For Seniors: Manually Run Windows Update
Microsoft often release updates to Windows, both to fix problems and to deal with new threats to security. Use Windows Update automatically or manually to search for these updates to Windows, and to install them as needed.
Although you can set up Windows Update to check for updates and install them automatically, you might not want to because the installation of new updates may disrupt your work. Not only may you experience slowdowns during an update, but the system will reboot at some point and you might lose unsaved work.
Windows Update can be set up to notify you when updates are available, allowing you to manually update your system at your convenience. In addition, you can set up Windows Update to never check for updates, in which case, you can do that yourself.
Choose Start→All Programs→Windows Update.
The Windows Update window appears.
If you've set up Windows Update to check for updates and then notify you when they are available, skip these first two steps and click the Windows Update notification icon on the status bar, located at the right end of the Windows taskbar. The Windows Update window appears.
Click Check for Updates.
Windows goes out hunting for updates and displays the Windows Update window.
Click the Updates Are Available link to see all optional or important updates.
A list of available updates appears.
Click to select the available critical or optional updates that you want to install, then click OK.
The Windows Update window appears.
Click the Install Updates button.
A window appears, showing the progress of your installation. When the installation is complete, you might get a message telling you that it’s a good idea to restart your laptop to complete the installation. Click Restart Now.
To change when and if Windows Update checks for updates and perhaps also installs them, choose Start→All Programs→Windows Update and click the Change Settings link in the Windows Update window that appears.
Running Windows Update on a regular basis — either automatically or manually — ensures that you get the latest security updates to the operating system.
