I keep discovering broken processes in the Windows 8.1 task scheduler. Besides these two the latest one I found is in the "Windows Backup" task folder, using the command

%systemroot%\System32\sdclt.exe

To find out if you have this issue, launch Windows Task Manager and see if you have several instances of sdclt.exe that cannot be terminated. This is apparently a known issue with Windows 8.1 that some users have attributed to the Intel Proset network drivers. But my PC had the issue even though my motherboard does not have the Intel Proset NIC. To fix sdclt.exe from sapping my memory, I disabled it: Open Windows Task Scheduler, drill down to the Windows Backup task folder, right click on ConfigNotification in the Task Window, and select "disable".

I also disabled the associated Windows Service: "Block Level Backup Engine Service" at: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wbengine and set the "start" parameter to "4" to shut it off.

Taking these steps will interfere with Windows backup. So I would not recommend it for those who rely on Windows restore functions or whose PC's aren't afflicted by multiple instances of sdclt.exe. But for those of you using a third party backup solution (as I do) and who have the sdclt.exe problem, I can report that my system has more free memory and is a lot more stable after disabling the process.

Edited January 9, 201412 yr by lurk&jerk

this is a known issue, but MSFT refuses to create a fix, they said not enough users complained about it.

I suggest against trying to run Windows 8.1 as an in-place upgrade to 8, but doing a fresh install. If that means buying a disc, so be it.

Windows backup can be run successfully on a schedule in Win 8.1 using a wbadmin command.

-Noel

this is a known issue, but MSFT refuses to create a fix, they said not enough users complained about it.

Another proof (if needed) of how the Pareto principle is loosely mixed with arrogance and misundertood "popularity" in the good MS guys' (perverted) minds.

A blast from the past :

http://www.crn.com/news/security/18821726/microsofts-ceo-80-20-rule-applies-to-bugs-not-just-features.htm

jaclaz

Wasn't there a time when "excellence" was considered a good thing?

I shoot for ZERO bugs in my own software. It's not done until there are none.

-Noel