The Pros and Cons of Windows Automatic Update

When it comes to our computers many of us find ourselves lacking the knowledge to maintain a healthy working system. One of the best ways to keep your computer working well and prevent issues and errors is to keep it up to date on all hardware, software and security updates. The easiest way to do this is to utilize the Microsoft Windows Update page.

What is Microsoft Windows Update page and what does it do? When you visit the Microsoft Windows Update page it will scan your computer for both hardware and software updates available for your system. It will also track updates you have downloaded and installed. The site does this automatically after you click a button telling it if you prefer custom, which lists all update options, or express, which lists high priority updates. Express is recommended and should be done a couple of times a month to ensure your system is running at its best.

After the scan you are then offered a choice to install three different types of updates. The most important of which is high priority this option covers critical updates, security updates and service packs. It is very important to always install these updates as they are needed to prevent any issues from sneaking up on you and are key in your computer's security. You also have software and hardware options these both keep your computer working well by updating your drivers and programs. These updates can often end and/or prevent error messages associated with minor changes or patches to software or hardware.

A convenient and popular method to ensure regular updates is to use Microsoft Windows Automatic Updates. Automatic Updates is an option in Microsoft Windows OS that will notify you of high priority updates as they become available. You can set Automatic Updates to download at a convenient time or to download in the background as updates become available. This feature is an excellent choice for people who have not made a habit of regular maintenance.

As with all things there are pros and cons to Microsoft Windows Automatic Update. A major issue for a company of say 300 computers is the use of bandwidth. A better solution would be for a service technician to download the updates once or twice a month and then install them to each computer as part of a regularly schedule maintenance plan.

Bandwidth is not, however, the only concern. Another major issue is that many updates do not require an ok from a network administrator. This can cause many problems and even crash a network. For a network to be healthy and function properly an administrator should know what is being installed and why it is needed. This is another reason why a company needs to make updating part of a regular maintenance plan and not rely on the Automatic Updates.

Automatic Updates can be used to simply notify you of available updates. This is the best feature available and most recommended. We all have to take responsibility for our computers and realize that they do require maintenance. Though the term automatic might make things seem simply and be very attractive to us it is not always the best option. The key to a healthy computer is knowledge.

References
Barnes, Vince (2003). The pros and cons of automatic updates. Retrieved March 20, 2007, from www.enterpriseitplanet.com Web site: http://www.enterpriseitplanet.com/security/features/article.php/2240901
Microsoft, (2007). Microsoft windows update faq. Retrieved March 20, 2007, from update.microsoft.com Web site: http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/about.aspx?ln=en-us