How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows XP (306525)

SUMMARY

If you are logged on as an administrator, the Automatic Updates feature in Microsoft Windows XP notifies you when critical updates are available for your computer. You can also specify the schedule that Windows follows to install updates on your computer. This article describes how to configure the Automatic Updates features in Windows XP.

Note This article assumes that you are using the latest Automatic Updates feature. Automatic Updates is included with Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, but the latest Automatic Updates feature is included with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2, and Windows XP Professional SP2, Windows XP Home Edition SP2, and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition SP2.

If you use Automatic Updates with Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, the feature may have been automatically updated on your computer. If the options that are described in step 2 of the Turn On and Use Automatic Updates section are not available, install Windows XP SP2 to obtain the latest Automatic Updates feature. For more information about how to obtain SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Change the Settings for Automatic Updating

To change the settings for Automatic Updates, use the Automatic Updates tab in System Properties as described in the appropriate sections later in this article. In Windows XP Home Edition, you must be logged on as a computer administrator to install components or modify Automatic Updates settings. In Windows XP Professional, you must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from completing these procedures.

Windows may prompt you to restart your computer after certain components are installed. Restart your computer when prompted; otherwise, your computer might not work correctly.

Advanced users and IT Professionals can configure Automatic Updates by using Group Policy in an Active Directory environment, or by using registry settings in a non-Active Directory environment. For more information about how to configure Automatic Updates by using these methods, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Turn On and Use Automatic Updates

1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click to select one of the following options. We recommend that you select the Automatic (recommended) Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them option.
   • Automatic (recommended) Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them
     
     If you click this setting, click to select the day and time for scheduled updates to occur. You can schedule Automatic Updates for any time of day. Remember, your computer must be on at the scheduled time for updates to be installed. After you set this option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to find updates on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site that apply to your computer. Updates are downloaded automatically in the background, and you are not notified or interrupted during this process. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded. You can point to the icon to view the download status. To pause or to resume the download, right-click the icon, and then click Pause or Resume. When the download is completed, another message appears in the notification area so that you can review the updates that are scheduled for installation. If you choose not to install at that time, Windows starts the installation on your set schedule.
     
     For more information about how to schedule Automatic Updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

     327838 How to schedule automatic updates in Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003

   • Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them
     
     After you set this option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to automatically download updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded. You can point to the icon to view the download status. To pause or to resume the download, right-click the icon, and then click Pause or Resume. When the download is complete, a message appears in the notification area. Click the Automatic Updates icon or message. If you do not want to install a downloaded update, click Details, and then click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Install to install the selected updates.
   • Notify me but don't automatically download or install them
     
     After you set this option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An Automatic Updates icon and message appear in the notification area of your taskbar when new updates are available to download or to install. Click the icon or message to view the updates. If you do not want to download a selected update, click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Start Download to download the selected updates. The Automatic Updates icon remains in the notification area of your taskbar while the updates are being downloaded. You can point to the icon to view the download status. To pause or to resume the download, right-click the icon, and then click Pause or Resume. When the download is complete, another message appears in the notification area to inform you that the updates are ready to install. Click the Automatic Updates icon or the message, and then click Install to install the updates.
3. Click OK.

Turn Off Automatic Updates

1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click to select Turn off Automatic Updates.
3. Click OK.

Have Windows Remind You About Pending Updates

When you configure Automatic Updates to notify you before downloading or installing updates, Windows notifies you that updates are ready to be downloaded or installed by displaying an icon and message in the notification area of your taskbar. If you do not want to download or install the update now, click the Automatic Updates icon or message in the notification area of your taskbar, and then click Remind Me Later in the Automatic Updates dialog box. In the Reminder dialog box, you can specify the time that Windows should wait before reminding you. If the reminder is for downloading, Windows reminds you only when you are connected to the Internet. If the reminder is for installing, Windows reminds you according to the schedule that you specify.

Pause or Resume Downloading

After the download process has started, you can pause or resume downloading at any time. If you close your Internet connection or restart your computer after pausing a download process, Windows automatically resumes the download process the next time that you are connected to the Internet.

To pause or resume downloading:

1. During the download process, click the icon that is displayed in the notification area, and then click Pause.
2. When you are ready for Windows to start downloading again, click the Automatic updating icon, and then click Resume.

Restore Declined Updates

If you decide not to download a specific update, you can prompt Automatic Updates to offer that update again. To restore declined updates:

1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click Offer updates again that I've previously hidden.
3. Click Yes to restore declined updates.

Update Your Files by Using Windows Update or by Using Microsoft Update

If you choose not to use Automatic Updates, you can still install specific updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. Windows Update and Microsoft Update are catalogs of items such as drivers, security fixes, critical updates, the latest Help files, and Internet products that you can download to keep your computer up-to-date.

To update your system files with the latest critical updates by using the Windows Update Web site or by using the Microsoft Update Web site, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Windows Update.
3. Click Yes if you are prompted to install any required software.
   
   The Windows Update home page or the Microsoft Update home page appears.
4. Click Express Install (Recommended): High Priority Updates for Your Computer. Windows Update or Microsoft Update looks for any critical updates that are available for your computer.
5. Click Install to install all available critical updates.

You can also search the Windows Update Catalog or the Microsoft Update Catalog to find updates that you can download and install later on one or more computers that run Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 across your home or corporate network. We recommend that only advanced users and administrators download updates from the Windows Update Catalog or from the Microsoft Update Catalog. For more information about how to use the Windows Update Catalog or the Microsoft Update Catalog, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: