Windows Updates

Making sure that your Windows operating system is always up-to-date is essential for keeping your machine free of bugs, viruses, and hackers. The method for doing this is using Windows Update.

To access Windows Update from your Start Menu, press Start > Windows Update or Start > Programs > Windows Update.

To access Windows Update directly from your web browser, go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.

  • Critical Windows Updates

    I want to download and install any critical Windows updates that are needed.

    How to do it:

    1. Save your work and close any open applications.
    2. Visit: Microsoft Windows Update.

      Note:       You can also select Tools > Windows Update from the
      Internet Explorer menu at the top.
    3. Click the "Scan for Updates" link to scan your computer.


    4. Review the scan results. If "Critical Updates and Service Packs" is greater than zero, then then you need to make updates to your computer immediately.

      Note:       If this value is zero, then your computer is successfully patched (for now) and you can leave this exercise.


    5. Click the Critical Updates link. You will be prompted to select one or more updates for your computer. Choose the updates and click the "Review and Install Updates" link at the top of the screen.
    6. You will reach a final confirmation screen. Click the "Install Now" button.


    7. The updates will begin to install on your computer.
    8. Once complete, restart your machine.
  • Automating Microsoft Windows updates

    Keeping your system up-to-date is an important process that is often forgotten. Windows XP allows you to never have to bear the responsibility of remembering to manually update your system again with the automatic update feature. Windows XP downloads, updates and notifies you when they are ready to be installed, or you can choose to be notified before the updates are downloaded.

    Follow these steps:

    1. Click on Start > Control Panel.
    2. Select Performance and Maintenance > System if using Category View or just System if using Classic View.
    3. Select the Automatic Update tab.

      Automatic Updates
    4. Check the box next to "Keep my computer up to date" if it not already checked and select an option in the Settings area. It recommended that you do not turn on automatic updating.
    5. Click OK to save your settings.

    Troubleshooting:

    Some of these options are "greyed-out" and are unselectable.

    If your computer is being managed in an AD (Active Directory) environment, some of the options may be unavailable to you. In this case, it is likely that these updates are reaching your computer automatically and you may not even need to follow the instructions in this tutorial.

  • Verifying that the Daylight Savings Time update is installed

    Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update> Review Your Update History (under Options)

    This update is KB931836. To confirm that it as been applied to your machine, locate this update on the History list.

    Microsoft Windows Update DST

    If you do not see this update listed, you can manually apply it by clicking on this link DST Windows Update 02/2007

Last Updated: Jan.13, 2012