Portable WAU Manager (Windows Automatic Updates) 3.1.0.0

windows-update-manager-portable

 

WAU Manager (Windows Automatic Updates Manager Portable) is a fully featured replacement for the built in Windows Updating interface. This tool gives you full control of the Windows Updates, such as when and how they are installed, and has full uninstall and maintenance support for Windows updates.

Basically you just need to make a few adjustments from the Dashboard dialog box to set everything up the way you want. If you need more advanced options, such as uninstalling or hiding/unhiding updates, they are all available straight from the Setup interface. The available modules are all linked together by the application menu, always available at the top right corner of the application’s interface.

WAU Manager does not use the built in WAU schedule. Instead, it has its own schedule which works regardless of whether WAU are enabled or not. In fact, for WAU Manager to work flawlessly, you should disable Windows Updates completely. You can do that in WAU Manager’s Dashboard module.

Besides the Dashboard module, WAU Manager has four more modules:

  • The Install updates module, which searches for available updates, and installs the desired ones. You can also hide updates from this module. Hidden updates are not displayed as available for install.
  • The Uninstall Updates module, which lets you uninstall or hide updates that were previously installed.
  • The Unhide Updates module, which lets you view hidden updates and unhide the desired ones.
  • The View update history module, which displays the Windows Update history and lets you perform maintenance actions related to Windows Update.

WAU Manager does not disable the wuauserv service. Windows 10 uses the wuauserv service for many things other than to install the latest patches, such as updating Windows store apps, updating the Windows defender definitions and installing feature updates. WAU Manager takes care of the latest patches and the Windows defender definitions, but not the rest, so we can not just disable the service.

WAU Manager disables the automatic updates by setting up a group policy in the registry. Windows 10 does not respect this group policy completely. It will still search for mandatory updates regularly and eventually install them. Let’s hope that will change in the future when they realize that users want full control of the automatic updates.

If you want to replace the Windows built in automatic updates interface with WAU Manager, tick the Disable the built in Windows Automatic Updates and use only WAU Manager checkbox. Changes will only be applied once you press Save and Apply.

User interaction and Update types

Select the desired UI (User Interaction) mode and update types to use when updating Windows in the middle section.

If you choose the Normal UI mode, WAU Manager will search for updates, and wait for you to tell it to start downloading and installing them.

If you choose the Passive UI mode, WAU Manager will search for updates, and automatically start downloading and installing them. You will see the application’s GUI and progress, but no user interaction will be required.

If you choose the Quiet UI mode, WAU Manager will search for updates, and automatically start downloading and installing them. You will not see the application’s GUI or progress, and no user interaction will be required.

Select the desired update types you want WAU Manager to search for. You can choose to search for Driver updates, Software updates, or Both.

If you want WAU Manager to automatically reboot the computer to complete installing the updates that require a system reboot, tick the Automatically reboot if needed checkbox. Note that this will make your computer restart unexpectedly, so take precautions not to loose your work.

Shortcut and schedule for unattended updates

If you want WAU Manager to create a desktop shortcut that will update Windows using the settings above, tick the corresponding checkbox. Note that the shortcut will be created only when you press Save and apply.

WAU Manager can also create a scheduled task that will automatically update windows with the settings above, and with the frequency you desire.

Select the desired date and time for the first update session in the date picker control. If the compuuter is turned off at the selected time, the task will be started later, as soon as possible.

Select the desired frequency, in days, for the task to be repeated. For instance, if you want your computer to be updated once every 30 days, just enter 30 in the input box. Enter 0 (zero) if you only want to run the task once.

Note that the schedule will be created only when you press Save and apply. To delete an existing schedule, just uncheck this option and  press Save and apply.

Lower section buttons

As previously mentioned, once you set the desired options above, press the Save and Apply button to validate them.

Pressing the Uninstall Updates button will take you to the Uninstall updates module.

To start updating Windows right away, just press the Update Windows Now button. WAU Manager will start updating Windows using the selected UI settings and Update types, even if you have not save them yet.

The updates list is divided in two groups: The Recommended updates group, and the Optional updates group. Recommended updates are checked by default, while the optional ones are not.

If you’re working in Normal UI mode, you will be able to select which updates to be installed, and unselect or hide updates before starting the download/install process. Otherwise, WAU Manager will automatically start downloading and installing the selected (ticked) updates. In that case, you can cancel the download and change the selection as desired.

Retrieving information on the listed updates

If you wnat to get more information about an update before installing it, click on it to hilight ts line. Information about the selected update will be displayed in the right pane, below the control buttons.

  • If the update contains an E.U.L.A., a clickable link will be displayed. WAU Manager automatically accepts E.U.L.A.s for you.
  • If the selected update contains a support URL, another link is displayed. Click that link to visit the support URL with your browser.
  • The selected update’s description is also displayed in a text zone located at the bottom of the right pane.

Select and install updates

To select updates to be installed, tick the corresponding checkbox. To unselect remove the tick mark by clicking on it again. Only ticked updates (from both groups) will be installed.

Once you select the desired updates, press the Install checked button. WAU Manager will then start downloading and installing the selected updates.Details and results of the operation will be displayed in a progress dialog box which also contains a Cancel button the allows you to stop the update operation.

Hide updates

You can hide updates before you install them. Click the desired update in the list to hilight its line. Once it is selected (hilighted) press the Hide selected button. If the update is successfully hidden, it will be removed from the list. Hidden updates will not be listed again when searching for updates, unless you unhide them.

Navigate to other modules

Press the Uninstall Updates instead button to go to the Uninstall updates module.

Pressing the Manage hidden updates button will take you to the Unhide updates module, allowing you to view and optionally unhide hidden updates

You can also use the Navigation menu to go to the different WAU Manager modules.

Retrieving information on the listed updates

If you wnat to get more information about an update, click on it to hilight ts line. Information about the selected update will be displayed in the right pane, below the control buttons.

  • If the update contains an E.U.L.A., a clickable link will be displayed. WAU Manager automatically accepts E.U.L.A.s for you.
  • If the selected update contains a support URL, another link is displayed. Click that link to visit the support URL with your browser.
  • The selected update’s description is also displayed in a text zone located at the bottom of the right pane.

Select and uninstall updates

To select updates to be uninstalled, tick the corresponding checkbox. To unselect remove the tick mark by clicking on it again. Only ticked updates will be uninstalled.

Once you select the desired updates, press the Uninstall checked button and confirm at the prompt message by clicking Yes. WAU Manager will then start uninstalling the selected updates. Details and results of the operation will be displayed in a progress dialog box which also contains a Cancel button the allows you to stop the uninstall operation.

 

 

Download Windows Automatic Updates Manager Portable

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