Tips and tutorial: How to update your windows

The certainties of our time: death, taxes, and Windows updates (thanks to the never-ending
stream of new attacks on Microsoft products by hackers).Windows updates are patches, fixes, security updates and changes for the Windows operating
system. Microsoft releases updates whenever they discover a problem and when they decide to
provide improvements to existing functions within the current
version of the system. These updates are available for download at no cost (other than your time).

Windows updates fall into three main categories:

• Critical Updates – Essential patches in order to ensure
  the stability, security, and continued operation of your
  Windows operating system.
• Windows Updates – Enhancements to the Windows
  operating system features. Depending on your usage,
  these may or may not be needed on your machine.
• Driver Updates -Updates to the base hardware drivers
  that come with Windows. They may or may not be needed on your machine.

Keeping Windows updated is an essential part of keeping your machine running and secure.
Installing Windows updates is very straightforward.

1. Launch Internet Explorer and go to http://windowsupdate.Microsoft.com
2. Click “Scan my Machine for Updates”
3. You may receive a request to install a small piece of software. Answer Yes or OK to
   messages you receive during this process.
4. The update system will scan your machine and determine what updates need to be
   installed.
5. Click Review and Install updates to see what updates are available.
6. Only Critical Updates and Service Packs are automatically selected for download. You
   select non-critical Windows updates and Driver updates by clicking the Add button.
7. Sometimes, you must install updates one at a time (Service Packs, for instance.) To
   remove other updates, click the Remove button underneath the update description.
   Updates that must be installed individually are noted as such.
8. When you have selected all the updates you need, click Install Now.
9. You may receive a Window asking you to agree to the MS Licensing agreement. Click
   Accept.
10. The updates will download and install on your machine. With a fast network connection,
    the process takes only a few minutes. With a modem line the process can take between
    10 and 30 minutes.
11. After Windows Update is completed, you often have to restart your machine in order for
    the updates to take effect. The first time that you start you machines after loading
    updates, your PC may take longer to boot up as it finalizes the installation of the updates.

If your machine is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you can choose to have your machine
automatically check for updates.

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Source: http://oit.nl.edu/