As Microsoft discovers vulnerabilities or problems with Windows, they work out a way to fix it, and then distribute that “fix” across the internet to all the computers running that version of Windows in the form of an “Update”.
Some Microsoft updates may be merely small improvements but others are important as they protect your computer from potential risks.. Windows allows you to decide how updates are managed, and in this article we look into that.
Press the Windows key and type “Windows Update”. Click on the Windows Update tool in the search results and it will open showing you the status of updates which are divided into “Important” or “Optional” . As a general rule always ensure the important updates are installed.
Click the link on the home page to see updates waiting to be installed.. You will be shown the important updates and the optional updates can be seen by clicking on the “Optional” menu on the left. For the basic user we suggest you focus only on the important updates. Make sure they are ticked, and then click the Install button.
Windows will install the updates and once they have finished you may be asked to restart your computer. While your computer restarts a message will appear saying “Working on Updates” or “Installing Update 1 of 5”, for example. It’s important you do not turn your computer off while this process is underway, even if it seems to be taking a long time.
To manually check for new updates, open the Windows Update window and click the “Check for Updates” link. This process can take some time, and if updates are found, they can be installed. If Windows Update isn’t set to automatically install updates, click on the “Change Settings” link, and select “Install updates automatically” from the dropdown list under the Important Updates section. Note: If your computer is showing an update to upgrade to Windows 10, proceed with caution. If you are not confident with computers, we recommend you get a competent person physically at your computer to help you with this particular upgrade. If you go ahead with the Windows 10 upgrade, create a full back up of your information since there have been reports of people loosing all their files in the process – refer to the July 2014 issue for instructions on backing up your data.
