Jun
03
Freeware: Turn Off Windows Update Restart Nag
Posted under Productivity, Tools, Web/Tech
Nothing is more annoying than working in the zone and getting interrupted. When it turns out Windows Update is pestering you to reboot, a double homicide is imminent.
Microsoft likes to “help out” by installing patches in the middle of the night. That is a good thing. But whatever goodwill they earn with this convenience is immediately destroyed when first thing in the morning a “reboot computer” message appears. And appears… and appears…
If you choose Restart Later, it waits about 10 minutes and then pops this screen up again. Argggh!
It occurred to me some of you may hate this as much as I do, but you don’t want to go fiddling around in Services.msc or have to memorize “net stop” commands. Worse is the articles that teach you to shut it off permanently. If you shut it off for good, you don’t get updates unless you manually go to Windows Update. In the long run, this can be more painful than rebooting as soon as you see the message.
So to address this problem, I created a simple little app called Leave Me Alone! When you run it and click the “Leave Me Alone” button it temporarily turns off the source of these restart messages. It is certain to boost your productivity when the WU Restart beast comes calling.
I see about 5 advantages to using this software:
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You can get back to work immediately
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Does not permanently disable your updates
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You don’t have to memorize net-stop commands
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You don’t have to fish around in the system services panel
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You don’t have to set a system policy
Trivia: I coded Leave Me Alone! in C#. It is my first stand alone C# program. Woot!
Download Leave Me Alone! (Windows XP/Vista)
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Comments
[...] Isaac’s free utility called Leave Me Alone! allows you to temporarily turn off the restart nag window until you actually do restart, thus [...]
[...] tu importante y valioso tiempo de trabajo frente al computador. Para solucionarlo, llegó Leave Me Alone: un pequeño pero util freeware que se encargará de matar al aviso con un botón para que puedas [...]
Nice idea but the only thing your app do is shutdown the Windows Update service.
[...] Download: Leave Me Alone! [...]
Erwin, yes, i had indicated that originally. The point is many people don’t want to have to learn the method of doing that or memorize the shutdown command(s).
This saves a few keystrokes and solves the problem.
[...] outras fáceis, mas que não funcionam. Nenhuma, porém, é tão simples e eficiente quanto o Leave me alone!. Basta abrir o programa, clicar no botão “Leave me alone!”, que significa [...]
[...] get it to leave you alone (which will also require a restart) or you can try a free program called Leave Me Alone! which will temporarily turn off the [...]
[...] aparecer essa janela, já no Windows XP… senta e chora meu filho, mas há um programa chamado Leave me alone, basta baixar e executar e clicar no botão “Leave me alone” que significa [...]
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[...] Freeware: Turn Off Windows Update Restart Nag [...]
[...] avoid this annoying situation, check out Brad Isaac’s free utility called Leave Me Alone! Leave Me Alone! allows you to temporarily turn off the restart nag window until you actually do [...]
Those “midnight patches” always seem to happen when I’ve left my Pc running doing something I want to get to straight away in the morning, only to find MS has done an update which means all my browser windows have to reload (and hopefully nothing gets lost).
daves last blog post..Sound Card Driver Download - Get The Sound Card Drivers For Your PC The Easy Way
Yes its pretty annoying when these updates comes up. And what’s worse sometimes when I just kept on pressing “Later” my PC crashes.. hmph..
[...] Windows XP/Vista Licença: Freeware Homepage: Persistence Unlimited Download: Leave me [...]
Thanks a lot. I’m so tired of leaving something running overnight just to come back the next morning and the computer has been restarted.
Thank you for the free software. Accidentally found your website while surfing internet.
This is really usefull software :)
mails last blog post..Backup Computer Devices Driver
I personally prefer to:
1. Create a notepad file, save it as whateveryouwant.bat
2. Paste the following: net stop “automatic updates”
3. Save, then double-click.
Same thing as your program, but with less clicks ;)