Active Hours/Update?

Gelbs · 17 Aug 2016

I don't know if the anniversary update fixed it more, but I've heard people have had Windows 10, restart automatically and reboot after installing certain updates, like when they're in the middle of doing things. I can't say it's actually happened to me. Not that I'm aware of, anyway.
Either way, I think it's pretty stupid how you can only have a 12 hour window for your computer being active. It also says, that it let's you know when your computer needs restarting anyway. So, if that's the case, what's the point in having active hours set, so your computer doesn't restart when you don't want to?
The only thing I'm concerned about, is if I'm in the middle of gaming or something, and it happens and my pc restarts. Or is that now not possible, as it only happens if your computer is idle? I thought I heard somewhere it happened to someone whilst gaming. ****ing stupid idea if you ask me. Especially, when I can't choose to turn off automatic updates because I'm only using the 'Home' edition.
Not even sure how it works. Like if I have my 'active hours' set from 8am to 8pm, what happens after 8pm? Surely gaming too, your computer knows you aren't exactly 'idle'!

paulsalter · 17 Aug 2016

I am on home and have mine set similar to you, 9am to 9pm here

From my experience it has never restarted while in the middle of something, if it wants a restart it always schedules it for around 3am or updates itself when i do a shutdown/startup

Gelbs · 17 Aug 2016

Yeah, same here! Never happened to me, but just got me thinking. Mine always says it needs to restart. Just wondered if it only does it (if it does) when the computer is idle. And how long it has to be idle for.

Gelbs · 17 Aug 2016

For some reason, too. My 'Custom Restart' setting is greyed out too, and no way to select it.

paulsalter · 17 Aug 2016

One way i get around the potential restart after updates, is to have a recurring calendar appointment for the 2nd tuesday of the month at 6pm, this is the usual day that the big updates come out
So if i do forget about it, i get a reminder that there should be updates ready
I then manually check and do a restart when it needs one

Idle time i think can vary my machine, depending how its set up
eg i have my screen saver for 5 mins and screen to go off after 10 mins of non use, after these i can see its gone idle as the background tasks start up, can see disc activity

Gelbs · 17 Aug 2016

When and how, does your computer usually decide to restart by itself after an update, though? Does it only do it if you aren't active? Like say, if you went downstairs for ten or fifteen minutes? I don't see how it would do it, even if your active hours were low, if you were in the middle of a game for example, lol. You'd think the system would know you're doing something! I've never had it happen, as I said. But just getting paranoid haha. It isn't very informative!

paulsalter · 17 Aug 2016

Mine does it 2 ways

1, If I leave my PC constantly turned on, it will schedule the restart for 3am, this is the time that Windows says i am not using my machine

2, If i turn my machine off after an update, it partially installs during the shutdown, then finishes installing when i next turn it on

The only reason i can see it force restart is if you constantly leave the machine on, but keep delaying when it will restart by adjusting the time it wants to do it, eventually it will just say i need to restart and do it, but with the new active hours, this shouldnt happen during them

Gelbs · 17 Aug 2016

Where do you have the 3am schedule though? My restart options are greyed out. Have no idea how to 'un-grey' it...

paulsalter · 17 Aug 2016

You cant un grey it unless there is an update requiring a restart

When there is an update requiring a restart, it will try and pick the best time (for me this defaults to 3am), but you can overide this in the restart options