Now it is working. For those interested I appended vb script I use to scan all local disks. <<<<<<<<<<<< Set shell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") 'Scan shell.LogEvent 4, "VirusScan started" q="""" 'using defined task ScanCmd = q & "D:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashCmd.exe" & q & " /@=" & q & "ScanAllDisks" & q r = shell.run(ScanCmd, 0, true) if r > 1 then shell.LogEvent 1, "VirusScan failed", 2 end if if r = 1 then shell.LogEvent 1, "Virus found", 1 end if shell.LogEvent 4, "VirusScan ended" 'Hibernate shell.run ("rundll32.exe powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState") <<<<<<< 1. I defined a Windows XP scheduled Task for the scirpt. 2. I checked the task property "Wake the computer to run this task". And enabled the realtime clock (RTC) in the bios. 3. The script uses a Avast! task, so it shows up in Avast's session log. 4. I had to create my own Avast! task "ScanAllDisks" because I could not get the builtin task "Scan: local discs" running using ashCmd