Any Computer Experts About?

[Alan Lung]

I have a Windows 11 laptop and whenever Windows Update installs new updates etc, it shuts itself down in the middle of the night. Anyone know how to stop this? I have searched all the settings but can't find anything.

[mrbluejay]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I have a Windows 11 laptop and whenever Windows Update installs new updates etc, it shuts itself down in the middle of the night. Anyone know how to stop this? I have searched all the settings but can't find anything.

Ask The Boss.

[GL1Blue]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I have a Windows 11 laptop and whenever Windows Update installs new updates etc, it shuts itself down in the middle of the night. Anyone know how to stop this? I have searched all the settings but can't find anything.

Is it that it updates automatically and then reboots during the updating process, and you want to stop that?

Here's a link to turn off updates - https://www.minitool.com/data-recovery/how-to-stop-windows-11-update.html

Or turn off auto reboot when updating - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/is-there-some-way-to-turn-off-auto-restart-in/bcd358c0-0ab2-4895-aaa0-2c8a5d943194#:~:text=(For%20Windows%2011)%20Naviga te%20to,users%20for%20scheduled%20automatic%20upda tes

I strongly recommend that you don't turn off updates as it'll likely affect Windows defender and you'll not have latest virus definitions etc.

[PontBlue]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I have a Windows 11 laptop and whenever Windows Update installs new updates etc, it shuts itself down in the middle of the night. Anyone know how to stop this? I have searched all the settings but can't find anything.

Search for Active Hours to schedule when your device restarts after patches are downloaded. In Windows 11 you can't fully prevent updates as they are meant to keep you safe but other settings such as turning on Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating may help you prepare for the incoming restart

[Michael Morris]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

Does PC fully shut down or go to sleep?

Start / Settings / System / Power & Battery / Screen & Sleep

Change settings to Never.

Also updates don't usually auto restart the PC. They install and then prompt you to restart.

I've never changed any auto update settings and I'm always asked to restart after updates have been installed.

[Maurice Swan]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I never update windows...I used to, but it was happening nearly every day, with restarts.
Additionally they often install an update that upsets what is already there...then you have to roll back.

Windows Defender CAN be updated without a Windows Update.....I have done this with a simple 'signature' script...runs every evening.
That, and Malwarebytes gives me all the protection I need.

[RichardM]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I never update windows...I used to, but it was happening nearly every day, with restarts.
Additionally they often install an update that upsets what is already there...then you have to roll back.

Windows Defender CAN be updated without a

That's not my experience

[Alan Lung]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

Does PC fully shut down or go to sleep?

Start / Settings / System / Power & Battery / Screen & Sleep

Change settings to Never.

Also updates don't usually auto restart the PC. They install and then prompt you to restart.

I've never changed any auto update settings and I'm always asked to restart after updates have been installed.

Shuts down completely. I wouldn't mind it rebooting but when it shuts down it stops charging the USB devices I have plugged into it.

[Maurice Swan]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

That's not my experience

Hi Richard .....yes it can. I've scheduled an update daily for the past year or two. This is for WIN 10 but similar would apply to WIN11.

https://winaero.com/schedule-defende...in-windows-10/

[RichardM]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

Hi Richard .....yes it can. I've scheduled an update daily for the past year or two. This is for WIN 10 but similar would apply to WIN11.

https://winaero.com/schedule-defende...in-windows-10/

I was referring to

happening nearly every day, with restarts.
Additionally they often install an update that upsets what is already there...then you have to roll back.

when I said that's not my experience.
I've no doubt that you can update Windows Defender without a Windows Update but you will be missing out on security updates to the operating system. Windows Defender and Malware Bytes alone may have done the job in the past, but that doesn't mean they will in the future.

[Maurice Swan]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I was referring to when I said that's not my experience.
I've no doubt that you can update Windows Defender without a Windows Update but you will be missing out on security updates to the operating system. Windows Defender and Malware Bytes alone may have done the job in the past, but that doesn't mean they will in the future.

Ah...I thought afterwards if that was what you meant......anyway, they claim 'fixing loopholes' etc., but I would prefer to not update and disturb something that is working! I have every confidence in the software I now have to stop any issues.....and I speak as someone who is somewhat paranoid after actually being hacked in the mid nineties.....when it corrupted everything on my desktop....I had to get new disk and have it rebuilt.....

Apart from using WIN10 (mainly because some of the software I use only works on windows), I try and avoid Microsoft and Google like the plague...let alone things like Twitter (X), Whatsapp etc.

[Brizzlebluebirds]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

If you have Windows 11 Pro, you can stop it by using Group Policy. This is the easier method. If you haven't got Pro, then you'll have to change a entry in the registry. If you go the registry way, make sure you make a back up before you make any changes.

Registry update:

Open the Registry Editor - right click the start menu and select run. Type in regedit and press enter. Click yes on the UAC pop up that appears.

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Micr osoft\Windows

Right click on the Windows and select New->Key, name the Key WindowsUpdate

Right click on your newly created WindowsUpdate key and select New->Key, name this key AU

Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value in AU called NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers

Update the value of NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers to 1


Local Group Policy(won't work for Windows Home):

Open the Group Policy Editor - right click the start menu and select run. Type in gpedit.msc and press enter.

Navigate to Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - Windows Update - Legacy Policies

Enable No auto-restart with logged-on users for scheduled automatic updates

Open a command prompt (right click the start menu and click on Terminal (Admin)

Type gpupdate /force and press enter (this will apply the settings straight away).

[Alan Lung]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

If you have Windows 11 Pro, you can stop it by using Group Policy. This is the easier method. If you haven't got Pro, then you'll have to change a entry in the registry. If you go the registry way, make sure you make a back up before you make any changes.

Registry update:

Open the Registry Editor - right click the start menu and select run. Type in regedit and press enter. Click yes on the UAC pop up that appears.

Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Micr osoft\Windows

Right click on the Windows and select New->Key, name the Key WindowsUpdate

Right click on your newly created WindowsUpdate key and select New->Key, name this key AU

Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value in AU called NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers

Update the value of NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers to 1


Local Group Policy(won't work for Windows Home):

Open the Group Policy Editor - right click the start menu and select run. Type in gpedit.msc and press enter.

Navigate to Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - Windows Update - Legacy Policies

Enable No auto-restart with logged-on users for scheduled automatic updates

Open a command prompt (right click the start menu and click on Terminal (Admin)

Type gpupdate /force and press enter (this will apply the settings straight away).

Nice one, cheers Brizzle. Will give the GP option a go later.

[Alan Lung]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I think the reason it shuts down rather than restarts is because of BitLocker. No cnut is available to put in the BitLocker PIN so it gives up and shuts down.

[Michael Morris]

Re: Any Computer Experts About?

I think the reason it shuts down rather than restarts is because of BitLocker. No cnut is available to put in the BitLocker PIN so it gives up and shuts down.

Now you never mentioned having bitlocker active :facepalm:

Yes you have about 30 seconds from start up to type the key in. Or it shuts down.

Try this setting

Settings / Windows Update / Advanced Options

Turn on 'Notify me when a restart is required to finish updating' and that may stop it restarting automatically and the PC may stay on until you choose to restart.