Turn off Win10 automatic restarts for updates ...

[mrdom]

Hi everyone: I have absolutely had it with my PC restarting automatically whenever it feels like when updates are ready to be installed. I've searched high and low to disable the auto restart, and I've followed three different examples on how to do it, and it still restarts without my consent. Is there something I can set in the Group Policy Editor or a setting to change in Windows Update so this doesn't keep happening? I've lost data and documents when these stupid restarts happen, and it's getting very frustrating.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Rick998]

I disable 4 services and only re-enable them when I want to update Windows. IMO Windows Update is such a mess that inconvenient restarts is just one of its major flaws.

When I want to update I just run the following BAT file (using 'Run as administrator'):

REM Start Windows Update (wuauserv) and
REM Delivery Optimization (dosvc) and
REM Update Orchestrator Service (UsoSvc) and
REM Background Intelligent Transfer Service (bits)

sc config wuauserv start= auto
sc config UsoSvc start= auto
sc config dosvc start= auto
sc config bits start= auto
net start wuauserv
net start UsoSvc
net start dosvc
net start bits

REM Now run Windows Update and wait

control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate
pause

REM When finished, stop the services and disable them

net stop wuauserv
net stop UsoSvc
net stop dosvc
net stop bits
sc config wuauserv start= disabled
sc config UsoSvc start= disabled
sc config dosvc start= disabled
sc config bits start= disabled

Note that the Update Orchestrator Service was only added in Win 10 1709 Fall Creators Update and that BITS is now a fall-back service, superceded by the WUDO (Delivery Optimization) service.

Hope this helps...

 

[mrdom]

Hi Rick: Thanks so much for providing this script. I'm anxious to give it a try! So if I disable all four of these services and run the script, will the script enable the services and download the updates? Do I then have to tell Windows to install them, or will they automatically install as well? Thanks again for providing this!

 

[Rick998]

The easiest is just to run the script then close the Windows Update page. Click on the commandline window to make it active and press a key. The script will then disable the services for you.

Rather than remember to right-click on the BAT file each time and choose 'Run as administrator', what I've done is to create a shortcut to the script then amended the shortcut's Advanced properties:

When you run the BAT file it will show the Windows Update page in Settings. Just click on the Check for updates button and wait until you see 'Your device is up to date'. Note that some updates require a restart. No problem... after the restart just run the script again to check there's no more updates.

Hope this helps...

 

[jrbarnett]

Does Windows 10 Active Hours not do what you want?

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-...oid-windows-10-sudden-restarts-during-updates

There are plenty of other sites that give similar information.

John

 

[mrdom]

Thanks for the post John. I've tried using active hours, and the computer still reboots even though it's within the given timeframe. I don't know why it does that.