# "Automatic updates," I hate you!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325 "2009-12-07T16:06:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/61 "2009-12-09T20:59:17Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Start \> Control Panel \> Automatic Updates > > and then select “Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them.” And then if it has any installs pending when I shut down at night, it will know enough to give me the “Install Updates and shut down” option? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/62 "2009-12-09T21:39:01Z")
> [@GargoyleWB](#): > > You want frothing rage? How about when at the climactic boss battle of a multi-hour group crawl in Guild Wars, when we’re just about to finish it all off and get our rare loot chest drop, and the Windows update dialog that had been resting on your desktop counting down in the background cheerfully decides to reboot your machine. _death rage blood stab_ > > I don’t ultimately mind updates, however it’s the ridiculousness of Windows not being able to do a damn thing without rebooting that annoys the piss out of me. (now a happy Ubuntu user) The only reason I don’t use Ubuntu is that I tend to install a bunch of games, and I got tired of having to coax Wine into running them. Well, that and not getting full-screen flash to work on some websites–the Linux flash plugin doesn’t like DRM. And Adobe fucked up the Windows plugin so it wouldn’t work on my Wine configuration. And no matter what I did to Wine, I could never get it to fix. I was just installing Windows so my sister could play the Sims, but I found myself spending more time in Windows than Ubuntu. It was nice having little things just work. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/63 "2009-12-09T22:48:10Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And then if it has any installs pending when I shut down at night, it will know enough to give me the “Install Updates and shut down” option? Funny thing about this. If you choose to put it in sleep mode instead of choosing Install Updates and Shut Down, it will install the updates anyway and reboot automatically. This bugged the hell out of me because for a while when it came back up it couldn’t find my home wifi network without another reboot, but they seem to have fixed it now. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/64 "2009-12-10T12:10:10Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > EABOD, IVN. > > Do you really need to be an asshole all the time? EABOD? Eat A Bowl Of Dirt? Every Asshole Bites Out Dents? ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/65 "2009-12-10T13:43:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The only reason I don’t use Ubuntu is that I tend to install a bunch of games, and I got tired of having to coax Wine into running them. Well, that and not getting full-screen flash to work on some websites–the Linux flash plugin doesn’t like DRM. And Adobe fucked up the Windows plugin so it wouldn’t work on my Wine configuration. And no matter what I did to Wine, I could never get it to fix. > > I was just installing Windows so my sister could play the Sims, but I found myself spending more time in Windows than Ubuntu. It was nice having little things just work. You can run Windows inside Ubuntu using VirtualBox. Just use Windows for the games, and Ubuntu for everything else. VirtualBox boots Windows XP in 5 seconds, as well, on my machine. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/66 "2009-12-10T14:30:53Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > You can run Windows inside Ubuntu using VirtualBox. Just use Windows for the games, and Ubuntu for everything else. VirtualBox boots Windows XP in 5 seconds, as well, on my machine. Virtualbox can be iffy with video driver support, at least the last time that I used it. How’s the performance these days in DirectX/OpenGL games? ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/67 "2009-12-10T15:12:29Z")
start\> run\> **cmd** \> **net stop wuauserv** Or just go to the Services control panel applet and find Automatic Updates and stop the service. Disable it if you have nothing to lose by never getting any MS Updates ever again, but that is up to you. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/68 "2009-12-11T22:18:06Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > EABOD? Eat A Bowl Of Dirt? Every Asshole Bites Out Dents? Eat A Bag Of Dicks, usually. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/69 "2009-12-11T23:29:35Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > My biggest gripe is when a reboot is needed you can’t just tell it not now once. > > PC: “Updates have been applied and the computer needs to be rebooted. Y/N” > Me: Not now. > > -15 minutes- > PC: “Can I reboot now? Please boss? Huh? Huh? Can I reboot now?” > Me: “I told you once already. No.” > PC: -Pouts- > > -15 minutes- > PC: “I really need to reboot now. It’s gonna get messy if I don’t.” > Me: “Where the hell is that STFU button when I really need it.” And then if you don’t keep answering, it will reboot your PC on its own. To stop both the nagging and the reboot, I followed the following directions for a registry hack and it worked just fine. > [@](#): > > A Registry Hack Lets You Keep Windows From Rebooting Automatically After Installing Updates: TRUE > > Another huge nuisance in Windows. There’s just nothing quite like leaving a file open overnight, then returning to your PC in the morning to find that Microsoft has helpfully restarted your machine for you, shoving all your work into digital limbo and leaving an evil calling card: “This update required an automatic restart.” It’s possible to stop auto-reboots, but it’ll take a registry hack. > > Run regedit and browse to HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Polices\Microsoft\Windows. Create a new key under Windows and call it WindowsUpdate. Now create another new key under WindowsUpdate called AU. With AU selected, in the right-hand pane right-click and create a New DWORD. Call it NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers. Double-click the DWORD and give it a value of 1. Reboot, and Windows’s death grip over your system will be ended. > **[Tom's Hardware: For The Hardcore PC Enthusiast](https://www.tomshardware.com/)** > > Tom's Hardware helps you buy the best hardware and build the best PC to play, create and work.. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/70 "2009-12-13T08:17:15Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Eat A Bag Of Dicks, usually. Yes, yes, but what kind of dicks? Are we talking about people dicks, or animal ones? The former is more disturbing because they’d be harder to come by; you could pick up a bag of steer or pig dicks at a slaughter house, but how do you get a whole bag of human ones? And eat as in deep throat them, or literally consume them like other animal proteins? It’s a very confusing insult. As for automatic updates, why do updates you tell MS to “hide” keep reappearing? I’ve told it to stick its IE8 update at least six times, but it keeps reappearing on the list of important updates. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/71 "2009-12-14T19:44:21Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The only reason I don’t use Ubuntu is that I tend to install a bunch of games, and I got tired of having to coax Wine into running them… It’s very much a YMMV with hardware. Right now, my lappy is dual boot WinXP (for games only) and Ubuntu (for everything else). The only glitch with Ubuntu that I have is sleep/hibernate/wake support which is totally random in behavior. On the plus side, Ubuntu cold boots faster than XP wakes from hibernation, so I just shut down completely instead of hibernate. Back to topic, I just fired up one of our desktops that I only turn on once a month or so, and before I could use it…bloop: Java update, bloop: Firefox, bloop: Flash, bloop: Adobe…and finally the friggin’ Windows update which forced a reboot. Took me a damn half hour just to check an email. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/72 "2009-12-15T10:47:01Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > As for automatic updates, why do updates you tell MS to “hide” keep reappearing? I’ve told it to stick its IE8 update at least six times, but it keeps reappearing on the list of important updates. Because they hate us, and just like in “Gaslight” (or was it “…Baby Jane”?) they’re trying to drive us crazy. Then they can take over the world and rule. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/73 "2009-12-16T04:53:47Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > And then if you don’t keep answering, it will reboot your PC on its own. To stop both the nagging and the reboot, I followed the following directions for a registry hack and it worked just fine. > > [Tom's Hardware: For The Hardcore PC Enthusiast](http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/25_most_popular_windows_tips?page=1%2C2) I’d do that, but I always figured there was a reason Windows wanted to restart–like the update might foobar certain security measures until Windows was rebooted. If not, I’ll try the hack. I must admit, that was one thing I liked about Wine. Rebooting it takes much less time than rebooting Windows. But, it even ran Psychonauts too slow, and that’s supposed to be a low-requirement game. I can’t imagine using Virtualbox and virtualizing the entire system would be any faster. It sure wasn’t when I foobared my Ubuntu partition trying to Virtualbox it in Windows. (Luckily, my home partition is fine.) ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/74 "2009-12-16T17:16:24Z")
All it does is remove the nags. It will work just the same to reboot (or shut down and restart later) manually as it will to do the reboot 'cause it’s prompting you every fifteen fucking minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/75 "2009-12-16T18:11:05Z")
Just an FYI though. The hack only works for Windoze updates. Mcafee/Norton/blah will still do their own thing. One of the reasons I told Mcafee to kiss off. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/76 "2009-12-16T18:16:31Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > All it does is remove the nags. More importantly, it stops you’re PC from re-booting without your permission. That can be more than just an annoyance if you’re working on something and step away from your PC for a few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325/77 "2009-12-16T19:25:32Z")
Right. Perhaps a better way to phrase what I meant is, it returns control of the reboot entirely to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automatic-updates-i-hate-you/520325.md?page=3)