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I like WAU Manager when it works.  But it offers zero in the way of meaningful progress or error messages.

For example: After installing WAU Manager v3.1.0.0 a couple of hours ago, I got it to search for fresh Windows Updates exactly once,.  When I ran it, I set it to replace the built-in automatic WU system, only search for new (unseen before?) WUs but definitely not download or install them.  I did not set it to run on any schedule but did tell it to look for newer versions of itself (WAU Manager).

Since what I downloaded is the actual program, not an installer, I created a desktop shortcut to the location in the Program Files directory where the executable resides.  This can be done within WAU Manager if the dashboard shows up before anything else happens.

Therein lies the problem.  I knew there was a December 2021 Windows 8.1 x64 Security Rollup available for download, but WAU Manager spent almost an hour without finding any new WUs.  No output at all.

I shut the system down gracefully and rand WAU Manager again.  It decided to spend its time “Searching for a newer WAU Manager version…” which I know it should find within a few minutes at worst.

So, now I am stuck with it endlessly looking for newer versions of itself, or sometimes if I rename a locked SoftwareDistribution file in the Windows folder, I can clean the system drive and get WAU Manager to show the dashboard, but  then it just looks for new WUs forever if I do not set it to check for newer versions of WAU Manager.

Has anyone located a good troubleshooting guide for WAU Manager that deals with less bloated versions of Windows than 10 or 11?  The main reason I do not trust the MS WU system is that I learned how it was being used to distribute malware — entirely new releases of Windows 10 — to people who expected it to just keep their existing Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 installations updated, NOT obliterated by nastier bloatware disguised as an OS.

There is a real possibility that I might have to do a fresh install of Win8.1 then install a whole lot of application, utility, development, and other software.   I do have plenty of backups made over the past couple of months, so rebuilding the system from wiped drives is not a huge issue, but I really would like to know if something related to WUs is the cause of the problem.  WAU MAnager worked well enough for me from v1.9.?.? onward, until a couple of months ago.

FractalZ

 

I am using WAU and have Windows Updates turned off via GP settings (Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center is the OS), but I like the idea of telling Windows that the Ethernet network connection is metered (in addition to the WiFi network).

That brings me to a question: Why does this system display “No Internet access” below the Ethernet network name when I hover over the Network and Sharing icon in the Notification area?

I rarely enable WiFi on any computer I use for serious things such as reading this newsletter, gaming, and sometimes working or studying.  That policy seems quite reasonable to me since I live in a condoplex with 130+ units on a few acres of land and I believe that both VZW and Spectrum offer some sort of secure WiFi for free to their customers in this development.

A new WiFi Cable Modem Router (a Netgear X45 AC3200) is the network hardware connecting my LAN to my ISP, instead of the sclerotic two-component cable modem plus WiFi router provided by the ISP.

I am looking for a guide to adding a large outgoing block list to the Netgear device. The table would include the IP addresses MS Windows uses for its telemetry and spyware, even malware if one counters Windows Update’s persistent attempts to change the software configuration of a computer against the owners wishes).  That sort of thing was often discussed back when people without access to the Internet were running FidoNet BBSes.

Does Windows just assume that users wishing to access things in the internet will always be using WiFi?  The way that many^H^H^Host of today’s Web sites are clearly designed for people browsing on mobile devices is what let me to wonder about the incorrect text under the Network and Sharing icon.

Regards,

FractalZ

 

I tend to agree about Gaming Notebook Computers not being nearly as powerful as gaming mini-tower  computers, especially in terms of bang for the buck.  That said, I stopped using the mini-towers I built myself for two or three main reasons:

(1) they do not lend themselves to being shoved into a large backpack and carried to a client site, on a vacation trip involving air travel, or fitting into a small sports car and being rugged enough to survive almost anything the driver can or at least walks away from;

(2)  The high-performance (mini-)tower gaming computers can easily require very clean power supplies in the 800W to 1400W range, more for people into extreme cooling and overclocking.  That heat gets dissipated into the room and that can cause problems if the HVAC system in the building is not set up for keeping that room at a very constant 70°F (for example).  If you are not paying the utility bills, whoever is is not likely to be pleased if you visit in hot summer months.

(3) I enjoy number crunching but not to mine cryptocurrency.  My interest is in computational mathematics.  The newish gaming laptop to my right uses two 200W PS wall worts, one for the NVIDIA GPU and the other for the CPU and most other parts of the system.  G703GX laptops with added RAM and storage are a nice way to take some serious computational power on a road trip and will fit into a backpack.  The 24″ external 4K-UHD display will have to be carried separately although a favorite keyboard and mouse mght fit into the same backpack, if one does not mind looking like a pack mule.

Be safe,

FractalZ