Plugging the Holes with Windows Update
When you power up your new computer, the first thing you should do after the registration process is to visit the Windows Update website and download all the latest updates.
No matter how new your computer is there will more than likely be updates for Windows available from Microsoft. They issue these updates on a regular basis, as new flaws or security risks are found. If your computer is left un-patched, you could fall victim to a virus or worm of some type. The update process is the first step towards internet security on your computer.
These viruses and worms are written by malicious people to take advantage of Windows flaws. Some of them can be relatively minor, others can cause a lot of damage to files and other information on your computer.
When a new virus is released, they tend to spread quickly. If you update Windows quickly, you will likely avoid being infected. If you wait too long, until the virus has reached critical mass, you’re much more likely to be infected.
Updating right away when you get a new computer, and keeping it up to date will save you a lot of hassles. This is one of the cheapest and easiest forms of PC protection.
Before starting the update process, you should check and see what version of Windows is installed on your computer. To do this, press and hold the “Windows” key on your keyboard (the key with the 'floating window' logo to either side of the space bar) and while holding it down press the PAUSE/BREAK key. This will open the system properties window:
The version of Windows that you are running is listed in this window. I am going to assume you’re running Windows XP since this is likely a new computer. The reason we’re checking the version is to get an idea of how long the update process will take.
If it lists your Windows version as Service Pack 2, you’re fairly up to date and the update process won’t take too long. If your Windows is listed as Service Pack 1 (or no Service Pack listed at all) it will take quite a bit longer – up to several hours.
Let's Install the Updates
The process for updating Windows is quite simply, really. To get to the Windows Update website, click on the START button and then ALL PROGRAMS. At the top of the list of programs, there should be a link to WINDOWS UPDATE. Click on this link to go to the website.
If the link is not listed in your START menu, it’s not a problem. All you have to do is open Internet Explorer and go to www.windowsupdate.com. If you’re running an older version of Windows than XP, you will likely have to do it this way.
Once you’re at the Windows Update website, it will scan your computer to see what updates you need. If this is the first time you’ve run Windows Update, you’ll get a message asking if you want to install the Windows Update software. Click Install or Yes (depending on the version) and let it do its thing. (You may get a couple of messages here – click Install or Yes each time).
Once the scan is complete, you will be given a choice of Express Install or Custom Install. At this point, choose Express Install as it will install all the updates Microsoft considers critical.
==========SIDEBAR==============
Critical updates are the updates that
fix security risks and other serious flaws.
Optional updates are not as important.
They tend to be updates for specific
features that you may or may not use.
Don’t worry too much about these right
now. Once you’re familiar with the
update process, you can look at these
other features and decide if you want
them. They generally don’t have any
bearing on avoiding or fixing computer
problems.
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After choosing Express Install, you will see a list of all the updates that are going to be installed. Click the INSTALL button at the top of the list to download and install them.
Depending on what updates you need, you might get another window for the Microsoft “EULA” (end user license agreement) – click the I ACCEPT button to start the process.
How long the download will take depends on the number of updates and the speed of your internet connection. As mentioned above, if you are not running Service Pack 2 the update process will likely take several hours, between downloading and installing the update.
You can watch the update progress, but it's not the most exciting thing. If you wish, just leave the computer running and let it go about its business.
Once the update is finished, it will give you a status window that tells you if the updates were successful. Most of the time, you will have to restart your computer after running Windows Update, and it will prompt you to do that when it’s done.
If you need to restart, click the button to do that now. After restarting, run Windows Update again to be sure that you have all the necessary updates. Sometimes one update will not be installed until another one is completed first. Keep repeating the process until Windows Update tells you there are no new updates to install.
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