Section 139. Schedule Automatic Software Updates

139. Schedule Automatic Software Updates

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

137 Run Software Update

SEE ALSO

138 Ignore an Update

The Software Update utility can run in the background, performing its maintenance tasks on a periodic basis so that you don't have to worry about it. Better yet, when the utility detects available updates, it can download them in the background while you're busy with other tasks . When the package is finished downloading, Software Update notifies you that there's an update ready to install. This can be a big time-saver.

1.	Open the Software Update Preferences Open the System Preferences application (under the Apple menu); click Software Update to open the Software Update Preferences pane. 139. Schedule Automatic Software Updates
2.	Enable Automatic Checking for Updates Select the Check for updates check box to enable automatic checking on the default interval, Weekly .
3.	Select a Checking Interval Use the drop-down menu to select a checking interval of Daily, Weekly , or Monthly . Whichever period you select counts from the time the last check was performed. For instance, if you last checked for updates at 4:13 P.M. on Tuesday, the next Weekly check will occur at 4:13 P.M. the following Tuesday.
4.	Enable Background Downloading of Updates If you want to enable background downloads, select the Download important updates in the background check box. This lets Mac OS X download crucial security updates for you. Applying these patches as soon as they become available is so important that Apple has allowed the operating system software to get that much closer to updating itself automatically. With all these options in place, all you have to doideallyis authenticate and confirm the package's installation when Mac OS X prompts you. NOTE Large and optional updates, such as revisions of iTunes and iMovie, are not downloaded in the background. The background download option is intended only for the most important and critical system updates.
5.	Verify Update Source Before Installing If you do see a dialog box prompting you to allow Mac OS X to install a new update, be sure to confirm that the update is in fact coming from Software Update ! An easy way for a virus or Trojan to install itself on your system is to pose as a legitimate message from Software Update. However, such a malicious program cannot actually use the Software Update mechanism; the utility is tied into Apple's servers and can only report legitimate updates from Apple. If you get a dialog box prompting you to install a newly downloaded update, make sure that the Software Update utility has launched and open it up so that you can view what the update is. If the update isn't listed in the Software Update window, then bewareyou might be facing a program with malicious intentions. It's always safer to cancel or quit the dialog box instead of installing a software update. Remember that you can always run Software Update again. If there are any legitimate updates remaining to install, Software Update will ask for permission to install them.