I hate windows, but I have to use it. Any advice to keep it from restarting without permission?
mambanegra
Posts: 574
So, I have a windows computer that does one thing. DAZ Studio. Yet, every so often, I find that it kindly killed my jobs so it could patch itself. I'm really tired of this, but I can't seem to find any clear documentation on how to turn this crap off for home edition. I see several options for pro, but, alas, I wasn't given the option for the pro version when I bought the machine.
Any suggestions?
I see that there is a hosts file and I'm seriously considering blacking out all of microsoft's domains. Before I do that, does anyone have any recommendations? If windows 10 can't phone home, will it disable the OS? Should I look into purchasing a license of Windows 7 pro?
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If you're on Windows 10, there is nothing you can do it seems. Your best bet is to upgrade to Windows 7
First - this is kind of an odd place to post this query. lol Second, I have Windows 10 and I can't say that I've had that issue. The people on the Windows forums might be able to help.
As I just got a new computer with Windoze 10, I've been researching this myself. If your computer connects to the internet via Wi-Fi, Dial up, etc., you may be able to set the connection to "Metered" and prevent Windows from downloading updates automatically. Here's a link to one of the pages I found on how to do this: http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/
The caveat is, I have no idea when that article was written, or if MS has devised something to stop users from interferring with the updates. But I think it's worth trying.
Yeh, upgrade to Windows 7 and disable automatic updates. Or there are various hacks you can use with Windows 10 to prevent it. What a rediculious situation fighting your OS for control.
If you have Windows 10 Home, you can't do much AFAIK. If you have Windows 10 Pro, here's a solution.
You can configure the update settings in different ways, using the Local Group Policy Editor.
1. Pres windows key + R, type gpedit.msc, click OK
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows update
3. Double click Configure Automatic Updates, enable it, and select 2. Notify for download and notify for install, click OK
4. Double click No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations, enable it, click OK
5. Go to Settings > Update & Security, and check for updates (this is important; the settings are first activated when you do this)
Yeah, I saw that article, but it only works for wifi and my machine is hardwired.
You haven't had Windows just randomly reboot itself, killing any DS scenes without consideration? Mine looks like it restarted 2 times in the last 7 days. I think most of the updates have been applied silently without rebooting, but since I connect via VNC, whenever it restarts the machine, my VNC service stops working and I have to manually log back into that computer. Once logged in, I can connect via VNC and everything works nicely, but...having it disrupt me 2 days in a short amount of time is enough to get me off my heiny and put an end to it:)
So, all I want is a basic windows computer that will run DS, support my nVidia graphics card (and a probably upgrade in a year or so) and ideally run Windows Remote Desktop. Is windows 7 professional the way to go? I'd really prefer to spend the $40 on home, but I suspect it will be hobbled like Windows 10 home is.
I agree. However, I just bought a computer and my OS options were Win10 or Win10 Pro. As I bought it mainly for DAZ stuff, I intend to keep it offline most of the time. (It really surprised me some of the basic stuff I always set, like show file extensions and show hidden files, are buried in settings labeled "Developers" ... as if you have to be a developer to want the file extensions visible!)
I don't need "nanny" software!
Well OK, overlooked that you're on Home. But maybe others can use it then.
Well, "upgrading" to an older version of any Operating System goes against of what security experts advice, you have to keep your OS and antivirus up to date.
Keeping an older version of the OS is an invitation to hackers, malwares, ransomwares, etc. By updating your OS you make it a little harder to break into your system.
Now, if you are on Windows 10, you can opt to delay updates, and even specify your active hours, in which windows won't try to update.
Set your Active Hours in Windows Update is one way to keep a reboot away for a 12 hour chunk of each day. (Note option is grayed out if you try to schedule more than 12 hour chunks...save settings is only available if 12 or less hour chunks.
Skip down to "Stop Windows Update From Automatically Rebooting Your Computer"
http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/
Directions for setting it up to Metered are also given on this page if you go that route.
Another option would be to just check for updates before a big render. If updates are available, download then either patch or set a convenient time or date for restart.
So, you obviously know the pro version. Is it worth the $100 upgrade, or would you recommend jumping over to Windows 7 pro?
Also, are there any issues with Windows 7 pro having difficulty detecting new hardware? I keep hearing rumors that they are playing hardball to force people to switch and one technique may be in HW support, though, that might just be with low level chipsets or something.
--it's late and I had quoted the wrong message, lol. Ignore this post :)
No, I can't say I've had that happen. But then again my renders usually only take 10 minutes or less. I think the longest one was around 45 minutes or so if I remember correctly and that was extremely rare. And when I'm not actively using my computer I usually turn it off.
I'm surprised and slightly disturbed that some people don't turn off their computers each night to give them a rest. Is this common practice? Do these people keep their car running in their garage?
Well - there are people who are rendering more involved scenes than one character with clothes, hair and in front of an empty background. In other words: there are people who have 20 hours renders going ...
So, as long as 3delight and Iray don't have a real stop and resume function ...
Real stop and resume as in: close the software, shut down the computer, start it up the next day, start the software and resume the render - like Bryce or Vue, for example.
I've got all mine on a couple of large UPSes and they only shut down in the event of a prolonged power outage or a hardware change. I don't have broadband internet so I don't need to worry about something insidious happening while I'm asleep.
There is a long history to leaving a computer always on...
i had that problem but defeated it by disconnecting the internet and adding a second router that is not internet connected. windows now continues to check for upgrades but does not get any infrmation so is content to run without upgrading or automatially restarting. the benefit is that i will soon be networking a second computer withoit having to worry about computer viruses.
I don't have Windows 10 Home version, and I know you cannot refuse updates, but the Home version too should have the option to throw a message and ask for reboot. Usually automatic reboot is the problem.
That would be hidden on Start button - Settings or System Settings - Update and Security. I'm on German language version, so I don't know the exact English menu options, but if MS didn't change that the last year it should still be there.
WIndows 7 Pro is the way to go, despite the misinformation out there, secuity updates will continue to be release until January 14, 2020 which is the official last date of extended support by Microsoft. I just downloaded new security updates tonight in fact.
There's a catch to that: Microsoft plans monthly rollups for 7 and 8 just like they do for 10 and they also intend to slip in an update that allows them to take control of your machine and make sure you can't refuse updates just like Windows 10. Welcome to 1984.
Laurie
...I didn't buy into the "Win 10 beta" programme because of "ram it down your throat" update policy and feature bloat that you cannot disable.
Sadly this month MS changed the updating policy for W7/8.1 to where all updates are rolled into one download/install file so you can no longer "cherry pick" which updates to accept or reject. I am looking at setting up a dual boot Linux and W7 system where Linux talks to the outside world and I can run Daz as well as all of my other CGI software offline in W7.
Up to now there have been a boatload of frequent updates for Windows10 but, for what it's worth, I've heard a rumour that after you receive the Windows10 "Anniversary update" (a massive update that takes an hour or more to install, and reboots a couple times, and sorry I don't know the exact update #, but Google it to find out) the updates for Windows10 will settle down into the standard policy of a monthly update event about the same time each month (typically around the 2nd week). I don't know if that's true but I haven't had an update since I got the Anniversary update on my first machine about three weeks ago.
It would be interesting to see what would happen if Google, Bing, DAZ, etc, started to power off the computers every single night.
I most certainly have, Taozen. I've been trying, not to hard, to track this down. Thanks
Nah. Shutting a computer down nightly used to be bad for it. It probably doesn't matter these days. My computers all remain "on" unless there is a really big storm that will likely knock the power out when I'm about to go to bed. That's mostly just so I don't wake up to the beeping of the UPSs telling me they have switched over to battery
Also, if you sit down at the computer regularly, then you probably have the chance to reschedule these updates. However, because this machine is purely for rendering (and I don't use it constantly...sometimes for days at a time) then I am not seeing the messages that windows wants to update itself.
Remember that Windows 7 home has a max memory of 8GB (or 16 for Home Premium). If your machine has more than that, you should use either 7 pro, or stick with 10. You should also bear in mind that if you are using a GPU then it is likely that new drivers for these may eventually stop supporting 7 (if they have not done so already), in which case 10 makes a better choice, even with its draw backs.
Don't know if this is the problem, but I have had renders that ran over night and sometimes a day under to look in and see that my computer had rebooted itself.
Turn off all automatic updates, and also make sure to see that you don't have any automatic maintenance dates scheduled in. Sometimes automation is a good thing, but not in the case of a computer being used to render.
I can think of one thing that might help but I haven't actually tried it. Switch on Aircraft Mode (or it might be called Flight Mode) when you are running a long render, and make sure you are only connected by Wireless and not through an ethernet cable. Aircraft Mode is suposed to switch off all wireless acitivity on the computer, switch it off when you aren't rendering and you can access the internet normally.