
Unfortunately, WSUS Offline Updater is misbehaving. So, a few weeks later, I decided to go ahead with the same process for my proper clean install once I'd learnt everything I needed to know during these few weeks of tinkering. It did its thing, triggering whatever that was broken with Windows Update to kick into life.

Luckily, I discovered WSUS Offline Updater.

Since then, I've realised that's a problem not just with my machine. The test installation/s originally encountered a hitch whereby Windows 8.1 would not update. I purchased a bigger 2nd hard disk for storage (my OS is on an SSD), so I decided I'd just test the waters for a few weeks without worry, then conduct a clean install of 8.1 and reinstall everything where it should be.

I've been tinkering around with a test installation for the past few weeks, as a way of getting to know the quirks of my system after Windows Update stopped working.
