pcalua.exe???

[tropix]

can anyone tell me what this windows file (pcalua.exe) is used
for?
It shows in my tasks and is caled by other non microsoft processes.

Im sure its a legit microsoft file but I need to know what it actually
does when called by these other processes.

[Richard Urban]

Tried Google?

http://www.google.com/search?q=pcalu...x=&startPage=1

If you're too stupid to be able to use Google's hits, then you
probably are too stupid to be operating your computer.

You are not at all interested that it may be an infection??

Although the results from the Google search are often references to
newsgroup articles.

My search results, though, have improved over the years. I credit the
search engines, not me...

[xrayspex]

Yeah. That's how I ended up here. Google isn't always that helpful... too
many hits can be as useless as too few. I guess this forum isn't always too
helpful either, if your response is typical.

Has there ever been a legitimate question/enquiry posted on any forum
that cannot be answered by googling with patience? If so please let me
know what it is. I am truely curious.

Sense of humour considered, forums are designed for those who dont have
the time, patience, or intelligence to google.
So oftem I read replies in forums that say to google for the result.
On the flip side, I also see so many replies that have been detailed
from a google search, in some cases word for word.

Why does one come to a forum to solve a problem they have?

Of course they are useful, informative, and a speedy solution.
Google is the reply one gives when one doesnt have the time, patience,
or knowledge to reply but still gratfies in believing they have shown
justification for being here.

[Richard Urban]

Now, had you initially said that you tried Google, and could not make heads
or tails out of the returned links, I would have responded differently! All
too often the answer is right there near the top. To rewrite the exact same
thing - yet again - is not productive in my way of thinking.

One can *always* say "If you didn't find it, then you didn't try hard
enough".

Unfortunately, that's a tautology (true by the very structure of the logic)
and thus not helpful, unless you have the right sense of humor.

Sometimes - but not at all every time - I think that I could learn how to
program an operating system, write a new OS for myself, and solve the
problem, in less time than it would take to find the answer on a Google
search, even if the answer is in there somewhere.

All the above is perhaps a clue to my sense of humor - or not.

[Ken Blake, MVP]

There is almost no information or solution to someone's problem that
anyone can supply here that isn't already available somewhere on the
internet. The answer to *any* question could be "do a Google search."
Follow that to its logical conclusion and there would be no need for
newsgroups like this at all.

Not everyone knows about all the online resources available nor has
the skills to search them effectively. If one of us who already knows
the answer to a question can supply it, then we do a service to the
person asking.

And - as often is the case - the reason for suggesting to someone that
they use Google is that their question has been asked SO many times
that the person making the suggestion is confident that an answer can
easily be found by that method.

When someone is looking for info on a particular KNOWN file name,
Googling should be the first choice every time.

That - or just browsing or luring in a newsgroup.

When those fail[1], obviously posting is a good step.

[1] I don't always know what search terms to use, and I don't always get
good results when I choose apparently reasonable search terms. There are
doubtless other failure modes too.

[2] Newsgroup posts don't always get results either, or even worse, they
get my answers

[xor42]

My complaint:
Just ignore the childish replies you received. I have not seen any viable results in Google or even in the increasingly valuable Bing. The malcontents perusing this forum have no right to assume anything on your behalf. They need to contribute or constrain themselves - like evolved peope.

My contribution:
I have two instances of this program in my scheduler, as well, which I just investigated which, in turn, led me to this dubiously useful forum. One runs my LaCie OEM installation menu program for bundled software and the other, a Logitech update program.

The first telltale sign as to what these tasks are for is that both are not triggerred by a schedule but rather by changes to the scheduled profile. That is still confusing since one doesn't change Windows task without even knowing they exist.

Secondly, looking at the Action properties, both of my pcalua.exe task entries correspond exactly to the aforementiuoned programs which I recently and successfully ran, but after which, Windows asked if they "installed OK" or whether to "use recommended settings". I chose "recommended settings". That, in turn, suggests the scheduler is simply monitoring those programs for you and will trigger Windows to apply compatibility settings you chose when asked.

I just deleted the one for my LaCie OEM installation menu program that allows you to install software bundled with the drive. However, even after the task was deleted, the program continued to run in the compatiiblity mode that I had selected (no aeroglass, lesser colors, etc). Perhaps, when I next run it after a reboot, I might lose the settings and be asked again to select "Install Ran OK" or "use recommended settings".

NB, the Windows prompt about compatibility seems misworded. You are asked those questions even if you are just running a program, like my LaCie OEM menu orogram, that doesn't install anything unless you elect to do so which I did not.

[T3rry]

No answer after all that banter? Here you go.

Basically, it's that window that pops up, "Did this program install correctly?"

This information is pulled straight from MS website.

The Program Compatibility Assistant detects known compatibility issues in older programs. After you have run an older program in this version of Windows, it notifies you if there is a problem and offers to fix it the next time you run the program. If the compatibility issue is serious, the Program Compatibility Assistant might warn you or block the program from running. If that happens, you'll have the option to check online for possible solutions.

This link will probably be broken, but here it is anyway.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/w...sked-questions

If the first question on a forum had never been asked, there would never have been a direct answer. Forums like this put the question with the answer, so when you search the question, you get the answer.

Google is nothing but advertising and bulls*** these days. The first six hits have nothing to do with information on the file, they just say "Fix pcalua error today!!!" If you want real answers, you need to use actual forums.

If you're only answer is "Google it", don't respond. What is everyone's answer every time was "Google it"? It would cause a loop. Google finds the solution to pcalua on Techarena as "Google it". Pretty much how it standed until I answered this question.

So, now when you search pcalua on Google or Bing, you will get a hit on Techarena, with the answer and not a bunch of people bi***ing back and forth. Grow up or slag off!!