Per ITS policy, keeping Windows up to date with all critical patches is required to keep your PC connected to the University network.
To fully install the patches, you must restart your computer. A shutdown and then power on will not fully install patches. More information on the difference is here.
To ensure your PC maintains compliance with this policy, ITS recommends the following:
- Restart your PC as soon as possible following the appearance of the restart reminder window.
- Restarting your PC on a weekly basis to keep your PC operating efficiently.
In an effort to reduce the work interruption caused by the required PC restarts after monthly Microsoft patching, ITS is exploring ways to adjust the process to reduce the workday impacts of patch installation.
Going forward, your PC will no longer restart as soon as the installation of monthly Microsoft patches has completed. You will still see a notification informing you of the need to restart your PC, but that restart will not be forced as a result of the completion of patch installation. If you do not restart your University-owned computer for 2 weeks after the patches were released, ITS will force a restart.
Note the lack of a timer bar on the new notification window. When you see this style of notification window your PC will not restart without you choosing to do so.
A restart is Still required to complete the update installation. Shutting down your PC does not fulfill this requirement. The restart notification window will continue to remind you on a regular basis until a restart has been performed. If you do not restart your University-owned computer for 2 weeks after the patches were released, ITS will force a restart. What you can expect to see when ITS forces a restart on your Windows computer can be seen here.