Running Windows Updates
Follow the steps below...
Windows Update is a utility that is built into Windows that allows users to upgrade ciritcal components of their system over the internet. From time to time, Microsoft will identify a risk or threat in their software, and will release an update designed to remedy the problem via Windows Update. Most Windows XP computers are configured to automatically download and install these updates using a process called Automatic Update. However, if your computer is regularly turned off at night or not always connected to the internet, it is possible for it to become out of date with regard to the security updates Microsoft has released. In order to ensure your system is fully updated, we recommend running Windows Update periodically to confirm that no critical system updates have been missed or overlooked.
- Make sure that you have an internet connection, preferably broadband, as Windows Updates are generally demanding on internet connections.
- Double-click the Windows Update Shortcut in your Maintenance Folder
- Internet Explorer should launch and automatically point/navigate to
the windows update website. In the main window, there will be two
buttons, Express and Custom (you may have to scroll down a bit
to see them both). Click on Custom, as shown below.
- After selecting custom, the website will automatically check your
system for necessary updates. It then lists the updates in three
categories: High Priority; Optional, Software; and Optional,
Hardware. We want to run all of the updates in the first two
categories. By default, it assumes you are running all of the
"High Priority" updates, so use the left hand menu to
select "Optional, Software", as seen below.
- Then scroll down the list and make sure that all of the updates are
selected, with the exception of Internet Explorer 7 update is
NOT one that we are suggesting you download/
install at this point.
- After selecting all of the downloads, from the menu on the left
click on Install Updates, see below.
- Then to confirm that you want to install those updates you need to
go back to the main window and click on Install Updates
again.
- Sometimes EULA's or End User Licsense Agreements
appear, and you'll want to click on "I Accept" for the
installation to continue. An example of which is provided here.
- After that, a progress bar will come up informing you of how
windows is doing...
- Eventually the process will complete, and you will most probably be
prompted to restart your machine, which you want to do, so that the
updates can protect your computer, and keep your machine as stable
as possible.
