Worried About Not Being
UP-TO-DATE? 
Did you know that Microsoft offers FREE updates to their Operating Systems?
Many people check the Windows Update site every week to see if some new patch or security update is available for Windows or other integral parts of the operating system. This is well advised for everyone to do, not just the professionals.
The Critical Updates are more than likely to involve security patches for Windows or Internet Explorer. But it also covers any Microsoft program that can be exploited from Internet sources or emails you receive.
Did you know that Windows 2000 and Windows XP offer automatic updating for the critical operating system components?
It can either,
1. Notify you that there are Critical Updates available for you to review, download and install,
2. Download and wait for you to approve and install them, or
3. Download and install, then it will ask you if you want to reboot now or you can restart later at your convenience.
Window 2000
To setup or check to see your Automatic Updates settings, open up Control Panel and double-click on the Automatic Update icon. You will have the following window appear.
Notice it has a way to turn it off at the top if so desired, but not recommended. Microsoft recommends that you set it to automatic if your Internet connectivity is fast enough. This will download the updates whenever they are available, and in the case of the settings above, they will be installed at noon that day. For home users that are still using Dial-Up, Microsoft suggests having it set to notify you that the updates are available. Then you can approve of them downloading and installing when it is best for you. The 1st two settings will actually let you choose which updates to install and the updates you choose not to install are kept and saved under the Declined Updates button at the bottom so that you can install them later is you so choose.
Window XP
To setup or check to see your Automatic Updates settings, open up Control Panel and double-click on the System icon. Or if you have a My Computer icon on the desktop or in your Start menu, you can right-click on it and left-click on Properties and you will see the following window appear.
The same settings are available to choose from as in Windows 2000, though sometimes there may be a variation of the wording.
If you choose anything
but the Automatic Setting, in both Windows 2000 and XP look for a 
in
your System Tray next to the clock. This will alert you of any critical updates
that are waiting to be downloaded or installed. Simply click it to start the
process going.