How do I stop Windows updating automatically?
Windows tries to automatically update its software even when I'm in the middle of a presentation. How do I get it to stop?
While giving a PowerPoint presentation my Vista laptop decided to install new updates and I had to keep cancelling the ‘Shutting down in 10 minutes’ message box, which was very annoying. How can I exercise more control over the downloading and installation of Windows updates and stop this happening in the future?
Martin Locke, by email
Windows Update downloads and installs files automatically by default but you can take charge. In Vista and Windows 7 you should go to Start > Control Panel > Windows Update. Click Change Settings and on the Important Updates drop down menu the safest option is to select ‘Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them’.
In XP go to Start > Control Panel > Security Centre and under Manage Security Settings click Automatic Updates and select ‘Notify but don’t automatically download…’. You will be prompted in install updates after boot-up but you can decide to do it when it is convenient.
