Does windows XP update ever reboot automatically?

[Stan Hilliard]

XP Yesterday:
I use windows XP automatic updating. I shutdown the PC overnight.
Often the update is applied when I shut down the PC. But yesterday I
clicked a button on the usual messagebox that instructed it to
shutdown without updating.

XP Today:
I started the PC and started Fprot anti virus manually, which takes
about 1/2 hour on my PC. When I later returned to the PC the screen
was at the windows logon screen. The system had logged me off. During
login, I got a balloon message that windows had done an automatic
update & had restarted the computer. I have never seen it update
automatically aromatically before.

Is this normal or might something else be taking control of my
computer?

Information will be appreciated,
Stan Hilliard

 

[John Barnett MVP]

If the update option is set to 'install update automatically (recommended)'
then Windows will access the update site, download any updates, and install
them without asking your permission.

Obviously, in some cases Windows needs to shutdown and restart after a
particular update has been installed, this is more than likely what you have
experienced. Regardless of what you are running if you give windows update
carte-blanche to install as and when it likes, if a restart is necessary it
will just do it.

Personally I always set windows update to 'download updates but let me
choose whether to install them' This puts me in control of when the PC
restarts after an install.


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John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

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