Question Can Windows Update reboot your computer without warning you? (Reboot Loop)

[RabbitsTachi]

Hello,

My computer randomly rebooted, and then rebooted again seconds after loading to desktop. I quit the loop by powering down.

Looking at Event Viewer, the only thing of note is:

11:59:09 The process C:\Windows\system32\winlogon.exe (DESKTOP-9FOK50Q) has initiated the power off of computer DESKTOP-9FOK50Q on behalf of user NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM for the following reason: No title for this reason could be found
Reason Code: 0x500ff
Shutdown Type: power off
11: 58:16 The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
11:54:37 Installation Successful: Windows successfully installed the following update: 9WZDNCRFJBMP-MICROSOFT.WINDOWSSTORE
11:54:16 Installation Successful: Windows successfully installed the following update: Security Intelligence Update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus - KB2267602 (Version 1.409.660.0) - Current Channel (Broad)

I thought Windows Update was supposed to warn you though? Any thoughts?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, some of the Updates will reboot as part of the process.

Some just pause, and tell you it needs to reboot. But, if you don't reboot and just leave it for a few days, it will give up and do it anyway.

 

[RabbitsTachi]

Yes, some of the Updates will reboot as part of the process.

Some just pause, and tell you it needs to reboot. But, if you don't reboot and just leave it for a few days, it will give up and do it anyway.

Thank you! So it's okay, even though the log says there was an error?

11: 58:16 The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

 

[USAFRet]

Thank you! So it's okay, even though the log says there was an error?

That was almost certainly due to:
"I quit the loop by powering down."

 

[RabbitsTachi]

That was almost certainly due to:
"I quit the loop by powering down."

It says that for both reboots. The first one at 11: 58:16 and the second at 11:59:00. My shutdown from the windows login screen after the second reboot reads as:

11:59:09 The process C:\Windows\system32\winlogon.exe (DESKTOP-9FOK50Q) has initiated the power off of computer DESKTOP-9FOK50Q on behalf of user NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM for the following reason: No title for this reason could be found Reason Code: 0x500ff Shutdown Type: power off

There is a another log entry at 11:58:11 reading:

The previous system shutdown at 2:21:37 AM on ‎5/‎3/‎2024 was unexpected.

I shutdown normally in that case though.

So in summary:

2 updates download and install in the background. It records the previous shutdown was unexpected. It then reboots twice, saying "This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly" and then I shut it down from the login screen.