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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
3. In the left tree, navigate down through the following directories:
- Local Computer Policy
- Computer Configuration
- Administrative Templates
- Windows Components
- Windows Update
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.
[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.
Now you wont be bugged so much!
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July 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 am
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?
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
What version of Windows are you using? Some versions don’t come with Group Policy Editor
August 10th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Love the site, keep it up.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Thank you!!! This drives me crazy
September 9th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Love this site so much..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 18th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
YES!!! These prompts are SO annoying. Thank you!
September 24th, 2008 at 6:34 am
Many thanks for this topic! It helped me alot!
September 30th, 2008 at 5:36 am
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.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:35 am
Thanks for pointing that out John. I’ve modified the article