Windows Update

Windows Update is a free service from Microsoft which makes security and other updates to your Windows system available for download and installation. It is a very automated system and very easy to use. It's been around for a long time but still some people don't know about it. There are two ways to use it, one automatically and the other manually. I recommend you use both.

Using Windows Update manually

To use it manually, go to WindowsUpdate.Microsoft.com. (On XP you’ll find this link in your ‘All Programs’ list via the ‘Start’ button too – open ‘All Programs’ and look near the very top of the list). The first time you go here you will need to accept a small piece of software which needs to be downloaded to your computer from Microsoft. When you get asked the question ‘would you like to download’ the software, click ‘OK. It is used to check what versions of the main parts of Windows you have so the site knows which updates to offer you.

Once there you will be asked whether you wish a "Express Install" or a "Custom Install". Use the Express Install most times, but sometimes (say once a month or so) you should use the Custom Install option as it includes optional software – that is, software that its not really important for you to install, but you might want it. This optional software in the past has included programs like ‘Windows Movie Maker,’ which as the names suggests help you make movies on your Windows XP PC. Using the custom install you can look at the updates available and choose those to install. Once you have selected the items of interest you click "Install" to start the download and installation. That's it - pretty simple huh?

Automatic Updates

If you thought the manual approach was pretty simple you should find this easier still. Microsoft have kindly provided a means where the security updates can be downloaded to your computer in the background while you are online, although it is only available to you on Windows XP. The system will automatically check for available updates, download them (over more than one dial-up session if one session is too short) and then install them on your computer. Nice eh?

If you have installed Windows XP SP2 (Service Pack 2) then you now have something called the "Security Center".  You've probably found it already but if not you can find it on the Control Panel (accessed via the Start Menu). The Security Center does three useful things for you. First it checks whether there is an active software Firewall on your machine. (See Firewalls for more info). Second it checks whether Automatic Updates are turned on and provides a means to turn it on if it isn't, and third it checks the state of your Anti-Virus program. Just the sort of things we're concerned about here under "Keep It Clean". So, go to the Security Center now and ensure that Automatic Updates is turned on.  If you haven't installed SP2 then take a look here for more details.