Issue
An end user clicked Restart in an Automox reboot notification, but the device did not restart, or the required restart did not complete.
Environment
- Automox (current agent release)
- Windows, MacOS
Expected behavior of the reboot notification
Automox surfaces two distinct notifications around a policy-driven restart:
- A reboot deadline notification displays the deadline configured by the patch policy, along with any message the policy administrator configured.
- A reboot notification appears when the restart is triggered, indicating to the user that a reboot will begin or is in progress.
Why a clicked restart may not complete
- The restart was interrupted or coincided with an in-progress install. A restart that begins while patching/servicing is still underway may not complete, leaving the device flagged as still needing a reboot.
- A pending-reboot state from a prior update persists. If an earlier update left Windows in a pending-reboot state, a user-initiated restart can appear to "do nothing" from the flag's perspective until a clean, completed reboot clears it.
What to check
- Confirm a Windows feature update isn't still finalizing in the background (
WindowsUpdateBox.exe). - Perform a full shutdown (power off completely, wait 30+ seconds, power on) to force pending servicing operations to complete.
- Rescan the device in Automox and re-check the reboot status.
When to contact Support
The device still won't complete a required restart after a full shutdown and rescan. Include the device name/ID and the agent log.
Related: "Needs Reboot Flag Not Clearing on a Windows Device."