and start the autoexnt service.

The batchfile to start this, can look like this (untested):

echo call c:\path\to\batch.cmd %* > c:\windows\system32\autoexnt.bat
net start autoexnt

Note that batch files started this way run as the system user, which means you do not have access to network shares automatically. But you can use net use to connect to a remote server.

You have to download the Windows 2003 Resource Kit to get it. The Resource Kit can also be installed on other versions of windows, like Windows XP.

User · Answer

Run it under a different user name  using  runas  or by scheduling it under a different user in Windows Scheduled Tasks

User · Answer

Convert the batch file to an exe  Try Bat To Exe Converter or Online Bat To Exe Converter  and choose the option to run it as a ghost application  i e  no window

User · Answer

Convert the batch file to an exe  Try Bat To Exe Converter or Online Bat To Exe Converter  and choose the option to run it as a ghost application  i e  no window

User · Answer

Convert the batch file to an exe  Try Bat To Exe Converter or Online Bat To Exe Converter  and choose the option to run it as a ghost application  i e  no window

User · Answer

For self-hiding you can use getCmdPID bat and windowMode bat   echo off  echo --- self hiding bat ---- pause call getCmdPid bat set PID  errorlevel  call windowMode bat -pid  PID  -mode hidden   Here s my collection of ways to achieve that - and even more - where it was possible I ve tried to return also the PID of the started process  all linked scripts can be downloaded and saved with whatever name you find convenient    The IEXPRESS solution can be used even on old win 95 98 machines  Iexpress is a really ancient tool that is still packaged with Windows  - as arguments accepts only the command and its arguments   Example usage  call IEXPhidden bat  quot cmd  c myBat bat quot    quot argument quot    SCHTASKS - Again accepts only two arguments - the command and the arguments Also checks if it s started with elevated permissions and if possible gets the PID of the process with WEVTUTIL  available from Vista and above so the newer version of windows will receive the PID  command   Example usage  call SCHPhidden bat  quot cmd  c myBat bat quot    quot argument quot     WScript Shell  - the script is full wrapper of  WScript Shell  and every possible option can be set through the command line options It s a jscript batch hybrid and can be called as a bat   Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call ShellRunJS bat  quot notepad exe quot  -style 0 -wait no     Win32 ProcessStartup  - again full wrapper and all options are accessible through the command line arguments This time it s WSF batch hybrid with some Jscript and some VBScript pieces of code - but it returns the PID of the started process If process is not hidden some options like X Y coordinates can be used  not applicable for every executable - but for example cmd exe accepts coordinates    Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call win32process bat  quot notepad quot  -arguments  quot  A openFile txt quot   -showWindows 0 -title  quot notepad quot    The  NET solution   Most of the options of ProcessStartInfo options are used  but at the end I was too tired to include everything    Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call ProcessStartJS bat  quot notepad quot  -arguments  quot  A openFile txt quot   -style Hidden -directory  quot   quot  -title  quot notepad quot  -priority Normal

User · Answer

In the other question I suggested autoexnt. That is also possible in this situation. Just set the service to run manually (ie not automatic at startup). When you want to run your batch, modify the autoexnt.bat file to call the batch file you want, and start the autoexnt service.

The batchfile to start this, can look like this (untested):

echo call c:\path\to\batch.cmd %* > c:\windows\system32\autoexnt.bat
net start autoexnt

Note that batch files started this way run as the system user, which means you do not have access to network shares automatically. But you can use net use to connect to a remote server.

You have to download the Windows 2003 Resource Kit to get it. The Resource Kit can also be installed on other versions of windows, like Windows XP.

User · Answer

Run it under a different user name  using  runas  or by scheduling it under a different user in Windows Scheduled Tasks

User · Answer

Do you need the second batch file to run asynchronously   Typically one batch file runs another synchronously with the call command  and the second one would share the first one s window   You can use start  b second bat to launch a second batch file asynchronously from your first that shares your first one s window   If both batch files write to the console simultaneously  the output will be overlapped and probably indecipherable   Also  you ll want to put an exit command at the end of your second batch file  or you ll be within a second cmd shell once everything is done

User · Answer

Here is a possible solution   From your first script  call your second script with the following line   wscript exe invis vbs run bat      Actually  you are calling a vbs script with    the  path  name of your script all the other arguments needed by your script        Then  invis vbs will call your script with the Windows Script Host Run   method  which takes    intWindowStyle   0 means  invisible windows  bWaitOnReturn   false means your first script does not need to wait for your second script to finish   Here is invis vbs   set args   WScript Arguments num   args Count  if num   0 then     WScript Echo  Usage   CScript   WScript  invis vbs aScript bat  lt some script arguments gt       WScript Quit 1 end if  sargs      if num  gt  1 then     sargs           for k   1 to num - 1         anArg   args Item k          sargs   sargs  amp  anArg  amp          next end if  Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    WshShell Run       amp  WScript Arguments 0   amp        amp  sargs  0  False

User · Answer

You can run your  bat file through a  vbs file Copy the following code into your  vbs file    Dim WshShell Dim obj Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    obj   WshShell Run  C  Users file1 bat   0   obj   WshShell Run  C  Users file2 bat   0   and so on set WshShell   Nothing

User · Answer

Do you need the second batch file to run asynchronously   Typically one batch file runs another synchronously with the call command  and the second one would share the first one s window   You can use start  b second bat to launch a second batch file asynchronously from your first that shares your first one s window   If both batch files write to the console simultaneously  the output will be overlapped and probably indecipherable   Also  you ll want to put an exit command at the end of your second batch file  or you ll be within a second cmd shell once everything is done

User · Answer

Run it under a different user name  using  runas  or by scheduling it under a different user in Windows Scheduled Tasks

User · Answer

Here is a possible solution   From your first script  call your second script with the following line   wscript exe invis vbs run bat      Actually  you are calling a vbs script with    the  path  name of your script all the other arguments needed by your script        Then  invis vbs will call your script with the Windows Script Host Run   method  which takes    intWindowStyle   0 means  invisible windows  bWaitOnReturn   false means your first script does not need to wait for your second script to finish   Here is invis vbs   set args   WScript Arguments num   args Count  if num   0 then     WScript Echo  Usage   CScript   WScript  invis vbs aScript bat  lt some script arguments gt       WScript Quit 1 end if  sargs      if num  gt  1 then     sargs           for k   1 to num - 1         anArg   args Item k          sargs   sargs  amp  anArg  amp          next end if  Set WshShell   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    WshShell Run       amp  WScript Arguments 0   amp        amp  sargs  0  False

User · Answer

For self-hiding you can use getCmdPID bat and windowMode bat   echo off  echo --- self hiding bat ---- pause call getCmdPid bat set PID  errorlevel  call windowMode bat -pid  PID  -mode hidden   Here s my collection of ways to achieve that - and even more - where it was possible I ve tried to return also the PID of the started process  all linked scripts can be downloaded and saved with whatever name you find convenient    The IEXPRESS solution can be used even on old win 95 98 machines  Iexpress is a really ancient tool that is still packaged with Windows  - as arguments accepts only the command and its arguments   Example usage  call IEXPhidden bat  quot cmd  c myBat bat quot    quot argument quot    SCHTASKS - Again accepts only two arguments - the command and the arguments Also checks if it s started with elevated permissions and if possible gets the PID of the process with WEVTUTIL  available from Vista and above so the newer version of windows will receive the PID  command   Example usage  call SCHPhidden bat  quot cmd  c myBat bat quot    quot argument quot     WScript Shell  - the script is full wrapper of  WScript Shell  and every possible option can be set through the command line options It s a jscript batch hybrid and can be called as a bat   Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call ShellRunJS bat  quot notepad exe quot  -style 0 -wait no     Win32 ProcessStartup  - again full wrapper and all options are accessible through the command line arguments This time it s WSF batch hybrid with some Jscript and some VBScript pieces of code - but it returns the PID of the started process If process is not hidden some options like X Y coordinates can be used  not applicable for every executable - but for example cmd exe accepts coordinates    Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call win32process bat  quot notepad quot  -arguments  quot  A openFile txt quot   -showWindows 0 -title  quot notepad quot    The  NET solution   Most of the options of ProcessStartInfo options are used  but at the end I was too tired to include everything    Example usage  for more info print the help with  -h    call ProcessStartJS bat  quot notepad quot  -arguments  quot  A openFile txt quot   -style Hidden -directory  quot   quot  -title  quot notepad quot  -priority Normal

[windows] Windows XP or later Windows: How can I run a batch file in the background with no window displayed?

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