"Important Update"

Framar

WOW Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
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Loc
Buffalo, New York, USA/Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
At least it said it was an important update - AFTER it restarted my computer all by itself!!!

I never had that happen before - usually one is given the option of restarting now or later.

Beware...

I thought something really horrible had happened that the computer was restarting all by itself - good thing it was nice enough to give me the update message. I was only away from the computer for about ten minutes when I heard the printer start up.

WHEW!
 
The really important ones will automatically restart the computer, after several minutes, if you don't respond to a pop up question/countdown that tells you of its intentions.

Restart Required:
To complete the installation of the following updates, the computer will be restarted within 5 minutes


This happens at the time of day you specify under AUTOMATIC UPDATES scheduling.

It IS possible to disable this feature, but the computer will be in harm's way until you do a manual reboot. (I do NOT suggest doing so)

"To prevent Automatic Updates from restarting a computer while users are logged on, the administrator can create the NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers registry value in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU. The value is a DWORD and must be either 0 (false) or 1 (true). If this value is changed while the computer is in a restart pending state, it will not take effect until the next time an update requires a restart."

I find it annoying too, but it's a necessary evil. The last time this happened overnight, I had a couple documents open.

One solution is to schedule updates to run at an hour when you are normally at the computer, so you'll see the pop up box and can either dismiss it for a while (if busy) or tell it to go ahead.

To reschedule the time for updates:
Right click once on "My Computer"
Left click once on properties.
In the properties window, click on the Automatic Updates tab to see the settings
You'll see the option on the screen.

Mike

[ 05-19-2005, 09:50 AM: Message edited by: Mike-L@GTP ]
 
Maybe that's what happened to me.

This AM when I got in, my computer was at the start-up login, instead of "locked" (I usually just lock it overnight so that I don't have to load all my apps and favorite web pages).
 
I think most of us would be alarmed if we really knew everything our computers are doing while we're out of the room.

Maybe that's the really answer to the question about whether to shut the beast down at night. At least if we do that, we know they're not doing NUTHIN'!

Are they?
 
I had a print server ditch about 4 hours worth of ripping, plus cutting out the printer when it was almost finished a very large (and expensive) print. The update time is set for our night-time. It sometimes seems to work but the Auto Update seems to arrive at any time regardless of this setting.
 
Well it seems I have scheduled automatic updates every day at midnight so I guess that explains it!!! I am SO relieved that I did not screw up and accidentally open the pod bay doors thus allowing HAL to escape (or enter?).

Thanks for the reassurance everyone!
 
I have a picture captured in the middle of the night showing what my mouse was doing, but I don't thing "Image" will post an animated gif.... :D

I know, I know Mar: "STOP IT BAER". :D can it keep doing it untill I need glasses again?
 
Originally posted by Ron Eggers:
Maybe that's the really answer to the question about whether to shut the beast down at night. At least if we do that, we know they're not doing NUTHIN'!

Are they?
Unless you have "WOL" (wake on LAN) turned on and someone sends a Start signal....

Of course, if you use a power strip or UPS and shut its switch off, then nuthin' will start it.
 
David, I usually drive a wooden stake into my CPU's heart every night just to be sure.

Sorry, my relationship with computers has taken an interesting turn since I began making my living with them. Having little experience with large networks, I am frequently astounded by what can happen without my intervention or knowledge.

Every morning, I look at my desktop and say, "Where did THIS icon come from and what's it for?" Usually the answer is, "Don't click on it, whatever you do."
 
Originally posted by Baer Charlton:
I don't thing "Image" will post an animated gif
The picture of "Ron" feverishly typing away at the top left of this page is exactly that...
 
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