Windows Updates are essential for keeping your trading VPS secure and stable, but they can also be the single biggest threat to an unattended trading operation if handled carelessly. An unexpected restart in the middle of a trading session can close your MetaTrader terminals, disconnect your Expert Advisors, and leave open positions completely unmanaged. This guide covers everything you need to know about updating your VPS safely while keeping your trading running smoothly.
Why Windows Updates Matter on a Trading VPS
It might be tempting to disable Windows Updates entirely on your VPS. After all, you just want it to trade — not download patches. But skipping updates creates real risks:
- Security vulnerabilities — An unpatched VPS is an easy target. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) exploits are regularly discovered and patched by Microsoft. Running an outdated system with RDP exposed to the internet is asking for trouble.
- Stability issues — Cumulative updates fix memory leaks, driver issues, and OS bugs that can cause gradual performance degradation over weeks of uptime.
- Broker connectivity — Some updates include TLS and certificate chain updates. Without them, your MT4/MT5 terminal may eventually fail to connect to your broker’s servers.
The goal is not to avoid updates — it is to control when and how they happen.
When to Run Windows Updates
⚠️ Warning: Windows auto-restart is the #1 killer of unattended EAs. Disable it via Group Policy (gpedit.msc) immediately after setting up your VPS — before you attach a single EA.
The forex market runs from Sunday evening (5pm EST) to Friday evening (5pm EST). That gives you a clear update window every weekend. Here is the recommended schedule:
- Saturday morning is the ideal time. Markets are closed, you have the full weekend to troubleshoot if something goes wrong, and you can verify everything is running before Sunday’s open.
- Friday evening after market close is acceptable if you want to get it done early, but leaves less buffer time.
- Never update Monday through Friday during market hours unless you have no open positions and no active EAs.
✅ Best Practice: Schedule all Windows updates for Saturday or Sunday when forex markets are closed. Run updates manually, reboot, verify your terminals restart correctly, and only then walk away.
For futures traders, be aware that CME Globex has a shorter weekend closure (Friday 5pm CT to Sunday 5pm CT). Plan your updates for Saturday to stay safe.
How to Run Windows Updates Manually
Step 1: Connect to Your VPS via RDP
Log in to your VPS using Remote Desktop. If you need help with this, see our guides for Windows, Mac, or Android.
Step 2: Close or Detach Your EAs (Optional but Recommended)
Before updating, consider detaching your EAs from charts or disabling AutoTrading. This is not strictly necessary if you have automatic startup configured, but it prevents any edge case where an EA fires a trade during the reboot cycle.
Step 3: Open Windows Update
Click the Start Menu and type Windows Update in the search bar. On Windows Server 2016/2019, this opens the Settings app directly to the Update & Security section. On older servers, it opens the Control Panel Windows Update page.
Click Check for updates and let Windows scan for available patches.
Step 4: Review and Install Updates
Windows will list available updates. In most cases, you should install all recommended updates. Pay attention to:
- Cumulative Updates — These are the main monthly patches. Always install these.
- Servicing Stack Updates — Required for future updates to install correctly. Always install.
- .NET Framework Updates — Generally safe and often required by trading tools.
- Feature Updates (major version upgrades) — Be cautious with these. They can change system behavior significantly. If your VPS is running well, you can defer feature updates for a few months.
Step 5: Restart and Verify
After installation, Windows will prompt for a restart. Before clicking restart:
- Make sure you have auto-login and automatic startup configured so your terminals come back on their own.
- Restart the VPS.
- Wait 3-5 minutes for the update to finalize and the system to fully boot.
- Reconnect via RDP and verify that all MT4/MT5 terminals are running, EAs are attached, and AutoTrading is enabled.
💡 Tip: After a reboot, check that the AutoTrading button in MT4/MT5 is green (enabled), not red. Some updates or unexpected restarts can reset this setting, leaving your EAs loaded but not executing.
How to Disable Automatic Restarts
The biggest danger is not the update itself — it is Windows deciding to restart your VPS at 3am on a Tuesday while your EAs are managing open positions. Here is how to prevent that:
Using Group Policy (Windows Server)
- Press Win + R, type
gpedit.msc, and press Enter. - Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
- Find “Configure Automatic Updates” and set it to Enabled, then select option 2 — Notify for download and notify for install. This means Windows will tell you updates are available but will never download or install them without your approval.
- Find “No auto-restart with logged on users for scheduled automatic updates installations” and set it to Enabled.
Using Active Hours
On Windows Server 2016 and later, you can also set Active Hours:
- Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Change active hours.
- Set your active hours to cover the full forex trading week (e.g., Sunday 5pm to Friday 5pm). Windows will not restart during active hours.
Note that Active Hours has a maximum range of 18 hours, so it cannot cover the full trading week by itself. Group Policy is the more reliable method.
Update Frequency Recommendations
You do not need to update every single week. A reasonable cadence for a trading VPS:
- Security updates: Every 2-4 weeks (monthly “Patch Tuesday” releases from Microsoft come out the second Tuesday of each month)
- Full review: Once per month, check what is pending and install everything
- Emergency patches: If Microsoft releases an out-of-band security update for RDP or a critical vulnerability, install it at the next available weekend window
If you have been running for several months without updating, expect the first update session to take longer — potentially 30-60 minutes with multiple restarts. Plan accordingly.
Common Pitfalls
- Not having auto-startup configured — If Windows restarts and your terminals do not come back automatically, you could miss an entire trading session. Set up automatic startup before you run your first update.
- Running out of disk space — Windows Update needs free disk space. If your VPS disk is nearly full, updates will fail or partially install, leaving the system in a broken state. Keep at least 5GB free. See our MT4 optimization guide for tips on reducing disk usage.
- Ignoring failed updates — If an update fails, Windows will retry it repeatedly, consuming resources each time. Check the update history for stuck updates and resolve them.
- Updating right before market open — Even if an update only takes 10 minutes, things can go wrong. Always leave a buffer of several hours before the next market session.
Summary
Windows Updates are not optional on a trading VPS — they protect your system from security threats and keep everything running smoothly. The key is controlling the process rather than letting Windows control it for you. Update manually on weekends, disable automatic restarts, verify your terminals restart correctly after each update, and you will never lose a trade to an unexpected reboot.
Need a VPS plan with enough resources to handle updates smoothly alongside your trading? Check our pricing page or browse the knowledge base for more optimization guides.