Disable Automatic Forced Restart After Windows Update for Windows 8 Home Edition

I get a "Windows cannot find gpedit.msc" error message, presumably because I have the Home version rather than Pro (though I don't really care as to the reason I get the error, to be honest).  Which unfortunately for MS does nothing to increase the likelihood that I will buy the Pro version (of Win8 or any future edition), and instead decreases the likelihood that I'll ever buy another MS product at all.  If anything this behavior makes more sense in a professional (i.e. IT Department-coordinated group policy settings) rather than a home setting, so for me to have no way to remove/adjust this "feature" really turns me off of buying Windows for home use.

Oh if you have a home version, you won't get the group policy editors.  Actually the policy makes the most sense for home users.  Send the editorializing to MS, not me.

Open an elevated powershell prompt and run this (it's one line):

New-ItemProperty "HKLM:SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\au" -Name "NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers" -PropertyType "DWord" -Value 1

Or this, if you don't want to use powershell, open an elevated command prompt and run this (all one line):

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Here is the best solution: This come from Redmondpie: http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-stop-windows-8-updates-from-force-restarting-your-pc/

Local Group Policy Editor

If you’re using Windows 8 Professional or (Ultimate), then you have access to Local Group Policy Editor, which is the easier (albeit longer) route for achieving this.

Step 1: Launch the Local Group Policy Editor by entering gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box.

Step 2: In the editor, navigate to this location:

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update

Step 3: In the right-side pane, locate this setting:

No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations

Step 4: Double click this item, and enable it. Click Applywhen done.

That’s it – the setting has been implemented. It’s advisable, however, to restart your PC once after doing this to ensure that changes have taken effect.

Windows Registry Editor

In case you’re running a version of Windows 8 that does not come with Local Group Policy Editor, the same can be done using the standard Registry Editor in Windows. For doing that, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch the Registry Editor by entering regedit in the Run dialog.

Step 2: Navigate to the following Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

Step 3: Create a new DWORD here (32-bit) with the following name, and give it a hexadecimal value of 1.

NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers

Step 4: Reboot the system, and that’s it.

Both these methods achieve the same method, but cater to different versions of Windows 8, so opt for the one that suits you best.

I am using Windows 8 Home Edition.  I want to keep automatic updates enabled but I do not want my computer to automatically restart after certain Windows updates are installed.

I am aware that there is a notification on the lock screen stating that a restart is necessary, but I normally keep my computer on all of the time and don't ever see this notification.  There are no notifications on the desktop until 15 minutes prior to the forced restart.  It always seems to be at an inconvenient time and results in losing work.

I've seen posts and articles describing methods of disabling the forced restart on different versions of Windows by editing registry keys or using the Group Policy Editor.  But Windows 8 Home edition does not have the registry key mentioned nor does it have a Group Policy Editor. 

Is there a way to display the notification on the desktop further in advance?

Is there a way to indefinitely postpone or completely disable the forced restart?

It does say it's an administrative account, but I guess "administrative" doesn't really mean what it used to.  I ran command prompt as administrator, and it worked!  Thanks!  Still trying to figure out where everything is in Windows 8.