Updating Windows Online

Windows is like a lot of big government projects it's never actually finished, and it often needs to be fixed. Microsoft recognizes this, and provides a constant barrage of bug fixes, patches, and other updates to its users, via the Windows Update utility.

Windows Update is the online extension of Windows XP that helps you to keep your operating system up-to-date. When Windows Update is activated, it will periodically go online and check in with the main Windows Update Web site. It will notify if you if any new updates are available. You can choose to download the updates, and install them.

Getting Automatic Updates

By default, Windows Update will run in the background and use the Internet to check for updated system files. It will then automatically download and install those files on your PC.

Windows Update runs once a day, when it goes online and checks the Microsoft Web site for updates to the basic operating system. If it finds an update, it downloads the files automatically. Once the files are downloaded, they'll be installed automatically (unless you've configured Update otherwise). Obviously, this whole process screams for a fast Internet connection, but then it works fairly invisibly in the background.

If your version of Windows XP incorporate Service Pack 2, Windows Update is turned on by default. To check your Windows Update configuration, open the Control Panel and click the System icon. When the System Properties dialog box appears, click the Automatic Updates tab, shown in Figure 23.2. Check the Automatic option, then select how often and what time you want the updates to take place. (The default is every day at 3:00 a.m.) Alternately, you can choose to download the updates but not install them automatically, or simply to be notified that updates are available (no downloading). You can also choose to turn off the whole thing completely, which might be a good idea if you have a slow dial-up connection. Otherwise, check the Automatic option and forget about it.

Figure 23.2. Configuring the Windows Update feature.

Updating Manually

You also can choose to use Windows Update manually. All you have to do is make sure you're connected to the Internet, then click the Start button and select All Programs, Windows Update. You'll now be connected to the Internet and taken to the Windows Update Web site, shown in Figure 23.3.

Figure 23.3. Use Windows Update to keep your copy of Windows XP up-to-date.

The site installs the latest version of its software on your PC, and then proceeds to scan your computer. Click the Scan for Updates option and you'll then be provided with a list of updates that are available for your particular system. Follow the onscreen instructions to install specific updates.

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Since the world never stands still, it's fair to expect Microsoft to release even more service packs in the future. New service packs should be automatically installed as part of the Windows Update process, but it never hurts to check Microsoft's Web site from time to time just to see if there's anything new you should be aware of.