How do I stop Windows Update from restarting my computer in Windows 7 Home Premium?

Anonymous
2009-11-04T14:27:38+00:00

While I do not mind Windows Update automatically updating my PC, hacing it force a reboot when I am logged in is causing a problem.  I currently have WU set to perform the updates at 3am, and when it finished, if there needs to be a reboot, I am not there to tell it to wait.  I would prefer to leave the time settings as they are, and simply disable the automatic reboot, instead opting for WU to let me know it needs to reboot the PC.  I found ways of doing this in XP and Vista, including registry edits and group policy modifications.  However, The registry is obviously slightly different so the keys do not exist compared to what I found, and since I am running Home Premium I do not have gpedit.

Where in the registry can I make a change so I don't have lost data when WU resets my computer at night?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2009-11-05T21:05:54+00:00

Another way to do it without hacking the registry, which can be scary for some users), is to follow the instructions on the following website:

http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2006/02/11/438009.aspx

I've pasted in the main parts of it, in case the link goes dead (but no nice pictures though):

  1. Go to Start -> Run(or in Vista and 7 simply press the windows orb)
  2. Type: gpedit.msc
  3. Expand Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update
  4. Double-click "No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations"
  5. Select "Enabled", then OK. Close the Group Policy configuration program.

That should stop it autorestarting.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-06-30T00:47:17+00:00

    Not to perform forum Necromancy, but generally only updates that include security hotfixes will attempt to reboot your computer without user interaction.  The reason Microsoft sets this policy by default is to prevent your computer from being hacked by a new exploit or virus, and because many users will simply keep postponing a needed reboot for days - I know one guy who just kept clicking "postpone" for almost four weeks before he actually rebooted after an update.  While I agree that these forced reboots can be most inconvenient, and could possibly have been handled better, it would be more irresponsible of Microsoft if they allowed an unsupervised PC to become a botnet zombie because no one was around to hit OK on the reboot prompt.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-06-23T03:41:23+00:00

    After reading all the posts on this question it seems the only way i can stop windows update from rebooting my computer after it updates is to stop it getting and updates at all, really must not have got much user feedback before putting that into windows, power users might only be a minority in the computer world but i like to leave my computer running as its my choice to do so, i would like it also to be MY choice when i reboot it, if and when it is needed but users dont really matter after they have paid microsoft the money for os

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-03-09T22:53:16+00:00

    Another way to do it without hacking the registry, which can be scary for some users), is to follow the instructions on the following website:

    http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2006/02/11/438009.aspx

    I've pasted in the main parts of it, in case the link goes dead (but no nice pictures though):

    1. Go to Start -> Run(or in Vista and 7 simply press the windows orb)
    2. Type: gpedit.msc
    3. Expand Local Computer Policy / Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update
    4. Double-click "No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations"
    5. Select "Enabled", then OK. Close the Group Policy configuration program.

    That should stop it autorestarting.

    wont work on windows 7 ultimate

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-03-06T22:14:30+00:00

    I see there are a lot of answers here.  And some of them are very helpful.  But this site shows a really easy way to stop your computer from auto-restarting after updates.

    here is the link: http://randomeh.com/tutorials/windows7/noautorestart.php

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