Windows 8.1 Disable Automatic Maintenance

Having just upgraded to 8.1 from XP I have found it a steep learning curce getting to grips with how everything works - or doesn't work. Automatic Maintenance is new to me, and I'm finding it extremely frustrating.

I like to set the computer to sleep after 15 minutes so I can work on it at any time without waiting for it to re-boot. I don't want it running continuously during the day when I'm not working on it. At night, it's set to run Automatic Maintenance at 3am and return to sleep. However, it never works that way - maintenance runs whenever it feels like it, despite me stopping it at intervals, it always re-stars before the day is out.

I followed your thread "Disable Automatic Maintenance" for Windows 8:
http://www.helpwithwindows.com/Windows8/Disable-Windows8-Automatic-Maintenance.html
but got stuck at step 2 of disabling Maintenance Configurator. There is no "TaskScheduler" folder. I'm trying to disable all maintenance except Regular Maintenance, at the bottom of the list in Task Scheduler, in the hope that will work.

Some pointing in the right direction would be helpful, as I've run out of ideas.

 

Hi Stonyjohn, Welcome to WindowsBBS. I've just followed the directions in the link and all worked OK till #9.
I was unable to bring up the screen shown as I think their was some text missing.
Close back to your Desktop and then type Schedule while on the Start screen and follow the original instructions from there. You should arrive at the screen shown below #9.
Let's know if it works now. Neil.

 

retiredlearner: thanks for the update on the radio ad thread. Good info to have on hand just in case others have that same problem.

 

Thank you so much for that, Neil. It worked of course, including step 9. My problem was not using Windows Explorer, but PowerDesk which I have been usung since year dot. PDesk usually shows system and hidden folders and files without having to mess about gaining permission. However, here under Windows\Systm32\Tasks it shows only 4 sub-folders instead of the 74 shown by Explorer.

The background to needing Automatic Maintenance disabled is that I have Perfect Disk defragmenter, which uses "Smart" placement of files on the disk. If the Windows defragmenter - sorry, Optimiser - comes into action it may well undo the hard work Perfect Disk has done, and the task chunders on for hours.

Thanks again for the help. I look forward to browsing this forum for more insight into 8.1, and look into the possibility of progressing to Windows 10 when the free upgrade comes into play.
John

 

You're welcome. Have you tried Start8 or Classic Shell to give you an XP or W7 Menu? It makes it easier to learn your way round W8.1. Cheers Neil.

 

Thanks for the tip - I'll have a look at those. I've avoided W7 and went straight from XP to 8.1, so I've set it to boot into the Desktop, where I have pinned the most used apps. The utility features I have pinned onto the start screen. The most difficult aspects to get my head around that I'm used to in XP have been the different folder layout for documents program settings for backing-up purposes, and the way to get to the various system settings such as the Device Manager and network connection settings. I'll get there one day.
John

 

Right click on the Windows logo on the taskbar and you should see Control Panel, Run etc. Hope that's what you're looking for.