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I’m becoming more and more sold on Perplexity.  It’s answers are well crafted and most helpful of all each one is footnoted with the source.  Not all the ‘sources’ are ones I would likely trust but at least I know where the AI engine is getting it’s ‘answer’.

I’ve seen this ‘fake out’ behavior in the past with other patches.  My rule of thumb since then has been : ONE Patch at a Time.  Takes a bit longer but reduces the headache factor!

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dataman1701

I’d like to know this also — Win 10 AND Win 11 ??

 

I have tried several chat bots from ChatGPT to the Kindroid app lately.  Being an avid ‘conversationalist’ in the all-too-human world, I’ve found that all these AI simulacra rely on one simple human weakness — projection.  Exhibit One: pets.  Have you ever watched folks (including myself!) with their pet, carrying on an animated conversation as if both sides were deep in ‘understanding’ the other?

This touches also on the Theory of Mind.  I experience what I term ‘reality’ as being mediated by ‘my mind’.  The sense of a subject experienceing objects.  If ‘I’ comes across another ‘being’ I ‘think’ is exhibiting the same behaviors, why then they too must ‘have a mind’.

This is a pernicious attribute of the ego constantly attempting to craft a ‘world’ in which its (egregiously limited) understanding of goings-on (what it terms reality), can be adequately manipulated for its sole benefit.  If I ‘believe’ the female voice coming out of my tablet is ‘a mind’ (it sure ‘sounds’ like one!), it’s a simple step to project onto HER all the hopes, wishes, dreams, ideas and desires from my very own ego-based reality.

 

As for the mail, I’ve used Informed Delivery at the USPS for years.  Not exactly sure of it’s utility, though.  Last month I was to receive a sizeable paper check.  USPS scanned it and showed it out for delivery.  Never showed up.  I ticked their little online box saying ‘not delivered’.  Crickets.  EIGHT days later the check finally showed up — no explanations!

All I can say is “Ditto”!  I’ve been a consultant (now retired) since ’83 and using Quicken Home all that time.  But… in 2001 I received a bundled copy of Quicken with a new Dell laptop and heard a little voice say, ‘This works just fine, no need for upgrades.’

So… From Windows 3.0 then XP (with original Quicken) through Windows 7, 8.1, 10 and 11 (!) I’ve just ported that 2001 version to each OS and it continues to purrr along very nicely.  I saw the handwriting on the wall with the Intuit and Quicken morphing magic.  Don’t need no stinkin’ new icons!  It maintains my accounts just fine — as is.

Auto Windows Defender updates can be scheduled like this:

Task Scheduler -> Microsoft -> Windows -> Windows Defender

Create a task: Name-> Update Defender ; Trigger at Logon ; Actions -> (see attached) ; Conditions and Settings leave as is.

It runs once a day at logon.  If you want it more often, create a shortcut with the ‘Actions’ settings on the desktop.

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KP

Well … I finally gave up on trying to divine how WUMT was or was not working.

Tried WUMgr and it seems to work much more closely to what I expect it should.  I’ll know more next month as I have it controlling updates now.  Stay tuned…

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Alex5723, Cybertooth

I learned some time ago to never trust MS.  From Windows XP, I’ve always segregated sensitive user data to a separate partition on a separate hard drive.  This takes a little doing with Windows 8.1, 10 and 11 but manageable.

Then, these partitions are all encrypted with VeraCrypt using strong passwords and a YubiKey  — no need to encrypt the C: partition at all.  This encryption solution keeps MS entirely out of the mix.  Master VeraCrypt password is a memorable passphrase and other ‘tricks’ are used for access to all encrypted partitions — each very difficult to ‘lose’ access to.

This has worked well for me for years!  Any stolen hard drive shows the encrypted partitions as ‘unknown’.

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dried_squid, windbg

Don’t tell anyone — It’s SECRET!

I never see any of the reviews mention the one PWM I’ve been using for years and it is superb.  There’s a version for Windows and Android though not with identical functionality.  If anyone wants the website just let me know…

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Tom in Az, agoldhammer, windbg

Actually, having a portable 240V gas/propane generator wired into the main panel (have an electrician friend!) obviates all of the above.  We have frequent power outages and all I do is roll out the generator, switch off the main, switch on the generator and, VOILA, back in business with full bandwidth — whole house is powered as normal.

What do I do if reagentc /info returns “Disabled” for Win RE ??

Block-a-Patch question:

I seem to have a ‘chicken and egg’ problem with Win 10 updates and using wushowhide.diagcab.  It seems Win 10 updates have to be OFF the ‘pause’ state in order for wushowhide.diagcab to find the updates.  But when I take the updates off pause they immediately begin to download and install before I can hide anything!

What am I missing??

 

A dual-boot twist — and question:

I have a Dell desktop which ran Win 8.1 for years then I installed Win 10 (now 22H2) in a dual boot config.  There IS a WinRE partition from Win 8.1.  I can see it with a disk partition utility.  But running reagentc /info it shows NO WinRE partition (see attached).

I’m assuming the WinRE for Win 10 is specific to Win 10.  So, in this configuration on a GPT disk, should I EVEN attempt an install of the offending update?  Do I NEED a Win 10 WinRE partition at all?  I’ve been running Win 10 for several years with no issues.  NO Bitlocker installed.

(What a brain **** this is!!)

 

Hold the presses… laptop just went to 70% !!