Windows update in middle of browsing

[Ole Anderson]

I am browsing the Creek this morning, had just finished a post and needed to do an edit. All of a sudden it locks up when Windows starts doing an update and tries to reboot. Right in the middle of my actively using a program. With no warning. What's up with that?

[Brian Tymchak]

Sounds like maybe Windows thought you had been inactive for a while. From the Windows support site:
Will Windows ask me before it restarts after an update, or will it restart automatically? Windows Update will notify you if you need to restart your computer to finish installing updates, and give you the opportunity to restart right away or postpone the restart. If you're away from your computer for an extended period of time, Windows will automatically restart your computer. Windows does this to help make sure all the latest security and other important updates are applied in a timely manner to help keep your computer more secure.


So the question could be why did Windows think you were inactive? I wonder if working strictly in the browser window is not considered "windows" activity that the OS might be watching for. If you did not move the window, click outside of it, or something for an extended period of time, Windows may have seen that as a lack of activity. Just speculation on my part. I couldn't google up anything quickly in support of that theory.

I assumed you were using Windows 7. If XP or 8, it could be completely different.

P.S.: I just started using Win 7 myself so I can't say definitively. But I think you can set options to manage this behavior.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have been having a warning that my computer will restart in x amount of minutes I just changed it to 4 hours and let it update when I was not on

[Myk Rian]

Turn off auto updates. Then turn off the notifications.

[Ole Anderson]

Turn off auto updates. Then turn off the notifications.

I have Win 7 Home version. This brings up the next question, is auto update a bad thing? How do I know what is really needed and not regarding the OS? Of course we didn't allow that at work, but then we had an IT person keep track of what we really needed. I only allow auto updates on the OS, not on any other program.

[Chuck Wintle]

I have Win 7 Home version. This brings up the next question, is auto update a bad thing? How do I know what is really needed and not regarding the OS? Of course we didn't allow that at work, but then we had an IT person keep track of what we really needed. I only allow auto updates on the OS, not on any other program.
windows 7 has auto update but this can be changed so that updates can be reviewed before installing which is how mine is setup.

[Fred Perreault]

I have used PC's since 1983, and when we went to Windows and there was an opportunity for any software publisher to control my unit...I have always disabled, unchecked, or disallowed any automatic updating or upgrades. It may not work for everyone, but I developed a habit long ago to update my security programs, and any other programs on a regular basis on my schedule. Unexpected intervention can sometimes create more problems than it might solve. There are as many options, preferences and personalization opportunities on a Windows machine as there are programs. Even the BIOS, as well as Windows offers many options, and Firefox has scores of items that can be configured in the background.

[Ole Anderson]

Ok, I changed my settings to ask first on OS updates, we'll see how that works for a few days. Twice today it bumped me.

[Jim O'Dell]

All of mine are set to notify me when updates are available. On Firefox, I get a symbol down in the task bar. Was just looking at a picture of a rescue dog in Dallas on my wife's computer with her when Firefox 18 update came up. She clicked remind me later. I like to see what the update is going to do or fix. What gets me is that one program, can't remember if Adobe or what, each time you do an update, it tries to get it back to automatic. If you don't catch it and uncheck the box, they got you again! Jim.

[Steve Wurster]

Change the setting to "Download updates but let me choose whether to install them". Then while you might get the little tooltip in the notification area telling you that updates are available, they won't auto-install and you won't get an auto-reboot. Instead, they will install the next time you shut down the computer, and the Shut Down button will show the little exclamation point symbol for updates and the popup for that will say "Installs updates and then shuts down your computer." I'm assuming you're running Windows 7.