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Using Windows Update and Automatic Updates If you have been directed to this page from an email take the time to follow all of the instructions completely. Failure to do so may result in your computer being disconnected from the Internet. Its is very important to update Microsoft Windows regularly to make sure it is protected against the latest attacks. You should also enable Automatic Updates if you have not already done so. Connect to the Windows Update website: Accept any prompt it may present you to install the Windows Update software. Click the "Scan for Updates" link to begin the scan. The scan will take a little while because it determines the operating system installed on your PC and then provides all updates that apply. After the scan has finished click the "Critical Updates and Service Packs" link to the left. This will bring up a list of the updates your computer needs. Make sure every entry says "This item has been selected" after it. If not click "Add" to add that update. There is the chance some of the updates you need must be installed individually. If this is the case it will prompt you to install them one by one. If this is not the case it will allow you to install all of the updates at once. Click the "Review and install updates" link at the top of the list. Click "Install Now" to install the updates. Click "Accept" to accept the user license agreement. The "Windows Update -- Web Page Dialog" should open and the install should begin. It may take a few minutes to finish if you have a few security updates to install. If you need to install a Service Pack it will take a long time. Once it is done installing, the Windows Update website will say "Installation Complete". Your computer may need to restart in order to complete the update process. Save all of your current work, close all of your open applications, then click "OK" to restart your computer. After it restarts, reconnect to Windows Update: Check to see if there are any additional "Critical Updates and Service Packs" to install. This is important! It may need to run Windows Update a few times to install everything. If there are no updates to install, your computer has been fully protected - for now. Please take the time to enable Automatic Updates (see below). Configure Automatic Updates to get the latest patches for you to get the best protection for your computer. For Windows 2000 Go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panels, then see below. For Windows XP Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Performance and Maintenance -> System, then see below. Everyone should select the Automatic Updates control panel. Novice Users If you are a novice user who is not used to regularly checking for updates to your operating system and antivirus software chose the third option. This will download and install the updates for you automatically. WARNING: this may cause conflicts with some software, and your computer may restart itself after it installs the updates. However this is still the most relaible way to make sure your computer is protected. Click "OK" to save that change. Your computer will now download the patches automatically, without you needing to do a thing. You are now done. Experienced Users If you are an experienced user who wants control over when these updates are applied chose the second option. This will download the updates for you automaticaly, but still require you to chose when they are installed. If you are not good at regularly updating your computer DO NOT CHOSE THIS OPTION. Every time there is a new update you will see a small blue globe icon in your system tray, in the lower right hand corner of the screen near the clock. Click it and "Install" the updates at a time that is convenient for you. Do not wait too long! If you chose this option and do not regularly install these updates, you are a novice user and should chose the third option in Automatic Updates. You are never really done with this process - pay close attention to that little blue globe.
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