Microsoft has released several security patches in the last 24 hours which every Windows and Office user should install as soon as possible to protect the software programs from attacks. A dialog will appear after the updates have been installed if the updates are installed using Windows Updates. This dialog offers the user the choice to restart the computer now or later. Users who select to restart the computer later will be reminded after some time by the same dialog box which is then repeated in an endless loop until the computer is restarted.
The dialog offers no way of delaying the reminder or letting the operating system know that a manual start will eventually be performed.
There is however a solution to the problem instead of having to click on the Reboot Later button dozens of times. The dialog is fueled by the Automatic Updates service. All that needs to be done to get rid of the Restart Now Restart Later dialog window is to stop the Automatic Update service. This will also stop the restart message boxes from appearing. The Automatic Update service will automatically be started by Windows on the next system start.
Do the following to stop Automatic Updates:
- Press [Windows R], enter [services.msc] and hit enter.
- Locate the Automatic Update service and right-click it.
- Select Stop from the context menu to stop the service.
This procedure will stop the restart now restart later window from appearing on the computer system.
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Uh… wouldn’t this stop the Automatic Update process as well? And in Vista, at least, the restart now or later button pops up in the lower right hand corner. And one can delay the restart reminder for up to 4 hours.
And who is the writer of this article? “admin”? Is this hacked?
Dante it will stop the automatic update checks until the computer is restarted. Windows XP offers no other choices unfortunately. About the admin: I’m not sure why it is showing up as admin and not as Martin. Must have something to do with the update. I have to investigate.
http://thebackroomtech.com/2007/10/12/how-to-delay-the-windows-automatic-updates-reboot-nag-screen-and-the-automatic-reboot-after-applying-updates/
No alternative you say?
umm? net stop wuauserv
yes type, Win+R then “net stop wuauserv” (without quotes). That’s it!
I’ve learned a quicker way to do this.
1. Windows + R
2. net stop “automatic updates”
It’s just that easy.
I did the MS updates and restart today in XP Pro.
When I read this post, I tried Windows-R and nothing at all happened.
Why? I had re-booted into Ubuntu and should stay there if I had any sense.
@de Cosmos: Unfortunately not everybody can choose what OS they are using (for example, a work PC), and not everybody can choose the software platform they need (for example, MS Office, Foxpro, gaming). Hope you don’t get too too many flames from Mac fanboys either.