[SOLVED] Windows 10 sneakily updating at night deleting all my work

[horstp]

Someone else here had a similar problem:
https://forums.tomshardware.com/threads/pc-rebooting-multiple-times-a-night.3669611/?view=date

I had offered him this solution:

I had this very same problem and just managed to fix it. It was indeed Windows Update and since it will only to allow you to disable these automatic updates for a couple of days, I killed the Windows Updated routine altogether using the command "run" (just type in) executing "services.msc" and finding "Windows Update" in the list, stopping it ("End" in the context menu) and setting the launch option to "Disabled" instead of "Manual" in Properties. To reactivate just run services.msc again and set it back to "Automatic" as well as selecting "Start" from the context menu where you selected "End" before.
This is at your own risk, obviously, as stopping windows from updating will make it more vulnerable and stuff.

Now I've just had my computer do one of those Windows Update reboots in the middle of the night again. This really ticks me off.

Do you know if the Windows Update Service can set itself back to Active after I have deaktivated it the way described above?

Oh and yes, I am aware that these updates are important for security and that I could just save my work before going to bed. But regardless, I don't want my PC to be doing stuff I don't want it to do.

Does anyone know a solution?

 

[horstp]

I'm fairly sure that that icon was only there for a maximum of 2-3 days before it forced the reboot

 

[USAFRet]

I'm fairly sure that that icon was only there for a maximum of 2-3 days before it forced the reboot

Probably.
I've never checked to see how long that stays there before it just does it.

But it does tell you that it needs to.

 

[Endymio]

Another option guaranteed to prevent Windows from updating silently -- permanently disconnect your machine from the Internet. And if you're not going to install those updates, you should do that regardless.

 

[USAFRet]

Even my Linux based QNAP NAS wants to reboot every once in a while.

Every 4-6 weeks, it gets a firmware update.
If it has been running long enough, it reboots twice.

Once to restart from a known good config.
Then the update.
Then another reboot when the update is done.

Sure, I could just ignore those and never evar reboot.
But why would I?
Those updates are pushed out for a reason.

Just like oil changes in your car. Periodic required maintenance.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, I am lazy and irresponsible. But my question wasn't about getting life advice from strangers on the internet,

It wasn't life advice, it was work advice, and the work advice was "Back stuff up". Pretty simple really.

In truth, if backing up our work is too much effort, well, I guess I just don't know what to say to that. It must not be that important if backing it up after each session is too much to be bothered with. It just seems like you have created a problem where none should exist.

 

[Endymio]

It wasn't life advice, it was work advice, and the work advice was "Back stuff up". Pretty simple really.

I could be wrong of course, but I strongly suspect the only work horstp lost was the time spent in booting the proper applications and arranging the windows conveniently. What work-oriented app doesn't auto-backup these days?

 

[horstp]

I could be wrong of course, but I strongly suspect the only work horstp lost was the time spent in booting the proper applications and arranging the windows conveniently. What work-oriented app doesn't auto-backup these days?

The Brave browser doesn't, to name one example.

 

[Endymio]

The Brave browser doesn't, to name one example.

In general, it's the job of the server (or an embedded app) to save work done within a browser, not the browser itself. Other than a few fields on an unsubmitted web form, what other "work" is there for a browser to save? Unless you're trying to use it as a low-rent HTML development environment?

 

[USAFRet]

You requested info on the little orange notification after an update.
This, from one of my laptops that had not been turned on or updated since mid-Dec.

Directly when the Update is complete.

At the Power button at bottom left:

There is also a similar on the Taskbar.

Click "Schedule the restart" goes to...
This is also seen if you click the notification on the taskbar.

Multiple options to do it now, or tell it when.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Do you have a screen shot? I don't see that orange dot.

This is what I see when an update is pending. I would note that I also leave my system on 24/7, but I've never (to my recollection) woken up to a rebooted system (I need to log in to my system after a reboot).

-Wolf sends

 

[LinuxDevice]

If you don't need networking running at night when your own content is running, then perhaps you could remove the ethernet cable (assuming wired). One caveat of that is that if the update is already scheduled it will perhaps reboot anyway even though ethernet is not present. However, if there was no update and you then disable networking the system won't know there is an update and should not reboot (the update would never start).

 

[Cespenar]

Windows 10 is a fantastic tool. But it does do things that seem bizaar. It wants to fix my Microsoft account.
I don't have a microsoft account.
I wont bore you with anything else. This thread has gone on longer than 2020 went on.