Windows update and restart
Is there a way to let Windows auto download and install updates, and reboot without asking after? When installing Windows 7 without a SP1 installation it takes ages, and even longer if you don't have time to click yes every now and then..
Solution 1:
Yes, there is a way. More information can be found on the link that bZezzz posted.
Automatic Rebooting The goal of Windows Update is to always keep your computer as safe and secure as possible. Therefore, if you decided that Windows Update should Install updates automatically, an automatic system reboot may be a part of the process. Choosing any other option will disable automatic reboots, but we do recommend that you keep automatic updates enabled!
Why does Windows Update sometime require a reboot? Well, some updates require access to files currently in use by your system. Windows Update does not know if or when those files will be available to use, so your system requires a reboot to avoid any conflicts. For security-related updates, your computer is unsafe before that reboot occurs: it is vulnerable to attacks which exploit the issue(s) fixed by the update requiring a reboot.
For that reason, when Windows Update automatically installs an update that needs a reboot, it proceeds with an automatic reboot. In order to make the updating process more convenient for you by preventing disruptions to your work, WU defaults to installing updates (and subsequently rebooting your computer) at 3:00AM. Additionally, if updates are installed while you happen to be using the computer, and a reboot is required, Windows Update notifies you with this dialog:
The center countdown timer starts at 5 minutes. You can Restart now, or Postpone the reminder by 10 minutes, 1 hour, or 4 hours (In Windows XP, you can postpone for 10 minutes).
There is one exception – a system administrator can deny your rebooting privileges. For user accounts without rebooting privileges, Windows Update disables the Restart now button. You can still Postpone, or your system will automatically reboot after 5 minutes.
Solution 2:
You can try the command line WuInstall, the following options should help you to minimize / surpress user interaction and reboot if needed and without asking:
/quiet -> The update-installer is forced to do an installation without user interaction /disableprompt -> Disable showing source prompts to a user when installing the updates /autoaccepteula -> all EULAs are accepted automatically before installing, so no user interaction for EULAs
/reboot_if_needed [nseconds] -> if a reboot is needed (is determined by the installed updates), the system reboots after nseconds without any user interaction
WuInstall will not reboot if no reboot option (see http://help.wuinstall.com) is specified, so you have full control over reboot behavior.