Force/persuade laptop reboots for updates

[BJG]

The antivirus system we're using here (ESET Protect) isn't very effective when it comes to insisting on the reboots that clients regularly need in order to update. You can only send popup requests, or force instant reboots. Other better systems I've seen are:

 

a) Force a reboot at logon

b) Present a stubborn on-screen countdown timer warning that the computer will restart in 5 mins

 

Any recommendations for a good solution to this, preferably free, without heavyweight system management solutions like SCCM?

[LeMarchand]

Set a scheduled task via GPO?

[BJG]

...the problem these days is that you can't predict when computers are going to be available. People with a laptop at home only keep it on when they're using it so you can't schedule overnight tasks, and forcing reboots without an on-screen timer is risky...

[LeMarchand]

a) Should be easy enough to do via a scheduled logon task, just add something to make sure it only happens once a day or it'll be stuck in a loop!

 

b) Just checked this is still working on the school Minecraft server - hope no staff are in and have logged their kids in! - but an HTA file will display a message something like the below (ours is fullscreen, but I didn't include the school logo part).

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]63999[/ATTACH]

 

Something like that run every few minutes after the first logon of the day or similar should do the trick. IIRC you can include a "Remind me later" type snooze button. Bonus points if you can find a way to check if ESET needs a restart (folder/file modified or reg change?) and only run things if that condition is met or even if the machine has not been restarted in x hours.