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

Are these questions and replies actually read by Microsoft? Do they care? I have read all through this thread and have seen no replies from Microsoft (though this is their website?). Aberrance should be hired and paid for his awesome helpfulness (you rock, thank you!).

As most other people on here, I am extremely frustrated at the constant turning off of my computer using Windows updates. I did not know just how bad it could get, however, until I had the misfortune a couple days ago to have my laptop stolen. I used to have Windows Professional so I was able to set most settings I wanted to to whatever I wanted them to be. However, with the cost of replacing the computer and Office after my laptop was stolen, I simply don't have the $$ to update now to Windows 7 Professional from Windows 7 Home at this moment. I am super annoyed that Win 7 Home seems not to have full functionality (such as allowing me control of WHEN to shut off my computer). While I understand Microsoft tries to make as much money as possible by offering several versions of programs, some with extra features, and while this makes complete sense for Office, etc, it makes no sense for an OPERATING SYSTEM!!! The entire point of having an OS system is to have it be fully customizable and accessible to the user who would like to have full control over their computer!!!

My other frustrations, which I have not seen addressed in this thread: HOW can Microsoft products be SO POORLY DESIGNED to begin with? I JUST bought my new laptop two days ago, and since then, the computer has been patching and patching and patching away: my list of updates list no fewer than 83 patches total so far!!!!  This is with a NEW download of ALL the software, including office, and with a NEW computer! WHY does NEWLY downloaded software need to be patched 3-4 times EACH component in the span of 2 days RIGHT AFTER it was downloaded??? Also, although there is supposed to be at least 24 hours between updates, my computer shut down (unknown to me till my alarm didn't wake me up this morning) at 3am today and now, at 12pm, it is telling me I need 8 MORE updates?? WTF? Seriously? It shut down overnight for the past 2 days AND I've been letting it update as it pleases while I'm tending to it, and two days later IT STILL wants 8 MORE updates??? I feel like with this new laptop I am constantly updating, it's constantly shutting off, and it then constantly reminds me there are even more updates after automatically shutting off. I'm sure this will end in a few days and then become less frequent, but the point is, if you have NEW everything, why in the world isn't it patched when i bought it??? This includes downloads through the Microsoft website like 2 days ago (i.e., Office), and not just some OS that may have been prepackaged with the computer long before I bought it.

Microsoft, please read and address your own forums.

Put more simply: I have no problem with downloading automatic updates. I have no problem with installing automatic updates. I have no problem with updates requiring reboot requiring a reboot.

What I have a problem with is M$ insisting they know better than the end user WHEN the most appropriate timing is for applying updates that require a reboot, adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

For me, personally, I tend to use my computer sporadically. I turn it on, I use it, I turn it off. It's usually left on for less than a few hours, unless maybe I leave it on to crunch some Seti@home. If an update requires a reboot, I have no problem with it installing that update at the end of the session during shutdown.

During the session, I EXPECT an uninterrupted experience (unless I specifically deign to interrupt my experience, if GIVEN THE CHOICE).

What I DO NOT EXPECT is for my machine to take it upon itself to interrupt my user experience by randomly rebooting while I'm in the middle of [insert activity: combining and paring 10 spreadsheets, watching a video on Hulu, playing Star Trek Online, performing a system backup, rendering a video, DVR'ing a TV show, etc.].

I would be 100% happy to make the INFORMED DECISION to leave 'random patch X to fix random flaw Y that probably should have been fixed before initial release date Z (except the product was rushed into production and not everything works as expected)' to be uninstalled for 2 hours between download & shutdown, during which I will, with 99.99% certainty, NOT NEED THE PATCH WITH ANY URGENCY for what I am currently in the process of doing. That is, I'm pretty sure my system won't go up in flames in the next 6 hours without it.

I'm about 95% unhappy that I am not even given the OPTION to make said informed decision because someone somewhere sometime decided all customers are idiots and, given the option, would inevitably make the wrong decision and something would blow up, initiating digital Armageddon.

A restart is required if files are being replaced that are currently in use. It's more that that really.

Any OS wouldn't be stable if it allowed one to replace in use files. As such, it's also a security thing. 

Now a bit of editorializing: I never understand why users who complain about their own lack of knowledge of how their computer is configured. Yes, you may have lost work because you neglected to reconfigure Windows Update not to automatically restart. I sympathize, but the issue is bigger than that. It's one of security again.

In order that your system stay up to date and secure , you need to keep it updated. This goes for all OSes -not just Windows.

A few years ago, Microsoft was taken to task (rightfully so) about how 'open' an initial install was - their general approach being that users should lock down their own system as their needs dictate. They were berated daily & often by the usual suspects regarding this, and few years back they changed the approach to 'secure by default'. Now a new install is pretty locked down. You need to see the default settings for auto update in this light.

And lastly, it's a computer - not a toaster. You will be required know more than how to plug it in and press the big friendly buttons. 

A bit of editorializing from the other side:

Okay, so you're putting the blame on the user for Windows being mis-configured? How is it the user's fault that windows comes pre-configured out of the box to interrupt vital goings on because the OS thinks it knows better than the end user? The user will not know this until it happens to them for the first time. Blaming the user for not digging around in the registry to see whether or not "don't reboot automatically after updates are downoaded and please, please, please stop nagging me after I tell you NO!" is turned on...

I'm sorry, but this has been a frustrating 'feature' since inception back in XP...

My opinion is to always tell the user all the options and LET THE USER DECIDE. It's

THEIR system, after all, not yours. I fully understand 'default' settings intended to serve the widest possible audience, HOWEVER I do not understand the fact that you apparently refuse to give power-users the ability to easily power-use their systems. Y'know like something as simelp and stupid as an 'advanced' or 'custom' button in the Automatic Updates configuration screen...

Give people the OPTION to set up their system as they see fit. If you feel that a given option may not be the best idea, include an explanation of why it might not be the best idea to enable or disable a given feature, either as a pop-up or as a description field next to the button to toggle a feature on / off. Inform the user and let the user make an informed decision. If necessary, put a little warning flag in the notifications area or the security area so the user is occasionally reminded they might want to turn the full feature back on if its' partly disabled.

I'm with just about everyone else here, I've had my work zapped by this 'feature' too many times. It would be so bloody simple to implement a better way of doing things... I mean, you could build a similar option into the nag pop-up: "update now, postpone 10 mins, 1 hr, 4 hrs, 1 day, until next user restart." Users  aren't stupid. Generally. Sure, sometimes they do stupid things. But Id' like to thinkthat given all the information they will in fact make an informed decision germane to the situation.

I would really prefer my Win 7 Home hadn't just restarted while I was in the middle of working on a project. I don't even recall a pop-up informing me that updates were available or one noting that the system wanted to reboot.

And, I'm also with others who think that it would be nice if the OS could do installs / updates while the machine was still running. Actually, I'm pretty sure that was one of the suggested selling points of Windows 7: that programs and the OS would have some better system for notifying programs when there would be updates or other changes, and making the update more seamless so as not to interrupt user processes. I'd have to look up the exact 'things that were said' back in the day, but I'm pretty sure I recall things to that effect.

Anyway, long story short, it is extraordinarily aggravating when the OS 'decides' that what the user is currently working on is of less importance than a patch that could honestly wait another 10 minutes before being applied. I mean, how many times have you been in the middle of a giant 20-spreadsheet merge and thought to yourself, 'oh-my-god, I need to install the latest patch RIGHT THIS SECOND, let's drop EVERYTHING!'

Don't mean to vent. It's just frustrating when you're in the middle of doing something and suddenly your program closes for no reason and your machine reboots right in front of you, leaving you going "WTF just happened?? Omigod, I just lost an hour's worth of work!"

I'm all for updates, I have no problem with automatic installs. But, for the love of all things holy, we need the ability to tell the system "please don't reboot while I'm right in the middle of something extremely important that I can't afford to lose. I realize your update is important, but my work is MORE important. I promise, you can apply the change just as soon as I'm done, save my work and log off / shut down. But it might be a little while... Please be patient."

It's a bit like negotiating with the wife/girlfriend/sibling about who gets control of the computer when. I swear, if I'm using it and they randomly hit the power button, they'll get just as much of an earful. Ya' just don't mess with a guy's computer while he's in the middle of doing something important... And he also shouldn't lose work or have something scheduled to happen end up not happening because he wasn't there to click a little button that randomly showed up for no reason. If someone's not there to make a decision on whether or not to restart, you should really wait until someone with the authority to make said decision shows up rather than making the decision for them. That is the pop-up should remain there until someone clicks yea or nay, unless they've specifically delegated that authority to the system in their absence (in which case it would be their own fault for delegating the authority rather than the computer's fault for usurping their authority).

In the end, it's the customer's computer, not Microsoft's. Give the customer the flexibility to configure as needed. Let them have the final say in how things happen on their own machines. Just sayin'.

[/rant]

THANK YOU! Sooooo much. Saved me. :D