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Help & Advice

Windows Automatic Updates

Automatic Updates = you're saying, "please Microsoft help yourselves and install any old half tested junk you want anytime you want on my PC" - do not allow Microsoft to control your PC. This is how to update a Windows XP machine and a Vista machine although Vista is slightly different the principle is the same.

Why do this instead of using Fully Automatic Updates? Because Microsoft constantly put out bad drivers, half finished software and stuff like Windows Genuine Advantage which breaks computers world wide, their fixes and updates do not always work on all machines and if you are unlucky getting a working system back after a duff update install is a nightmare. It does help if you know what you did in the first place - if Windows downloads and installs automatic updates the first thing you know about it is when you re-boot, find the PC is broken and you have no idea why.

Disable Automatic Updates

First go Start > Settings > Control Panel > Select "Classic View" on the left > find the Automatic Updates Applet in the window, double click it and select the "Notify me but don't download or install them" button. This will show a little yellow shield by the clock when updates are available.

You only need "Critical" and "High Priority Updates", these are put up for download on the second Tuesday of every month. To my knowledge Microsoft have only ever released critical updates at any other time twice in the last 4 years so if you choose the "Turn off automatic updates" button you are not taking a huge risk if you remember to check manually every 2 weeks or so.

Before you do any update especially a Microsoft one you should make a backup of your C Drive because sooner or later it will go wrong. By a backup I mean a proper disc image using Acronis Home 10, its worth every penny and will save your PC time after time.

Download & Install Windows Updates

1. Click on the yellow shield when it turns up by the clock or if you want to check manually click the Start Button then "Windows Updates" which will be in the Start Menu, this will bring up the Windows Update site. When you get the following screen choose "Custom".

2. Windows Updates will now check your machine and offer a list of updates, note the word "offer" you do not need or want everything just because Microsoft say so. You will see the following page.

What you need and what you don't need

Generally if it says "Security" in the title of the update you should install it, if it does not say "Security" you should have a look and decide weather you need it or not. The exception is the Windows Malicious Software Tool although it is a very poor substitute for a proper antispyware application it does find and remove a few web nasties.

1. Looking at the list below you will see it is the "High Priority" list of updates and all the updates have been helpfully pre-selected for you. This is not good as one of these updates "Windows Genuine Advantage Notification" is little more than spyware which checks your machine and reports to Microsoft on weather it thinks your Windows Installation is genuine or not. If it decides it is a bad copy it nags you to buy a license and involves all sorts of aggravation to fix and get your Windows XP re-activated. It is very unreliable, can be triggered by all sorts of things to give false results and you do not need it. Click on the link and you will see some information about it and a disable box.

2. To disable clear the top left check box then click in the "Don't show this update again" box. You will also see I have decided to disable another Update which is to do with Daylight Saving time in Australia, I don't think I need that but it is not harmful just personal choice.

3. Next up is the "Software, Optional" list.

You may like to try Windows Media Player 11, its rubbish but hey its your PC, point is this list is optional and you should only install from it if you really need the software. You may need .NET for some applications, if you do these applications will prompt you to download and install the latest version themselves. As for the rest of it if you do not know what it is for do not download and install it, you do not need it.

4. Finally the "Hardware, Optional" list

I cannot emphasise this enough - never - ever install the drivers offered by this list. Go to the hardware makers website or your PC makers site - Dell or whatever and download the latest drivers direct, just use this list as a guide on what you might need. Where drivers are concerned do not update them unless you need to because something is not working correctly, the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule, saves a lot of trouble.

5. Finally click on install updates (top left) to download and install the selected updates then re-start your PC even if you are not asked to.

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