Windows Compliance by Computer Restart Status Changes from Yes to No Without Reboot

Products

• Patch Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

You install a security update to an endpoint and no restart occurs at the end of the software update cycle.  You may have configured the software update configuration policy to not reboot the endpoints at the end of the software update cycle.  You notice the Windows Compliance by Computer Restart Status and the Restart Status reports initially show the computer as Restart Pending Yes, and the computer is in the Restart Status report.  Unexpectedly the status changes to Restart Pending No and is no longer in the Restart Status report.  The problem is, the computer did not restart.

Environment

Patch Management Solution 8.x

Cause

Policy was disabled or removed from targeting the endpoint.

Resolution

This is working by design.  If there is a policy which installs this update, and you disable the policy or the security update is superseded, this will happen.  The security update may become superseded and if the Patch Remediation settings are set to disable superseded updates, this can happen.  Best practice is to reboot the endpoint when you can install the security updates.  Don't install security updates when you cannot reboot, if required.