Overview

Always Active Hours.bat is a self-contained Windows batch script that manages and continually adjusts your Windows Active Hours and related update behaviour. Its goal is simple:

Reduce the chance of Windows Update restarting your PC while you are actively using it.

The script:

• Keeps your system safely inside Windows’ allowed Active Hours window.
• Shifts Active Hours as time passes so you remain near the middle of the allowed span.
• Sets and maintains update/restart policies via the Registry and Task Scheduler.
• Offers optional controls for update deadlines and restart behaviour on supported editions of Windows.
• Installs and removes itself cleanly with no external dependencies.

Everything is implemented in a single `.bat` file using built-in Windows commands and registry edits.

No services, no extra executables, no third-party tools.

How It Works

Execution Modes

Interactive Mode:

When run manually, the script displays an interactive console menu that allows you to:

• Enable or disable the scheduled task
• Shift Active Hours immediately
• Toggle reboot protection policies
• Configure or clear aggressive update delays
• View pending reboot conditions

Scheduled Task Mode:

When run with the /task parameter (used by the scheduled task), the script operates silently and automatically shifts active hours without any user interaction.

Command Line Switches:

Always Active Hours.bat                  :: Interactive menu (default)
Always Active Hours.bat /install         :: Install script + scheduled task, then exit
Always Active Hours.bat /enable          :: Alias for /install

Always Active Hours.bat /uninstall       :: Remove scheduled task + installed copy
Always Active Hours.bat /disable         :: Alias for /uninstall

Always Active Hours.bat /task            :: Scheduled task mode (silent, no UI)
Always Active Hours.bat /q               :: Quiet mode; shift Active Hours, then exit
Always Active Hours.bat /quiet           :: Alias for /q

Installation & Removal

Enabling the Task

When enabled, the script:

1. Copies itself to: %ProgramData%\AlwaysActiveHours\Always Active Hours.bat
2. Assigns secure SYSTEM-level permissions to the installation directory.
3. Creates a hidden scheduled task that runs:

• At system startup
• Once per hour
• On specific power-related system events

From this point on, Active Hours are maintained automatically in the background.

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Disabling the Task

When disabled, the script:

• Removes the scheduled task
• Deletes the installed copy of the script
• Removes the installation directory if it is empty
• Restores any temporary permission changes

No files are left behind.

Active Hours Adjustment

Each automatic or manual shift performs the following steps:

• Reads the current Active Hours values from the registry.
• Reads the system’s configured Active Hours maximum range.
• Calculates a new range centred around the current system time.
• Writes the following values back to the registry:
  • ActiveHoursStart
  • ActiveHoursEnd
  • UserChoiceActiveHoursStart
  • UserChoiceActiveHoursEnd
• Forces SmartActiveHoursState = 0 to prevent Windows from overriding the values automatically.

The result is a continuously sliding Active Hours window that keeps your active time safely inside the allowed reboot-free period.

System Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• Administrator privileges are required for:
• Task Scheduler access
• Registry modification
• Installation under %ProgramData%

Note: On domain-managed or heavily policy-restricted systems, Group Policy may override some settings.

Transparency & Safety

• No background services are installed.
• No network access is used.
• All configuration changes are limited to documented Windows Update and Active Hours registry keys.
• The entire script is plain text and fully auditable.
• A built-in self-repair routine automatically corrects line-ending corruption if the file is edited incorrectly.

Author

Created by Brogan Scott Houston McIntyre (TechTank)