Windows Vista Updates

Windows updates keep your computer secure against threats that have been corrected by Microsoft, as well as correcting issues with the operating system.

Contents 1 Using Automatic Updates 2 Getting Updates Manually 3 Microsoft Updates 4 Windows Updates Categories

Using Automatic Updates

Windows has a feature called Automatic Updates, which allows you to setup your computer to automatically download and install updates as they are released.

The following instructions will assist you in configuring Automatic Updates to the recommended setting. The recommended setting will automatically download updates to your computer when they are released and install them.

To turn on Windows Automatic Updates, do the following:

1. Click Start and then Control Panel.
2. Switch the Control Panel view to Classic View.
3. Double-click on Windows Update.
4. Click Change Settings in the left sidebar of the window.
5. Click Install Updates Automatically.
6. Select Every day from the drop down menu.
7. Select a time other than the default time.
8. Click on Apply.
9. Click on OK.

Getting Updates Manually

To get updates for Windows XP without using Automatic Updates, do the following:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. From the Tools menu, select Windows Updates. This will open Windows Update.

Another way to get updates is to do the following:

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Select All Programs.
3. At the top of the left-most column you will see an item titled Windows Update. Select it.

Microsoft Updates

In addition to the Windows Updates, there is an additional type of update available to you. If you are using any other Microsoft product, such as the Microsoft Office suite or the .NET suite, you can tie the updates for these Microsoft products into your automatic updates for Windows with a service called Microsoft Updates. Click here for more information.

Windows Updates Categories

There are different types of Windows Updates, and these are listed below.

Critical Update

A critical update is a broadly released fix for a specific problem that addresses a critical, non-security-related bug.
Additional Information: Critical updates are available for customers to download and are accompanied by a Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

Driver

A driver is a software component that is designed to support new hardware.

Hotfix

A hotfix is a single, cumulative package that includes one or more files that are used to address a problem in a product. Hotfixes address a specific customer situation and may not be distributed outside the customer organization. Installing a .NET Framework hotfix will uninstall previous related .NET Framework hotfixes.

Security Update

A security update is a broadly released fix for a product-specific, security-related vulnerability. Security vulnerabilities are rated based on their severity. The severity rating is indicated in the Microsoft security bulletin as critical, important, moderate, or low. Microsoft security updates are available for customers to download and are accompanied by two documents: a security bulletin and a Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

Service Pack 

A service pack is a tested, cumulative set of all hotfixes, security updates, critical updates, and updates. Service packs may also contain additional fixes for problems that are found internally since the release of the product and a limited number of customer-requested design changes or features.

Software Update

A software update is any update, update rollup, service pack, feature pack, critical update, security update, or hotfix that is used to improve or to fix a software product that is released by Microsoft Corporation.

Update

An update is a broadly released fix for a specific problem. An update addresses a non-critical, non-security-related bug.

This article is part of the Windows Vista group.

Windows Vista Updates | Windows Vista Firewall

Windows Vista Installation | Activate Windows Vista

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