There are three ways to do unattended backups: Start the software normally and use the built in scheduler to wait until the time of day you want, do the same thing with command line options instead of the normal Windows user interface, and use command line options with an external task scheduler instead of the simple scheduler built into the software. The built in scheduler is very easy to use, but lacks some features of external schedulers. On the other hand, using command line options with external schedulers can be very complex.

The most common problem when attempting to make unattended backups with an external scheduler is misplaced quotes and spaces in the command line. A typical command line looks like this:

"c:\program files\willow creek software\WCBackupCD.exe" /ub (plan) (destination)

Substitute your backup plan and destination for (plan) and (destination), like "/ub myplan e:\". The quotes in the preceding sentence are for presentation, they aren't needed in real life. Where you need quotes is at the start of the line, and after WCBackupCD.exe. You also need a space before the /ub.

Depending on your task scheduler, you may break this up into two parts with the path to the program being one part and the command line arguments being the other. In this case the quotes around the path to the program may or may not still be necessary.

Quotes around the individual arguments are necessary if they have embedded blanks.

Note that unless your task scheduler requires you to break it up into two lines, you must not. Your web browser window may be narrow enough to cause the example command line to wrap, that does not mean to enter it in two lines that way.

The program help describes command line options you can use when starting the program to cause it to make a backup with any backup plan, and any other options, without requiring any interaction with the user. Look under "Making a Backup" in the help table of contents, and in topic "Making Unattended Backups" under that.

Combine these command line options with any job scheduler, such as those included with all versions of Windows, and you can launch an unattended backup of any type on any schedule you want.