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auto update disable restart 00 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

Windows XP does not come with the option to postpone the “Restart Now” dialogue box for a significant amount of time; thus, after updates, you are frequently bugged by Windows until you restart your computer. If you’re like me and don’t always want to do it straight away, this guide is for you.

Please Note: This guide involves the use of the Group Policy Editor, which is not included with Windows XP Home. If this is the first time you are using the Group Policy Editor, read this guide.

Unfortunately I do not know how to do this tweak using only the registry. If you know how, please contact me.

Stop Bugging Me!

There are a few ways to turn off the prompt shown above, but the best way follows:

You will need to modify some group policy settings so that your computer will always be updated, but you won’t be asked to restart constantly. Don’t know what that means? It doesn’t matter – this is easy to do.

1. Open the Group Policy Editor by clicking on Start, and then Run (or WINKEY+R)

2. Type in gpedit.msc and hit enter

auto update disable restart 01 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

3. In the left tree, navigate down through the following directories:

  • Local Computer Policy
  • Computer Configuration
  • Administrative Templates
  • Windows Components
  • Windows Update

auto update disable restart 02 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

Two Methods for Stopping the Prompt

3. Now in the right pane, select one of the following [A] or [B]:

[A] No auto-restart for schedule Automatic Updates installations

Double click on this option and set it to enabled. Doing this will force the computer to wait until you restart the computer.

auto update disable restart 03 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

[B] Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations

Double click on this option and set it to enabled. Change the default value from 10 minutes to something a little longer.

auto update disable restart 04 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

Now you wont be bugged so much!



 Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP

About Rich

Rich is the owner and creator of Windows Guides; he spends his time breaking things on his PC so he can write how-to guides to fix the problems he creates.

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Comments

  • sailor

    This is exactly what I have been looking for, those restarts drive me nuts. I do not seem to be able to follow this method. When I type in gpedit.msc I get a message informing me that the file cannot be found. Is this a case of Bill Gates being one step ahead of me?

  • http://nice2all.com/ sailor

    This is exactly what I have been looking for, those restarts drive me nuts. I do not seem to be able to follow this method. When I type in gpedit.msc I get a message informing me that the file cannot be found. Is this a case of Bill Gates being one step ahead of me?

  • sailor

    This is exactly what I have been looking for, those restarts drive me nuts. I do not seem to be able to follow this method. When I type in gpedit.msc I get a message informing me that the file cannot be found. Is this a case of Bill Gates being one step ahead of me?

  • Rich

    What version of Windows are you using? Some versions don’t come with Group Policy Editor

  • http://www.mintywhite.com/ Rich

    What version of Windows are you using? Some versions don’t come with Group Policy Editor

  • http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

    What version of Windows are you using? Some versions don’t come with Group Policy Editor

  • Best Windows Freebies and Guid

    […] Disable Restart Now Message after Windows Updates in XP […]

  • Pingback: Best Windows Freebies and Guides 04 [July 2008] | Windows Guides | www.Mintywhite.com

  • Warren K

    Love the site, keep it up.

  • Warren K

    Love the site, keep it up.

  • Warren K

    Love the site, keep it up.

  • Irene

    Thank you!!! This drives me crazy

  • Irene

    Thank you!!! This drives me crazy

  • Irene

    Thank you!!! This drives me crazy

  • Sai Htaung Kham

    Love this site so much..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

  • Sai Htaung Kham

    Love this site so much..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

  • Sai Htaung Kham

    Love this site so much..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

  • arf

    YES!!! These prompts are SO annoying. Thank you!

  • arf

    YES!!! These prompts are SO annoying. Thank you!

  • arf

    YES!!! These prompts are SO annoying. Thank you!

  • bezo

    Many thanks for this topic! It helped me alot! :)

  • bezo

    Many thanks for this topic! It helped me alot! :)

  • bezo

    Many thanks for this topic! It helped me alot! :)

  • john l

    I think for this entry to be valid you should point out that this only works with XP Pro and not XP Home that the majority of people have. There are so many of these tips that fail to give this information which causes concern amongst people that there is something wrong with their computers when it is simply the fact that they don’t have the version of XP needed.

  • john l

    I think for this entry to be valid you should point out that this only works with XP Pro and not XP Home that the majority of people have. There are so many of these tips that fail to give this information which causes concern amongst people that there is something wrong with their computers when it is simply the fact that they don’t have the version of XP needed.

  • john l

    I think for this entry to be valid you should point out that this only works with XP Pro and not XP Home that the majority of people have. There are so many of these tips that fail to give this information which causes concern amongst people that there is something wrong with their computers when it is simply the fact that they don’t have the version of XP needed.

  • Rich

    Thanks for pointing that out John. I’ve modified the article :)

  • http://www.mintywhite.com/ Rich

    Thanks for pointing that out John. I’ve modified the article :)

  • http://www.mintywhite.com Rich

    Thanks for pointing that out John. I’ve modified the article :)

  • Haakonn

    Thanks for this one. It solved the annoyance of all annoyances in Windows XP, and the competition for that is, as we all know, harsh

  • Haakonn

    Thanks for this one. It solved the annoyance of all annoyances in Windows XP, and the competition for that is, as we all know, harsh

  • Haakonn

    Thanks for this one. It solved the annoyance of all annoyances in Windows XP, and the competition for that is, as we all know, harsh

  • dreamon

    Thanks! Well done!

  • dreamon

    Thanks! Well done!

  • dreamon

    Thanks! Well done!

  • Hank

    Did Microsoft remove access to this in SP3 or something? It’s not in my list now and I keep getting the restart messages.

  • Hank

    Did Microsoft remove access to this in SP3 or something? It’s not in my list now and I keep getting the restart messages.

  • Hank

    Did Microsoft remove access to this in SP3 or something? It’s not in my list now and I keep getting the restart messages.


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