Windows Updates (for Work and Home)
Windows Update is a facility to keep your version of the Windows operating system up to date and hence help to protect your PC from viruses. It is not difficult to use and can save you hours, even days, of work in the future. If you have never used it, you may have to spend a little bit of time initially getting up to date but it will be well worth it.
Failure to keep your Windows software up to date can cause difficulties not only for you but also for the entire campus. Many of the recent viruses move surreptitiously from one PC to another, infecting any PC that reveals a vulnerability. The increased network traffic generated by these viruses is itself enough to have a major impact on response times.
How do I use Windows Update?
The way that you use Windows Update depends on the version of Windows on your PC. You can check what version of Windows you have by following the instructions on this link: Checking the Windows version of your PC .
If you have Windows XP or Windows 2000 on your PC, you can use Automatic Updates to receive the latest updates as they are released by Microsoft and have them installed at a pre-set time. Download the guidance notes for Windows XP or Windows 2000 and follow the instructions carefully.
Please note that Windows 2000 will require service pack 3 to be installed before Automatic Updates can be implemented. You can check your service pack level in the same way as you check your Windows version (see Checking the Windows version of your PC ). If you are running Windows 2000 and have not installed service pack 3 or higher then you will need to use the Manual Windows Update (see below) to bring your version of Windows to this level.
For other versions of Windows, you must perform a manual update. Download the guidance notes for Manual Windows Update and follow the instructions carefully.
Please note that you must have administrator (Admin) rights in order to set up Windows Update. You can check if you have these rights by:
- In Windows XP, click Start -> Settings->Control Panel ->User Accounts. Your username will be listed as being a Computer admistrator or a Limited user.
- In Windows 2000, click Start->Settings->Control Panel-> Users and Passwords. Your username will be listed as being in the group of Administrators, Users or Guests.
