Guide · Windows

Monitor a Windows Scheduled Task

No install needed. Invoke-RestMethod is built into PowerShell (and curl ships with Windows 10/11 too), so a scheduled task can check in with one line.

1. Create a check

Create a check in Mortemain and copy its unique ping URL:

your ping URL

https://ping.mortemain.com/your-check-uuid

2. Ping from your script

Wrap the work in try/catch: ping the check on success, and the /fail endpoint on any error so a crash forces the check down immediately.

backup.ps1

$Url = "https://ping.mortemain.com/your-check-uuid"
try {
    # ... your job ...
    Backup-SqlDatabase -ServerInstance "localhost" -Database "prod" -BackupFile "D:\bak\prod.bak"

    Invoke-RestMethod $Url -TimeoutSec 10          # success
}
catch {
    Invoke-RestMethod "$Url/fail" -TimeoutSec 10   # failure
    throw
}

3. Wire it to Task Scheduler

Point the task's action at the script (Program: powershell.exe, arguments below), or ping inline without a script file:

Task Scheduler action

# run the script
powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\jobs\backup.ps1"

# …or inline: ping only if the job succeeded (irm = Invoke-RestMethod)
powershell -NoProfile -Command "C:\jobs\backup.ps1; if (`$?) { irm https://ping.mortemain.com/your-check-uuid }"

Test it

Run Invoke-RestMethod https://ping.mortemain.com/your-check-uuid once by hand. The check flips to up in a second or two. Skip a run past its window and you'll get the down alert.