NEW! Windows Vista Service pack 1
read more about it at the end of this page.
Windows Vista is the best secured Windows version until now. But even tough your computer is never safe for 100%.
Therefore you should enable all the security functions in Vista. And you should also install the available security patches at any time.
Automatic updates
Some people don't dare to install Windows Vista updates because they are affraid that something goes wrong. It can be that something goes wrong after an update but the chance that this will happen is very small. But the security risk is even much higher if you don't install the updates.
It is very important to install the automatic updates for the security of your computer. Many harmful software like viruses and worms, misuse the software bugs.
How to enable Automatic Updates?
It is recommended to use Automatic Updates to download the Windows Vista updates. If the function for Automatic Updates is enabled, then new security updates will be installed automatically to protect your computer better. To check if this function is enabled you open the Security Center which can be found in the Control Panel.
If 'Automatic updating' has the green color and it says 'On' then the automatic updates will be downloaded and installed automatically.
If the function for automatic updates is disabled, we strongly recommend to change the settings.
Sometimes there are also optional updates available, for example for new versions of drivers. These Windows Vista updates have no influance on the security of your computer and therefore these updates are optional updates.
In the screen you see above you see that not every setting is green or 'Ok'. This is because the 'Other security settings' (which is red in the screen above) contain the 'User Account Control' setting. Read more about the User Account Control and understand why this can be red instead of green.
Manage optional updates
If you want to download and install the Windows Vista updates with the optional updates or if you want to change the settings of Windows Update, you open the Windows Update screen.
To open the Windows Update screen click Start -> Control Panel -> Windows Update.
Then you see the next screen.
If there are optional updates available, you click on 'View available updates'. The available updates will be sorted in a list with a checkbox on each update.
There are three options to choose here:
1. mark the checkbox if you want to install the update.
2. If you want to hide the update so it will not be showed here anymore in the future, until this screen will be opened again.
You can hide the update by clicking the right mouse button on the update and select 'Hide update'.
3. If you want more information about this update before making the decision to install it or not, you click the right mouse button on the update and select 'View details'.
If you have marked the update(s) to be downloaded and installed, you click the 'Install' button and follow the instructions on the screen.
Change update settings
If you want to change the way install the Windows Vista updates, you click on 'Change Settings' in the left pane in the Windows Update screen to change the settings for automatic updates. Then another screen appears with settings.
In this screen you see the recommended settings. Now Vista will check every day if there are updates available.
If the computer is powered off during the time you set here on the left, then Vista will check for updates as soon the computer is powered on and has an internet connection.
If you don't want to let Vista download and install the updates automatically, you can choose another option which you can see in this screen. You simply click on the option you prefer and click Ok.
Show updates and uninstall updates
Because Microsoft cannot test every update in combination with every device, it can be that there is a conflict after installing an update. A solution for a problem can often be found on the website of that device.
If you can't find the solution on the website of that device but you still want to use that device, you can uninstall the update which caused the conflict.
To uninstall the update go to the Windows Update screen and click 'View update history' in the left pane to get an overview of the installed updates. If you want to uninstall an update you click in the 'Update History' overview screen on the link 'Installed Updates'.
In the screen that now appears you select the update you want to uninstall and you click the 'Uninstall' button.
