Windows Updates

[Amazon 7]

This has been a LOOONGGG week for me. I work in IT in an operations environment and we have been patching all of our servers with critical updates for vulnerabilities that have been discovered.

With all the nasty stuff running around out there on the internet that people constantly complain about, when was the last time you took the time to install the latest security patches for your Windows operating system. Its a fairly easy process and fixes when they are applied help to keep your system from vulnerabilities that are found by security experts.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Go ahead.. try it.. have it scan for updates. The critical updates are the important ones, download them and install them today. Remember.. you need to backup any important data you may have on your system. Write it off to a CD or to a tape if you have it. The computer data you save may just be important to you


Below is a link to tell you how to enable Automatic Updates
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/default.asp?url=/WINDOWSXP/home/using/productdoc/en/hsc_autoupdate_turn_on.asp

[kai2k1 0]

There's no way i could remember all that, so i have automatic updates.

There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan

[CrazyIvan 0]

One thing about UPDATES.

Indeed, they 'fix' some holes or 'kill' some bugs but AUTOMATIC updates in my opinion and experience, sometimes is a bad idea, the reason for that is that some updates overwrite or download sometimes critical core components and that causes problems with certain programs/devices installed and instead of fixing something you are screwing your system up.

If you do it manually you know EXACTLY which update you are installing, and in case of a crash you at least can give a clue to the geek in IT.

My 2 cents.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

If you do it manually you know EXACTLY which update you are installing, and in case of a crash you at least can give a clue to the geek in IT.

But Ivan you are a professional IT GEEK.. most people DO NOT have geeks in IT to rely on.. and very few people with home systems have any kind of issue whatsoever such as network issues that need to be evaluated by the IT Department.

Also .. notice I did mention BACKUPS... in case anything happens.. at least your data is protected...saved...from things that happen.. whether it be malicious.. or the bugaboo of ALL of us.. MTBF of hardware components.

(Mean Time Before Failure)

The Automatic Updates do not install EVERYTHING.. just the things marked as critical. PLUS you can choose not to.

Excerpt from the website

Windows can now keep your computer up-to-date automatically with the latest updates, drivers, and enhancements. You no longer have to search for critical updates and information; Windows delivers them directly to your computer. Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area each time new updates are available.

You can specify how you want Windows to update your computer. For example, you can choose to have Windows notify you whenever it finds updates available for your computer. It will then download the updates in the background, allowing you to continue working uninterrupted. After the download is complete, an icon will appear in the taskbar with a message that the updates are ready to be installed. When you click the icon or message, you will be able to install the new updates in a few simple steps.

If you choose not to install a specific update that has been downloaded, Windows deletes its files from your computer. If you change your mind later, you can download it again by first clicking Restore Declined Updates. If any of the updates you previously declined still apply to your computer, they will appear the next time Windows notifies you of available updates

[CrazyIvan 0]

I understand what you're saying, and believe me, even though home users don't have complicated networks (or none whatsoever) problems like this occur, how do you think I pay for some jumps sometimes?

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[Amazon 7]

BUMP...TIME to do it again if you have not done it.

Here I sit PATCHING a few hundred servers that my team is responsible for, encompassing the last few days.. its time to do it again. ( I am on the night shift so guess who gets to do most of this stuff) for all you home users out there to go to the menu at the top of your brower hit TOOLS and go to Windows UPDATE.... that is for those of you who do not have it set for AUTOMATIC UPDATES.

I hear so many people who constantly complain about this or that that is attacking thier systems.. yet they do not do what is necessary to actally prtect their computers with Anti Virus.. anti SPam.. Anti Spyware.. or just the simple updates.

Most people are NOT on complicated networks that require testing before rolling out a patch and will not patch their systems because a few naysayers scare them out of it.

And PLEASE back up your data and do it FREQUENTLY write it off to a CD or a tape backup.. or SOMETHING.. too many people forget how important it is.. stuff happens... hardwayre fails... if you do not back it up.. it is not the hardware or the softwares fault.