17 October 2003

How to Enable/Disable Automatic Updates in Windows XP and 2000

There have been a number of recent computer worm attacks aimed at users of Windows XP and Windows 2000. In addition to keeping your antivirus program up-to-date, it is important to keep Windows up-to-date. Some people don’t want to install every little patch and update that is issued by Microsoft and choose to manually update. I recommend this avenue ONLY if you know what you are doing, check frequently for updates, and are willing to accept responsibility for your decision.

You must be logged on as an administrator to enable the Automatic Updates feature in Windows XP and 2000. If you have only one user login, then that user is the administrator by default.

In Windows XP, you can turn Automatic Updates on from the System Properties dialog box. Open the Control Panel and choose System. Next, choose the Automatic Updates tab; turn the feature on, if necessary, by clicking the check box “Keep my computer up to date” at the top. Choose one of the options for how you want to handle updates. For Windows 2000, you set options by going to Control Panel, Automatic Updates.

If you want a lot of control over what's being installed (or don't want to be a guinea pig for brand-new updates), choose the option to have the system notify you before downloading updates and again before installing them. This lets you review what updates are available and decide whether to download and install them on a case-by-case basis. However, remember, it's a good idea to install security updates as soon as they are available.

There are computer worms that disable the Automatic Updating, so it is good to check on its status periodically. You never know when some bug will try to infiltrate your defenses.