Constantly asks you to restart your computer to install updates. Troubleshooting errors when installing updates for Windows

Without a doubt, this has happened to everyone Windows user. After installing updates, the operating system decides that you must restart your computer, pestering you with a pop-up window that continues to harass you until you do what Windows wants you to do. If you leave your computer and miss the pop-up window, Windows will automatically restart your computer, and when you return, you will find that all your open programs are now closed because Windows decided to restart without your permission.

Restarting your computer after installing updates ensures that all updates take effect, but Microsoft has gone too far - the operating system should not harass its users and restart the computer without permission. In Windows 8, the situation with these forced reboots has changed a little, but the OS still continues to pester us and eventually reboots the computer automatically.

Disable forced reboots through the registry

You can disable automatic reboots by making changes to the registry. This works on all versions of Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. After making Windows changes will download and install updates as before, but the operating system will forget about automatic reboots once and for all.

So, open the Registry Editor. To do this, press Win + R to open, enter the command regedit and press Enter.

In the Registry Editor window, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU.

Most likely, you will not find the “WindowsUpdate” and “AU” folder in the specified path. If so, you need to create them yourself.

To do this, right-click on the “Windows” folder, in context menu select “Create” and then click on “Section”. Now enter WindowsUpdate and press Enter. Next, right-click again, but on the newly created “WindowsUpdate” folder, select the “New” command and click on “Partition”. Enter AU and press Enter. We now have the required registry key structure.

Next, select the “AU” folder, right-click on the right side of the Registry Editor window, select “New” -> “DWORD Value (32 bits)”. Enter NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers and press Enter to name the new parameter.

Double-click the newly created parameter and enter a unit in the “Value” field. Then click "OK".

You can restart your computer for the changes to take effect, but this is not necessary as it can be done without rebooting.

Just open a command prompt window with administrator rights. If you have Windows 8 (8.1), press Win + X and select “Command Prompt (Admin)”. If you have Windows 7, open the Start menu, find the command prompt shortcut there, right-click on it and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.

At the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter to make the changes take effect immediately:

Disable forced reboots through group policies

This method is simpler and faster, but it is only suitable for those who have professional, maximum or enterprise versions of Windows. Many users have a version of Windows without the Local Group Policy Editor tool, so they will have to use the registry editing method described above. However, both methods work the same, but this method is more convenient.

First, we need to open the Local Group Policy Editor. To do this, press Win + R to open the Run dialog box, type the command gpedit.msc and press Enter.

Now navigate to the following folder: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\ Windows components\Windows Update

On the right side of the window, find the policy “Do not perform automatic reboot at automatic installation updates if there are users in the system." Double-click on this policy with the left mouse button, then select “Enabled” and click “OK”.

Now either restart your computer or run the gpupdate /force command we mentioned above.

Manual installation of Windows updates

Instead of messing around with Windows registry or group policy, you can prevent automatic computer reboots in a more traditional way. All you need to do is change your Windows Update settings. To do this, in the computer control panel, open the Windows Update settings and enable the option “Search for updates, but I make the decision to download and install them.”

This way, Windows will inform you about the availability of new updates through the system tray icon and notifications. When you want to install them, click on this icon and click on the corresponding button to begin installing the updates. Updates will be downloaded and installed in background, and after this process is completed, you will be prompted to restart your computer.

With this method of installing updates, you can ignore notifications about the availability of updates until you want to install them and then reboot.

Have a great day!

Read about what to do if the computer freezes on the phrase “Do not turn off the computer” during Windows updates. What happens if you restart your computer at this moment or how to fix this error. System "Windows" is the most widely used operating system in the world. This was made possible thanks to the ease of use, high data processing speed and friendly user interface of the system "Windows".

The result of communication between users and system creators is the release of new updates, which take into account and correct known system errors, as well as add new functions and applications.

Operating system developers release updates "Windows" As issues are fixed or new features are introduced that have been fully tested for functionality.

The update installation process is centralized. The system independently checks for available updates, and, if necessary, downloads them from the developer’s servers and installs them on the computer without user intervention. At the final stage, the user only receives a notification asking not to turn off the computer until the installation and configuration of updates is completed operating system. Usually "Windows" completes the entire process quickly if you comply with his request and give him the required time. But if the setup process takes a long time and lasts several hours, then you may need to force restart your computer.

It is normal to wait until the system completes its update process. But, unfortunately, waiting takes a huge amount of time. Corporation "Microsoft" claims that about 700 million devices run the operating system "Windows 10", and that the April 2018 update will take between 10 and 30 minutes. Thus, if you take the average update time of 20 minutes and multiply it by 700 million computers, the total is over 26,000 years of humanity's collective time wasted waiting for the operating system "Windows 10" installs its update.

What happens if you restart your computer?

Operating system update installation process "Windows" will fail if you restart your computer during this process. But how much will this affect the performance of the system? Will this cause any problems with your computer? We ran some tests to find out what would happen.

First we forced the operating system "Windows" install standard update from Update Center "Windows". We then ignored the message asking us not to restart our computer while installing updates and forced a reboot. The personal computer booted up and we quickly saw the usual standard login screen.

After we have logged in, "Windows" issued a notification that the installation of updates was not completed. Despite this, the operating system still worked properly. System "Windows" I just postponed installing the updates and will try it later.

In the second case, we restarted our computer at a time when there was a message on the screen that the operating system was being updated, only 28% completed and a request not to turn off the computer.

System "Windows" rebooted absolutely normally and displayed a message asking not to turn off the computer in order to cancel all changes, since the installation of the updates was not completed. Upon completion of the announced process, the operating system "Windows" loaded correctly and it worked as expected without any glitches.

We also conducted testing during the installation process for the major April update for "Windows 10" "Fall Creators Update". We restarted our computer when a message appeared on the screen that setting up an update for "Windows 10" only 10% complete.

After restarting the computer and waiting a bit, the normal login screen appeared. Additionally, the system notified us that the installation of updates was not completed.

Finally, we rebooted the computer when the update installation job was 48% complete. The system has restored the previous version "Windows", which notified us with a message, and then our computer booted up and worked absolutely fine.

In each test performed, turning off the computer did not cause any problems that would affect the performance of the operating system. System "Windows" simply stopped installing updates and returned the files that were updated to their previous state. operating system "Windows" It only insists that you download updates again before attempting to install them again to ensure that any problems do not arise. The downloaded updates will then be installed by the system as normal.

How long do you need to wait?

Be patient and let the operating system "Windows" some time to complete the installation of your updates, if the system displays such a message on your screen. Depending on how much big update "Windows" you need to install and what is the performance of your computer and its internal storage, this process may take some time.

Typically, installing and configuring the update, accompanied by a corresponding message, takes no more than five minutes. However, if the message asking you not to restart your computer does not disappear from your screen for a long time, then you may need to force restart your computer. We recommend waiting two hours in case "Windows" does a lot of work. System "Windows" It may take some time for the process to complete, especially if it is a large update and your hard drive slow or too full.

If you see a percentage counter on the screen and it is increasing, then leave it "Windows" at rest, because the installation process is moving and you need to wait for it to complete. If the percentage is stuck at a certain value and does not change for a long time, then the update process may "freeze". However, for the operating system "Windows" looks quite normal "stuck" at a certain point for a long time before continuing the process further, so don't be too impatient.

Yes, you should turn off your computer if it "stuck"

As we showed above, a forced reboot of a personal computer will be safe. After reboot, the operating system "Windows" will stop trying to install the update, discard any changes, and return to the normal login screen. "Windows" will try to install the update again later another time. This is not necessary, but in the system "Windows" Errors may be present and sometimes you need to restart your computer to fix them. This is true even when "Windows" tells you not to turn off your computer.

To turn off your computer while installing updates - be it desktop personal computer, laptop, tablet - just press the power button. Hold it in this position for about ten seconds. This action will cause your computer to hard shutdown. Wait a few seconds and then turn your computer back on. Performing a hard close is never ideal, but it may be your only option in such cases.

Warning: Although we have successfully tested the process of shutting down your computer while installing updates, there is no guarantee that your operating system "Windows" will work correctly after you perform a hard close. However, if the update process is effectively frozen, then performing a hard shutdown is the only action you can take. Just in case, we recommend that you always have backups your important personal files.

How to fix "Windows" if it doesn't work properly

Simply restart your computer to fix the problem. However, if your computer still does not start properly, then you have another system problem. Restarting the computer in this case may not resolve the problem. Your computer may be stuck receiving updates because there was a bug in the Windows operating system.

You can use the System Startup Repair tool to fix operating system errors "Windows". It is expected that the advanced boot options menu will appear when the system "Windows" will not boot properly. Select section "Troubleshooting", then section « Additional options» , and then section "Startup Repair", if the menu of additional boot options is displayed. Otherwise, you can take installation disk operating system "Windows 10", download it, and then in the extended boot options menu select the appropriate partition to restore your computer to functionality.

If the steps described do not fix your problem, you may need to complete reinstallation "Windows" to get a new operating system.

If the operating system "Windows" boots but the computer doesn't seem to be working properly, then you can also try repairing the damaged system files using the command « System File Checker" ("SFC") instead of reinstalling "Windows". You can also try running the process "System Restore" to return the operating system to a working state using the previously created restore point.

If your computer does not work well even after reinstalling the operating system Windows systems, then you probably have a hardware problem, not a software problem. In this case, you will need to use the services of appropriate specialists.

", "Windows Update" was delegated almost all powers to select and install updates software, including a key component in the operation of most devices and most software - drivers.

And how unstable the operating system update functionality is, we users of Microsoft products have known for a long time, and this experience cannot be called pleasant.

Downloading and installing updates is always a long and labor-intensive process, accompanied by various errors, freezes, and what is most unpleasant is the intrusiveness of the update process, at the most inopportune moment.

In this article, we will talk about a common problem in the form of a computer freezing with the following notification: “We were unable to configure (complete) Windows updates. Cancel changes. Don't turn off your computer."

What is the reason for this situation, and most importantly, what are the ways to correct it? The answers to these and other questions will be discussed further.

What is the reason for freezing

Errors in the Windows update procedure are always characterized by the difficulty of determining the cause-and-effect relationship, since there are a huge number of factors that, in theory, can lead to the indicated problem, for example:

The update files were not downloaded completely;
The update files contain errors made by the developers;
On system disk the user does not have enough free space to install updates;
The Internet connection is unstable;
The user manipulated Windows system components.

This list can be continued, but one key thing remains - to solve the problem under consideration, you will have to use a set of measures (in many ways radical) and deal with the consequences, and not the cause.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to understand that the occurrence of this message does not mean that the computer has actually frozen, even if the computer has been in this state for five, ten and twenty minutes. It all depends on the volume of the update being installed. Best option- it's just a matter of waiting!

IMPORTANT! If you are sure that the computer is really frozen, then you will need to “FORCED RESET”! All actions that will be described below imply loading the operating system, or logging into safe mode, or using an operating system image with bootable media!

Cleaning the "SoftwareDistribution" folder

As you know, all operating system update files are saved in “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download”.

In most cases, which are associated with incorrect downloading of update files, clearing this directory or renaming the folder (to initiate the creation Windows new directory) allows you to solve freezing issues.

You must understand that cleaning/renaming will result in the need to download the files again.

The procedure is simple - follow the path indicated above, select all objects and press the “DELETE” button to confirm the deletion.

If you cannot load the operating system, for example, the computer goes into a cyclic reboot, then you will need to do the following:

Using bootable media with an operating system image

Disable the Windows Update service by running the command "sc config wuauserv start=disabled";

Close the command prompt console and restart your computer;
Open the command prompt again and run the command "sc config wuauserv start=auto".

Using the standard operating system recovery functionality

All that remains is to restart the computer and check the functionality of Windows.

Using standard diagnostic utilities

As you know, developers have introduced many diagnostic tools into the operating system, which are designed to independently check for faults and select the most optimal solution.

Within the framework of the problem under consideration, two utilities can be distinguished, the launch of which depends on whether the operating system is loading or whether it is constantly rebooting.

Successful login to desktop

Computer keeps rebooting

Here you will need to enter safe mode and clear/rename the folder responsible for saving the update files.

msdt /id BitsDiagnostic - it is responsible for starting the “BITS Background Intelligent Transfer Service”
msdt /id WindowsUpdateDiagnostic - “Windows Update”

After that, restart your computer and check its functionality.

Conclusion

As part of the completion of this article, we should highlight several additional options that can help solve problems with freezing installation of operating system updates, namely:

check the integrity of system directories and files using the “sfc/scannow” utility;
While installing updates, try uninstalling your antivirus software;

And lastly, there is also a method that involves searching for duplicate user profiles, which in theory can have an impact negative influence for the update procedure.

The search involves editing the registry in the branch “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ ProfileList” + user folder, examining the “ProfileImagePath” parameter.

This option is quite dangerous, so its use depends entirely on your decision and the availability of the necessary skills.

There are certain errors caused by poor update timing, which can occur due to busy sites, congested Internet lines, or other factors. These problems can sometimes be fixed by updating again.

To check for updates manually, follow these steps.

Open the service Windows Update .
In the left pane, select Checking for updates and wait for Windows to search latest updates for computer.
If an update is found, select Update.
Read and agree to the license agreement and click Finish if necessary.

Note Note: Some updates may require you to restart your computer to complete installation. To avoid data loss, you should save and close all open programs.

You agree to the license terms

Reinstall the updates and read and agree to the license agreement again.

Open the service Windows Update.
Open the error message.
If you receive an error message regarding licensing or canceled updates, click Try again and wait until you are prompted to reconsider the terms of the license agreement.
Agree to the license agreement and ensure that the update is installed successfully.

Is there enough disk space on your computer?

If you don't have enough space on your hard drive, you may need to delete programs, temporary Internet files, unused files, or empty the Recycle Bin, and then try to install updates again.

You canceled the installation process or disconnected from the Internet

It's OK. Just check for updates again and reinstall any that are canceled or corrupted.

What can you do next?

If the previous questions don't reveal the problem, you can get more information by looking at the error messages that are reported by Windows Update.

If an error occurs, it will be displayed with an error code and a link that you can use to find help. If the help does not contain the corresponding section, you can use the error code to search the Internet.

Windows offers an unnecessary update

You can hide updates so Windows Update won't offer updates until you want to restore them.

Here's how to hide the update:

Open Windows Update service.
Select the update you want to hide, right-click and select Hide update. Repeat this step for each update that you want to hide.
Click OK.

How to install a hidden update

You should restore the updates to the list of updates that Windows offers, then install them.

This is done as follows:

Open Windows Update service.
In the left pane, select Restore hidden updates.
Select the update to install and click the Repair button.

Windows automatically monitors for updates and will offer to install a restored or new available update.

The computer was turned off during the update

If your computer is turned on during a scheduled update, the system will check for updates. You can install updates immediately or delay it. If your computer is running at the next scheduled update, the new updates will be installed.

If new updates are available for installation, you can install them before turning off your computer. When an update is pending installation, a shield icon will appear on Windows button Shutdown.

Constant message requesting a reboot

Some updates apply to files or services used by Windows. These types of updates cannot be installed while Windows is running. You should save your files and close programs, and then restart your computer to complete the update installation process.

After installing updates, the device does not work

This may happen for the following reasons. If your computer was purchased with a device whose driver you are updating, you should first check the availability of the driver on the manufacturer's website.

In some cases, the manufacturer may offer modified drivers while third-party device manufacturers offer more generic drivers. Installing generic device drivers, even those created by the device manufacturer, can sometimes cause problems.

Another reason could be a driver version that may not work correctly with your device or computer. Hardware devices are often revised but remain under the same name. You can use the latest driver, but it may not work correctly.

In this case, you may need to revert to a previous version of the driver for this device. Check your computer or device manufacturer's website to find the driver version for that device, or uninstall the driver and restart your computer to reinstall the previous driver.