Your computer should not reboot itself when you aren't there, unless you've asked it to. Few things annoy me more about Windows than when I return to my desktop only to discover a Windows Login box. Almost as annoying as this is that Windows Update pesters you to reboot your computer after applying updates, even while you're working. Nevermind that it steals focus from other windows, interefering with whatever it is you're getting paid to do, the damn thing doesn't have a "NEVER" option to choose from, just "now" and "later"!
Well annoyance no more! You can easily disable this one a variety of ways: manually by editing the registry yourself (see the code below) or by changing the group policy, and automatically by importing this registry file (contains the below code).
If you wish to do it manually in the group policy editor (also useful if you wish to make it part of your domain policy), here's how:
Run gpedit.msc or the domain policy editor. Under Computer Configuration, browse to Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update. To help confuse you, Microsoft mixes allow and deny statementes, sometimes including double negatives to keep the number of MCSE's in demand artificially high. The option you seek is called "No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations" - it's about half way down the list. Double click it and set it to Enabled. You're done!
This works on Windows 2000 SP3 and up, XP SP1 and up, and Windows Server 2003. If I recall correctly, Vista doesn't have this problem, rest assured if it does I'll post about it.
Update 2007/11/13 6 P.M. PST:
Yup, looks like this can affect Vista as well. The same steps above will let you disable it (including the .REG file).
reboot
The program that starts the "chain reaction" which ends with the entire operating system being loaded is known as bootstrap loader. software outsourcing
Post new comment