Disable restart after Automatic Updates

Automatic Updates means that your computer will check periodically if updates for Windows XP are available and install the automatically if it finds any. The computer needs to be restarted after installing those Windows updates because some files can’t be exchanged while the operating system runs.

The dialog box after installing all updates gives the user the choice to either Restart Now or Restart Later. Restart Now should be pretty obvious, this will restart Windows XP immediately while Restart Later displays the same annoying dialog again asking if you want to Restart Now or Restart Later.

This is really annoying if you are currently doing something that cannot be interrupted and after the third or fourth time that dialog box is really putting even the calmest user to a test.

Disabling Automatic Updates should not be an option for most users which is why we have to look at other solutions to disable or modify the restart dialog box after installing updates.

1. Stop the Windows Update Service

Stopping the Windows Update Service will get rid of the dialog box nagging you to restart now or later. Updates will be installed after the next reboot and the Automatic Updates service will be enabled with the next start of Windows XP as well again. Type the following line in the command prompt. You can alternatively open the services configuration by typing services.msc and stopping the Automatic Updates Service.

sc stop wuauserv

2. Modifying Group Policies

Run gpedit.msc which should open the Group Policies window. The user has two options in here. First he could disable the restart for Automatic Updates completely or edit the interval of the nagging Restart dialog. Both settings are found in Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update

No auto-restart for schedule Automatic Updates installations will disable automatic restart and disable the dialog box asking you to restart now or later while Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations lets you edit the interval of the appearance of the dialog box in minutes.

The small software Auto Reboot Remover disables or enables the automatic restart option as well.