1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: ascertaining that a restart timer for initiating an update and restart operation for a device is expired; responsive to said ascertaining, determining whether state information for the computing device may be lost if the update and restart operation is initiated; responsive to the computing device detecting that state information will not be lost if the update and restart operation is initiated: initiating a countdown timer for the update and restart operation; presenting a notification that the update and restart operation is imminent; and initiating the update and restart operation when the countdown timer expires; responsive to the computing device detecting that state information will be lost if the update and restart operation is initiated, ascertaining, by the computing device, whether the state information is preserved; and responsive to detecting preservation of the state information, proceeding with initiating the countdown timer.