Microsoft is constantly working to improve Windows 7
with bug fixes, security patches, new program versions, and device
driver updates. All of these new and improved components are available
online, so you should check for updates and patches often.
The
main online site for Windows 7 updates is the Windows Update website,
which you load into Internet Explorer by selecting Start, All Programs,
Windows Update. You should visit this site regularly to look for
crucial new components that can make Windows 7 more reliable and more
secure.
Windows 7
also comes with an automatic updating feature, which can download and
install updates automatically. If you prefer to know what’s happening
with your computer, it’s possible to control the automatic updating by
following these steps:
1. | Select Start, type windows update,
and then click Windows Update in the search results. This displays the
Windows Update window, which shows you the current update status and
enables you to view installed updates.
Note
To view the updates installed on your computer, click the View Update History link.
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2. | Click the Change Settings link to display the Change Settings window, shown in Figure 1.
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3. | Activate one of the following options to determine how Windows 7 performs the updating:
- Install Updates Automatically—
This option tells Windows 7 to download and install updates
automatically. Windows 7 checks for new updates on the date (such as
Every Day or Every Sunday) and time you specify. For example, you might
prefer to choose a time when you won’t be using your computer.
Caution
To
go into effect, some updates require your computer to reboot. In such
cases, if you activate the Install Updates Automatically option,
Windows 7 will automatically reboot your system. This could lead to
problems if you have open documents with unsaved changes or if you need
a particular program to be running at all times. You can work around
these problems by saving your work constantly, by setting up an
automatic logon , and by putting any program you need running in your Start menu’s Startup folder.
- Download Updates, but Let Me Choose Whether to Install Them—
If you activate this option, Windows 7 checks for new updates and then
automatically downloads any updates that are available. Windows 7 then
displays an icon in the notification area to let you know that the
updates are ready to install. Click the icon to see the list of
updates. If you see an update that you don’t want to install,
deactivate its check box.
Tip
An
update that you choose not to install still appears in the View
Available Updates window. If you’d prefer not to see that update,
right-click the update, click Hide Update, and then click Cancel. If
you later want to unhide the update, display the Windows Update window
and click the Restore Hidden Updates link. In the Restore Hidden
Updates window, activate the update’s check box and then click Restore.
- Check for Updates but Let Me Choose Whether to Download and Install Them—
If you activate this option, Windows 7 checks for new updates and then,
if any are available, displays an icon in the notification area to let
you know that the updates are ready to download. Click the icon to see
the list of updates. If you see an update that you don’t want to
download, deactivate its check box. Click Start Download to initiate
the download. When the download is complete, Windows 7 displays an icon
in the notification area to let you know that the updates are ready to
install. Click the icon and then click Install to install the updates.
- Never Check for Updates— Activate this option to prevent Windows 7 from checking for new updates.
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4. | Click OK to put the new settings into effect.
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