Disable restart now message after Windows automatic update message

Posted on May 17, 2008 at 5:22 am

Don’t you just love Windows Automatic Update? On the second Tuesday of each month Microsoft releases their software updates and patches for Windows, which are usually numerous, and most computers receive these updates automatically if Windows Update is turned on.

You might notice your computer slow down while these updates are installed in the background. After they are installed, you’ll always get a message to restart your computer.

If you are not in the middle of doing work, which is probably not going to be the case considering the update always occurs in the middle of the work day for me, then you’ll probably click on Cancel or Restart Later.

However, Microsoft felt that when you clicked that button, you were somehow dishonoring their great service, so they keep reminding you of your injustice by popping up the same NAGGING message every 10 minutes!!! Yes I know I have to restart the computer, I do it ALL THE TIME anyway, you don’t have to keep telling me to do it!

Anyway I’ve gotten rid of this message for a long time on my computer and it’s wonderful not having to see that stupid message while I’m watching a movie on Netflix!

There are two ways to get rid of the nagging Restart Now message, one of which is preferable over the other:

1. Stop the Automatic Updates Service

Go to your Control Panel, then Administrative Tools and then click on Services.

In the list of services, find Automatic Updates, right-click on it and click Stop.

Once you have stopped the service, the nagging message stops also. Then you can reboot when you FEEL LIKE IT. Note that the Automatic Updates service will automatically restart when you reboot, so you will get future updates (and hence have to follow the same procedure again the next time your computer installs updates).

2. Modify Group Policy Settings

The problem with the above-mentioned method for disabling Automatic Updates restart message is that it’s a one time fix. A better way is to modify some group policy settings so that your computer will always be updated, but you won’t be asked to restart constantly.

To get to the Group Policy editor, click on Start, and then Run and type in gpedit.msc.

Now navigate down to the following security settings:

Local Computer Policy
Computer Configuration
Administrative Templates
Windows Components
Windows Update

You’ll now see a bunch of options on the right hand side related to Windows Automatic Update. Here is where we can configure your message to disappear! There are basically two settings that we can manipulate to get what we want.

No auto-restart for schedule Automatic Updates installations

Set it to Enabled and Windows will wait for the logged on user to restart the computer instead of automatically trying to restart. No prompt will be displayed at all, so you will have to remember to restart yourself.

Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations

Using this setting, you can configure the restart message to come up again, but at a longer interval. Go ahead and double-click on the setting and set it to Enabled. You’ll see the default value is 10 minutes. Go ahead and change it to something like 1440 minutes, which is one day. This is better if you want to still be reminded, but not so often.

Hopefully, now you won’t see that message anymore and you can do your work without being interrupted every 10 minutes! Enjoy!

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» Filed Under Computer Tips

9 Responses to “Disable restart now message after Windows automatic update message”

Techblissonline Dot Com said on : May 17th, 2008 at 6:49 am

nice trick but i am always better off without those auto updates…microsoft not only pops up annoying messages but it also does release some crap updates sometime…

akishore said on : May 17th, 2008 at 8:29 am

Techbliss - I agree, the updates can mess up your computer sometimes. I always hold off a week until I hear the news. So far I have not installed SP3 yet for XP!

Elfalem said on : May 17th, 2008 at 11:49 pm

I can’t find the group policy editor on my computer (XP). I tried opening ‘gpedit.msc’ and it wasn’t found. I also didn’t find it in the Microsoft management console.

akishore said on : May 18th, 2008 at 10:45 pm

Elfalem - You won’t be able to access Group Policy if you are running Windows XP Home Edition. It is only on XP Professional.

Nirmal said on : May 19th, 2008 at 4:36 am

Nice tutorial, but people now comfortable with Group policy can use a small tool for removing auto reboot.
http://www.nirmaltv.com/2007/1.....t-remover/

Elfalem said on : May 19th, 2008 at 5:25 pm

Yeah, I’m using XP Home Edition. Does that mean there is no cure for the restart message in XP Home edition?

Stephen said on : June 9th, 2008 at 4:42 am

I also use XP home and I don’t care for the Automatic Updates.

They install themselves using the bandwidth I pay for without my permission.

Does anyone know how to disable Windows Update (not just the 5mins to reboot message) ?

Every advice I find on the internet is for XP Pro.

Do I have to buy an Apple computer to solve this?

x said on : June 20th, 2008 at 9:52 am

It’s really foolish to disable automatic updates. The chance of a critical update screwing up your computer is far less significant than the risk involved with NOT installing such a critical update. And… You DO backup, and also realize that almost all critical updates and other hotfixes can be uninstalled, right?

Regarding the “Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations” setting: It seems intuitively obvious that one could set it to Disabled and then not have to deal with any reboot prompts. But no. If you set it to Disabled, Windows will apparently use the default reboot reminder interval of 10 minutes.

x said on : June 20th, 2008 at 9:53 am

…And of course all the people here also know that you can set automatic updates to prompt rather than automatically install…