ICT Security Recommendations and Warnings

Microsoft Patches and Updates

Microsoft regularly issues patches or updates to solve security problems in their software. The critical updates are the ones you should be concerned about. If these are not applied, it leaves your computer vulnerable to hackers. Service Packs are larger updates which upgrade and fix security problems.

The Windows Update feature built into Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP can check your PC against a common database of patches. You go to a Microsoft web site and your operating system is checked against critical updates and a suggested list shows for your PC so that you may download and install these. You should do this periodically.

More recent versions of windows have an Automatic Update feature. This is available in Windows 2000, ME, and XP. If you turn on this feature, your PC will check for, download and install critical updates over night. This eliminates the need for you to periodically check for updates.

Manually check for and apply critical updates to Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, and XP

1.First check in the Start Menu for a Windows Update icon and it will take you to the Windows Update website

2.If is not available then go to www.windowsupdate.com and this will automatically detect your operating system.

3. Next, click Scan for updates and it will scan your computer for updates. The main updates that should be checked are the critical and the security updates.

Pick and Install Critical Updates

1.Click on the Critical Updates (1) section on left so that a suggested list of updates for your operating system is displayed. 

2.A list of Recommended Updates appears for your computer. Click on the Add (2) button.   Sometimes, you may only be able to choose one or two critical updates at a time.

3. To begin the download and installation of the critical updates, click on the Review and install updates (3) link. You may be asked to click on various boxes to agree to Microsoft licensing. Click the boxes until the update is downloaded and applied to your computer.

You may have you to restart your computer after the download. REPEAT as needed so that there are no more critical updates.

How to Setup Windows Automatic Update for Me, 2000 and XP

Windows Automatic Update feature is available in with Windows 2000, ME, and XP. This is a tool that will automatically check for any new critical updates that your computer needs and install them at a designated time.

There are several ways that updates and downloads can be applied, but we recommend the last setting so that your computer is kept up to date.

STEPS:

In Windows ME: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Automatic Updates

In Windows 2000: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Automatic Updates

In Windows XP: Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Automatic Updates

• Click on the checkbox to Keep my computer up to date.
• Under settings, choose the last choice, Automatically download the updates, and install them on the schedule that I specify. Pick a time between 11 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.
• Click on OK.

Windows 98 - Install Critical Update Notification Feature

Although Windows 98 cannot install the updates automatically at a specified time, there is a Critical Update Notification which can tell you that you need to install updates. You must first install the capability to get the critical update notification

You can install Windows Critical Update Notification by using the Windows Update Web Site:

1.    Visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

2.    Click Scan for updates.

3.    Under Pick updates to install, click Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition.

4.    Click Add to select the Windows Critical Update Notification recommended update, and then click Review and install updates.

5.    Click Install Now.

Windows 98 - To Install New Updates

If you’ve installed the Critical Update Notification feature, when new updates are available and are downloaded, you'll see this little icon in your system tray with this message that new updates are ready to install.

Click on the icon and you'll see this.  You can choose to install it right away or if you want to check out what you are installing, click on "Details".

Now that you know what you're about install, you can click "Install".

You will see a list of updates that will be installed, click on Install.

You'll see this "Installation in Progress" message.

Once the installation is finished, you'll likely be asked to reboot your computer.  Save your work and click "Yes" to reboot.