Windows Update is a portion of the Windows operating system that allows you to easily check for updates that help your computer run better, and make it more secure.  Driver updates, service packs, system updates, and new Windows features are also made available through Windows Update.  A small utility is run by the Microsft Windows Update web site, which will scan your computer for which updates need to be installed on your computer (this does not send any private information back to Microsoft). 

Frequently Microsoft will discover that your operating system is vulnerable to attacks, viruses, and other potential security problems and will make available updates to the operating system to fix these problems.  In order to get these updates to your computer, Microsoft distributes these updates through the Windows Update service. 

Setting up Automatic Updates

Windows Update can be run through Internet Explorer by going to Tools – Windows Update.  Then just click on “Scan for Updates”, and then “Review and Install updates”. 

Windows Update also has an automatic update feature available that works in conjunction with the Windows Update site.  This automatic update feature is only available under Windows 2000 and Windows XP (there is some limited functionality under Windows 98/ME as well). 

Windows 98/ME/2000

1. Click on the “Start” button and select “Settings” and then select “Control Panel”
2. Double click on the “Automatic Updates” icon.
3. Select the “Automatically download updates, and install them on the schedule that I specify”
4. Select the time of day the updates should be installed (If you leave your computer on all the time pick a time in the middle of the night that would be best for the updates to be automatically applied)
5. Click “OK”.

Windows XP

1. Click the "Start" button and then right-click on “My Computer”.
2. Click on "Properties".
3. In the System Properties window, select the “Automatic Updates” tab.
4. Select the time of day the updates should be installed (If you leave your computer on all the time pick a time in the middle of the night that would be best for the updates to be automatically applied)
5. Click "OK".

We also have full Windows Updates & Apple Updates installation instructions available for download as Adobe Reader files: 

• Windows Update Installation (.pdf, 623KB)
• Apple Update Installation (.pdf, 109KB)