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How to Change Update Settings for a Single Host

With Update Management you can change the update settings of Windows hosts.

Before you begin:
Remember: A former Central Premier subscription, or a current Central Base plus Security module subscription is required to use this feature.
  1. In LogMeIn Central, on the Updates > Windows page, select the computer you want to change.
  2. Select Change settings above the computer list.

    Result: The Update settings page is displayed.

  3. Change how Windows installs updates. Some settings may be managed by the system administrator. See Windows documentation for details. All settings are the same as in Windows.
    Option Description
    Important updates Select how important updates are downloaded and installed.
    • Install updates automatically - Updates are downloaded to the host and installed automatically. If an update requires a restart, the host will restart automatically. No user interaction is needed. To avoid disruption on the host, you can schedule updates to be installed out of business hours.
    • Download updates but let me choose whether to install them - Updates are downloaded to the host, but you can decide on the best time to install those updates. If an update requires a restart, then this option allows you control when hosts are restarted.
    • Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them - The host automatically checks for updates, but does not download and install those without user interaction.
    • Never check for updates - The host does not check for updates. You can still manually check for updates by selecting Check for updates now on the Update settings page.

    See Microsoft's website for information on how updates are categorized.

    Who can install updates Choose who can install updates. Not valid for Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003 hosts.
    Software to update Choose to install either Windows updates only or Microsoft product updates along with Windows updates (for example, Microsoft Office updates).
    The updates that only a system administrator can change are grayed out.
    Note: If you have trouble with hosts restarting at inconvenient times, see How to prevent hosts from restarting after important updates are installed?
  4. To display delivery options, click Change next to How the settings above are delivered to hosts.
    These settings are not applied to hosts, but rather tell LogMeIn Central how to deliver the Updates-related settings.
    Option Description
    Attempt to connect to computers for LogMeIn Central will attempt to change how Windows installs updates for this period of time.
    Wake up computers Send a Wake On LAN command before attempting to deliver changes to update settings. Hosts must meet all Wake On LAN requirements. See How to Wake a Computer in Sleep Mode or Powered Off Using Wake On LAN.
  5. Click Apply Settings.

How to restrict certain updates to be installed automatically?

You may want to block certain Windows updates to be installed automatically on a host.
  1. In LogMeIn Central, on the Updates > Windows page, select the computer you want to change.
  2. For Important updates, select Download updates but let me choose whether to install them from the drop-down list.
  3. Click Apply Settings.
Results: This way, Windows updates are downloaded to the host, but you can choose which ones to install. See How to Choose Which Updates to Apply.

How to prevent hosts from restarting after important updates are installed?

Depending on what option you have selected for installing important updates, you have the following options:
  • If you chose Install updates automatically, then you can set a convenient time to install updates and reboot the host without disturbing the person at the host.
  • If you chose Download updates but let me choose whether to install them or Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them, then you can schedule the installation and allow a delayed restart. To do so, on the Updates > Windows page, click the number in the Important Updates column. Then select Restart computers if required to install the updates and set when the host should restart.
    Remember: You cannot set different restart behaviors for important and optional Windows updates.

The Auto-Restart column on the Updates > Windows page displays whether a host had the Restart computers if required to install the updates option applied during the update that started last:

  • - (a minus symbol) means that updates have not been installed on the host yet
  • Off means that the restart option was not selected for the last update
  • On means that the restart option was selected for the last update. A clock icon is also displayed if the restart was scheduled.

Notice that the last update may still be running, which impacts what you see in the Auto-Restart column.

Article last updated: 28 September, 2023