Windows 7 auto update reboot

[Galeongirl]

How the FRICK do I turn these off? I hate these auto reboots when I'm in the middle of things.

I know the standard trick Control panel > Windows update > settings > change to let me choose when to update.

BUT

This doesn't work. When I hit OK the cursor shortly shows the loading icon and then does nothing. I close the window, go back to the same and it's back on Automatically installing and updating. Wtf is going on?

I've searched through google endlessly, but all I get is this or to find gpedit.msc, which isn't a valid file for my windows, apparently, cause run can't find it! I use Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and am on administrator account, if that's any help.

 

[Liesje]

I disable the service. In the search bar on the start menu type "Services" and then click the one with the icon that looks like gears. Find the Windows Update service, right click, Properties, and change the type to Disabled. Just remember to install them manually or run it every once in a while. I had to disable mine because one keeps failing and then reboots the computer about 6 times.

 

[Galeongirl]

Brilliant! Thank you Liesje.

I'll run it when I'm not using anything important.

 

[Sicy]

I have mine set to automatically download the updates but then ask me before installing them (which tends to require a reboot).

 

[Galeongirl]

Yeah I tried that, but it refuses to remember that setting. When I click on OK it sort of freezes, and then loads and nothing. so not going back to the previous window or something. When I close it and reopen, everything's back to auto updating.

 

[Liesje]

My problem is that one of the updates doesn't work, whether I initiate the install or not it always fails and then has to reboot several times to roll back. So I can't run Windows Updates in the sequence that Microsoft wants, I just download and install the ones I want.

Another problem I had is that in order to use one of our wireless networks at work, I have to run a security scan (third party) and as it runs, it enables Windows Updates and sets it to always automatically run. Then it removes my access to this setting via Group Policy. This is meant for the students at our college, so they aren't getting loads of viruses do to security loopholes. However after running the scan so I can use the network, I no longer have access to disable the auto-updates or change when it installs them, so instead I just disable the service from running unless I initiate it.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Here is a solution that has worked for me in the past. First link at the top