How do you prevent restarting machine after critial Windows updates?

Solution 1:

Yes. The easy way, assuming you're not in a domain, is to edit the local policy through gpedit.msc

It's in Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Windows Update and you can change "Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations".

There are some other settings you can tweak here, including setting AU to download and notify for install instead of just installing.

Solution 2:

You can also shut down the Windows update service using the commmand sc stop wuauserv It will restart with your next reboot.

Solution 3:

The equivalent registry data (for Home editions) for the Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations group policy setting is:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"RebootRelaunchTimeoutEnabled"=dword:00000001
"RebootRelaunchTimeout"=dword:000005a0

For the maximum (in group policy) allowed value of 1440 minutes, or 24 hours.
Can make a .reg file out of this.

Disabling the timeout defaults it to 10 minutes as the group policy information suggests.

Solution 4:

Why not just set the system to download but not install updates. Then the updates will be installed when you shut the system down (if you allow the install)