Stop Windows 7 From Auto-Restarting After Updates Install
It’s important to keep Windows fully updated to avoid your system security becoming compromised. One annoying thing about Windows 7 update, however, is that when some updates install, the computer is forced to automatically reboot. If you’re in the middle of something important, or in a project running multiple applications, then this can cause some headache. To fix this, we have to modify the Windows 7 registry.
Before we get started, it’s important to remember that improperly modifying the Windows registry can severely mess up your system. But this groovy guide should prevent that from happening!
If you’d like to skip the steps below, just download this registry fix and apply it.
How To Prevent Windows 7 From Doing An Automatic Reboot After Windows Updates Are Installed
1. Click the Windows Start Orb and then in the search box Type Regedit. Press Enter or click the regedit.exe program link.
2. Next from within Registry Editor, navigate to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows
3. Now we have to create two new registry keys. Right-Click in the open space to the right, and Select New > Key. Name the first key WindowsUpdate and then make the second key within WindowsUpdate and Name it AU.
So now your new registry location should be:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdateAU
4. Right-Click within the AU key and Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD:
NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
5. Now that you created the DWORD Right-Click it and select Modify. Set the Value data to 1 and then click OK and exit regedit. Restart Windows for changes to take effect.
Now your computer should no longer automatically reboot every time a new Windows 7 system update installs. Once you finish your work don’t forget to manually restart your computer – since the same updates that would normally force a restart still require a restart to take effect on your computer. The longer you wait, the more chance a possible problem could occur.
26 Comments
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MrGroove
And just to follow-up on grooveDexter's comments at the end of his article: Although it's not as important as it was in previous OS's to reboot quickly after installing updates, I still don't recommend waiting longer than 1-2 hours to reboot after patching your OS with Windows Updates.
I'm also curious to know if this hack will prevent corporate WSUS servers w/GPO from patching and rebooting Windows 7 boxes…. If anyone has this data, let me know!
Koen
You are talking about the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
However the illustrations clearly show this key instead:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
Which one is it?
grooveDexter
the correct key is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
The images should now properly reflect that. Thanks for the feedback!
Flick
So which key do I use?
MrGroove
@Koen – Nice find. Thanks for the feedback!
Mr. B
Great article & the pictures made it that much easier to follow. Thanks!
grooveDexter
Appreciate the feedback! I’m happy the article was helpful!
Lady Morgana
I got the problem…so im looking every website that can make the restart disable….many of them know the way but way their explain about it is very deferent n hard to understand…so i found this website and it is very helpful with the demo pic! Great job n thanks!
MrGroove
@Lady Morgana,
Excellent! Glad the article was able to help you out!
Kemal6P
Thanks for the explanation but it did not work on me, I`m familiar with registry entries and I did exactly what you say but it did not work, I tried several times to do it, deleted and recreated keys but still no result, what is wrong I really did not understand…
Lady Morgana
Sir….i make the way all of i show about..but it is still restarting…pls…!!
mimka
i dont have windows update in registery
MrGroove
If you don’t have the Keys in the registry, you can create them.
ReSpawN
Tried it out just now… let’s see if it works! I’ll know within 1 hour and 50 minutes! :P
ReSpawN
Nope, didn’t work…
Bab
grooveDexter…u r star mate !! Hope it works…..
Matt
Do I have to do anything different for a 64 bit OS?
MrGroove
@Matt – The process should be exactly the same for both x64 and x86.
microUgly
I would recommend using the `Local Group Policy Editor ` rather than modifying the registry directly.
You can find the setting under Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Updates. Simply enable `No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations`.
Ron Richey
The Local Group Policy Editor is not availalbe with some versions of windows 7. I have machines both with and without it (for exmple, Windows 7 utlimate DOES have it, while Windows 7 Home Premium DOES NOT). I have made the changes above on the Home Premium machine, but after reading several of the “it didn’t work” comments above, I am wondering whether or not it will actually work there. Other iniformation on the net suggests doing essentially the same thing, only creating the key in a different registry path, i.e. HKLM>Software>Microsoft>Windows>CurrenteVersion>WindowsUpdate>Auto Update>NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
So my question to those who know more about such things than I do, is this alternative path the correct one for versions of Windows 7 *WITHOUT* the Local Group Policy capabilities? Yes, I can create the path as shown in this thread, but if it is on a computer without Group Policy setting capability, will it still work?
PhoenixEdge
Thank you for this!
I am used to Windows XP, and just recently put together a newer machine with Windows 7 Home Premium. I found it quite annoying when Windows would automatically reboot my system without my consent, but finally decided to do something about it today. I was in the middle of doing some work, and had dozens of applications and browser tabs open, when all of the sudden Windows just shuts down (after it started back up, I discovered this was due to Windows automatically restarting after a reboot). I lost HOURS of work done, and I’m already on a time crunch as it is. Shame on Microsoft for implementing such a draconian forceful restart. At least warn the user to save his work before forcing a restart!
NoradIV
Another way to do that (this procedure did not work for my windows 7 ultimate x64) is tu do
Run gpedit.msc
computer configuration
administrative templates
windows components
windows update
No auto-restart with logges on users for scheduled automatic update installations
Set to enabled
apply
NoradIV
I meant that the registrery procedure didn’t work, not this one
Nobody
it`s no use : (
Dan
This works. It shows how to create a batch file to fix this issue on any windows version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS4W7f4VGTQ
Simon
In Win 7 64bit do I still create DWORD32bit or DWORD 64bit? What if I have created DWORD 32bit?