Is there a safe way to cancel updates during windows shutdown

Question

I have installed a new windows machine and configured windows update to automatically download updates.

I need to quickly reboot the machine and I forgot to click the fly out window that allows the system to shut down without installing updates.

Now I have to wait for 92 updates to install. Is there anything I can do to cancel the updates and shutdown quickly?

Solution 1

Yes,

If you rename or remove C:\Windows\WinSxS\pending.xml file, you could postpone update to next reboot. I advice renaming it. It may require changing the permissions and ownership of the file. I haven't tested it on running windows image, but I am sure it works when you interrupt windows boot. Boot into recovery mode or from windows installation disc (shift+F10) start cmd, remove the file, next reboot will install updates.

Solution 2

No.

You either do a hard shut down by killing the power to the device (pull the plug or hold down the power button) and risk corrupting the OS, or you can wait for it to finish, but there is no way to interact with the OS once it's started the process of shutting down and applying updates.

Solution 3

Next time, use the command line.

shutdown -f -r -t 0

To restart, for shutdown use -s

This will skip installing updates.

Comments

[duenni]

What an awful hack.

[filvarga]

It is usually done when you encounter cyclic reboot due "configuring updates" we use it often with other steps to correct windows update.