How
to Download Critical Microsoft Windows Updates
Many software
packages have bugs and other issues that are not discovered until
after the initial release. From time to time, these newly discovered
security vulnerabilities and exploits are targeted by malicious virus
and internet worm writers.
When these vulnerabilities
are discovered, Microsoft will quickly issue warnings and software
patches to eliminate the threats they pose to their software users.
Unless you are made aware of these threats through media reports,
or through conversations with friends, you probably are not aware
of the ability to have Microsoft Windows automatically update itself
to incorporate these critical updates and security patches.
Microsoft's Windows
Update site is an Internet resource that can be used to keep
Microsoft Windows running in tip-top shape. In addition to the ability
to update Microsoft Windows automatically, products such as
Microsoft
Office , and Internet
Explorer can be updated as well to eliminate any known issues
and to incorporate security patches.
You can
inititate a Windows Update session in a number of ways. You
can click your Start button, then click on the Windows
Update button on the top of the initial menu. Or
you can link directly to the site by clicking on the blue Windows
Update link in this paragraph.
Browse the
page, and when ready to see what updates could be applied to
your current Windows installation, click the Product Updates
link.
The system may download a small application that scans your
configuration to detect which programs can be updated and which
patches it should apply. If you are asked to approve the download
of this small application, just allow it to proceed by clicking
Always trust Microsoft and then click the YES
button to proceed.
Once this
application has completed scanning your system it will present
you with a list of updates and patches which are classed in
order of priority. Critical system updates are shown first,
as these are deemed most important by Microsoft and should be
applied first.
Here's a
sample screen of what you might expect to see...
Any critical updates will be check marked automatically, and
in order to receive them via a download session, simply press
the blue Download button to proceed.
You will
be shown a recap of the selected update you wish to apply and
asked to confirm the process by clicking a blue Start Download
button. It should look like the following screen...
Next, a grey dialog window will appear to ask you to confirm
the licensing agreement.
Proceed
by accepting the terms of the agreement and click the Yes
button to start the download.
The update process has now begun. You can follow the progress
of the update and see which modules are being updated by viewing
the online screen.
This may
take considerable time depending on your connection speed, so
judge the download scheduling accordingly.
Once completed
the system may ask you to RESTART the machine. Do this
to ensure stability with the changes made by the update process.
Once your
system has rebooted, visit the Windows Update site once
again, as further updates may need to be applied. Follow the
same procedure again to complete any required updates for your
machine.
