Critical Updates Today

[Guest]

I just went to Critical Updates today and noticed a Message printed at the
top of the page which read "Get MicroSoft Update Today" - Start Now."
What does this mean? There is no explanation.

We did not want to click on the "Start Now" and find out that we were
'locked' into automatic updates or something similar.
I clicked on the regular update tab and there were no critical updates for
my WinXPsp2.
Please advise and thank you kindly.

 

[Nepatsfan]

(e-mail address removed),

I just went to Critical Updates today and noticed a Message
printed at the top of the page which read "Get MicroSoft
Update Today" - Start Now." What does this mean? There is no
explanation.

We did not want to click on the "Start Now" and find out
that we were 'locked' into automatic updates or something
similar.
I clicked on the regular update tab and there were no
critical updates for my WinXPsp2.
Please advise and thank you kindly.

Microsoft Update is a new service that provides updates to both
Windows and Microsoft Office in the same location. If Windows
is the only Microsoft product installed on your computer then
you can certainly continue using Windows Update. That said, I
would not be surprised if sometime in the future the Windows
Update site is phased out in favor of Microsoft Update.

FYI, using Microsoft Update does not "lock" you into automatic
updates. Also, the fact that there were no critical updates
available for your computer is not surprising. There were only
a few updates available this month and none of them applied to
your computer. There was a critical update for Office that you
wouldn't have seen on the Windows Update site.

Here are a few articles that provide more information about
Microsoft Update.

Use Microsoft Update to help keep your computer current
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/msupdate_keep_current.mspx

Frequently Asked Questions
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?page=about.aspx&ln=en

Good luck

Nepatsfan

 

[Guest]

Thank you.
I do not use 'Microsoft Office' and wonder if we did click on the 'Start
Now' for the 'Microsoft Update Today,' and we signed on at a later date,
would we go back to the regular 'Critical Update' page that we were always
using, or would we now be directed to the new 'Microsoft Update Today' page?
- And couldn't get back to the regular 'Critical Update' any longer?
(We are just a bit hesitant switching now (when the regular Critical Update
page is working for us) and having to download additional software (such as
ActiveX programs, etc.) that might cause some 'problems' on our computer). We
are senior citizens and not too familiar with downloading other programs (for
Microsoft Update Today) such as the ActiveX programs, etc.

====

 

[Nepatsfan]

As I said in my earlier response, Microsoft Update is basically
the same as Windows Update except it provides access to updates
for additional Microsoft products. It works the same way
Windows Update works. You get to pick and choose which updates
you want to install. You don't have to enable Automatic
Updates.

The process for enabling Microsoft Update is not complicated.
While it does involve the installation of an ActiveX component
it's no more difficult to install than the one that is
downloaded when Windows Update is first accessed.

That said, since you don't have Office installed on your
computer, there really is no pressing need for you to change
from using the Windows Update site.

If you have any additional questions on this subject, you might
want to direct them to this newsgroup:

Discussions in Windows Update
http://support.microsoft.com/newsgr...&dg=microsoft.public.windowsupdate&sloc=en-us

Good luck

Nepatsfan

(e-mail address removed),