I want to turn off the automatic restart for Windows Update on Windows 7 Home Premium. How do I do this?

Anonymous
2009-11-05T12:57:50+00:00

I went to sleep last night and when I woke up my computer had been restarted.  I did not tell it to restart, I did not want it restarted, and I had documents opened that I cannot recover because it restarted.  It restarted because Windows Update had a single update to install.  I am running Windows 7 Home Premium, so I do not have the group policy editor, and the registry key that some websites mentioned to use to disable the restart is not there.

Keep in mind, I just want to prevent an involuntary restart.  I do not want to turn off Windows Update, and I don't mind being prompted to restart.  I just don't want my computer restarting on its own ever again.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2009-11-05T13:05:29+00:00

In Windows Update, click on change settings. Under Important Updates, select 'Download updates but let me choose whether to install them'. This will give you the control on when to install and restart if required.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-07-31T15:18:04+00:00

    Please, Microsoft, don't insult my intelligence, and be a little more flexible! If I wanted to work with all this behind-the-scenes magic I'd spend more time in my Linux terminal...

    LOL...I like the last part (wish they had a little more robust of a scripting tool for the shell like bash for Linux)

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-07-31T14:35:20+00:00

    I hate to bump an old thread but my issue is directly related to this.

    I enabled "No auto-restart with logged on users" in the group policy editor but my computer still automatically restarted on its own... how can i completely disable auto restarts?

    thanks!

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-08T21:55:00+00:00

    I want to stop updates automatically.  It keeps kicking my out of my computer for work.  I have to keep a certain browser in order to work, and Adobe updated as well. How can I stop auto updates and choose those I need.  I do not mind getting a reminder, or suggestion, just have to stop it from auto changing things because I have to get IT help every time to fix it.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-07-02T01:04:22+00:00

    Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

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