XP HomeEdition automatic updating..?????

I'm sorry for posting such a "dumb" question,but I've got to learn somehow.
I am running Windows XP Home Edition W/IE.

Everday,when I first turn my PC on & get on the I-net,a little message will pop up from the bottom right of the screen that says "to automatic update click here ".

Should I click on this everday or what should I do ?
I clicked this one time back when I had some problems in the past & then I had my PC restored after only having bought it & having it hooked up for only a month.My brother restored it for me & said that there was a bunch of stuff on my PC that he didn't know what it was for,but he said that it didn't appear to be taking any room up on my harddrive or memory(I don't really know which),but all of that stuff was not in my add/remove screen until I clicked that for automatic updating.

If I click on that to automatically update,what am I updating & for what reason?

Look under my user name & you will see that I am a beginner.

I don't know much at all about PCs,so any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Not a dumb question at all.

Take a look Here for a full explanation of the XP automatic update thing.

 

re....

NEWT,
I appreciate the info.I clicked on the sites & read ALL of the info.but I still don't understand if I should click on my auto-update or not.I am puzzled about this,I just don't get it.

If I click on auto-updater,what will happen ?

If I don't ever update,will it hurt anything or not ?

You'll have to excuse me for the ignorance,but all this is like a foreign language to me.

Thanks for any help !

 

Clicking on the updates will update Windows XP. Microsoft puts out hotfixes for bugs that have been found in windows xp this is what you would be updating. XP has just made it alittle easier by downloading the updates for you when the come out. with other windows os you had to manually download the updates from microsoft.

 

That auto update is fine and dandy, except that not all the updates may sit well with your system.

To give yourself a way to protect yourself, learn to use System Restore and make a manual restore point prior to any update so you can revert back if something goes wrong.

This is a good practice prior to any software install/update as well.

Regards - Charles

 

Hello Arie,

Its been a long time since I allowed auto updating, use the download only site and install later manually. If I remember correctly, and I may be wrong, MS updates don't always trigger a SR point, at least not for me, which is one reason I stopped doing updates that way.

Aside from MS updates, software installs should be proceeded by a manual SR restore point.

Regards - Charles

 

RESTORE POINTS THAT HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY

Initial system checkpoint (created immediately after a OS install)

System checkpoints (created every 10 hours that windows is running, or every 24 hours{or soon thereafter as you run Windows again}.

Program installation checkpoints (created when you install a nmew program, it records the state of the system just BWEFORE the installation).

Windows automatic update restore points (created when you install an update to Windows, it records the state of the system just BEFORE the installation).

I do a manual install before an installation to assure there is a SR point. Don't know the reason but sometimes the automatic hasn't worked for me.

 

I really want to thank everyone for all of the suggestions.

It looks like there are differant opinions on this subject so I will go by that famous old phrase, "Don't fix it,if it ain't broke ".I am just going to leave it along & not mess with it.

I don't know anything about these differant "check points" & "SR points ",I am all new at this & I don't know anything about updating manually.

I know all about a system restore,because I have already had to do this once.This is the fix it for any problems that I can't fix.

I have already recommended this site to about 3 friends since I learned of it about 5 days ago.

I would like very much to subscribe to WindowsBBS,but I have been out of work since July 2002,because of a chronic back problem that I have been fighting for 5+years.Times are really tuff right now,but I promise,as soon as I get back on my feet,I will subscribe.I am really good at spreading the word,so maybe I can bring in some subscribers out of all the friends that I tell about this great site.

Thanks again for all the info.

 

Drag Racer - in case the comments here have just made the confusion worse for you -

- the updates being recommended are bug (problem) fixes and security patches.

- all are (or should be) good things to have if you are running what they want to patch. If not, should be harmless but not helpful. For instance, a security patch for Excel would be useless if you didn't have Excel.

- once in a while an update may give your PC major heartburn. The update may be flawed or you may have a combination it just doesn't like. The discussion above dealt with setting a system restore point (a picture of your operating system) just before you do any update so if one causes you problems, you can easily revert your system to the way it was before the update ran.

If you have a pretty standard PC, you are probably safe letting the automatic updates run since they will have been well tested on most major types of hardware.

If you are slightly paranoid (as are most of us who've been messing with computers for a long time) you might prefer to select the updates you think you need and run them manually. Certainly gives you more control but is also extra effort that may not be necessary.

You can easily create a restore point at any time you want. Just before doing updates is a great time to want. As follows:

. Single-click Start and point to All Programs.
. Go to Accessories~System Tools~System Restore.
. In the System Restore wizard, select "Create a restore point" and click Next.
. Enter a description for your new restore point. Something like "I'm gonna install and update on 3/6/03" would do just fine (or just "Oops" since it will show a date/time).
. Click Create.

And for what it's worth, your questions are quite reasonable. My guess is that lots of folks are just stumbling thru without asking these same questions but don't have a clue.

 

Rqcer,

I experienced problems installing the update SP1 (many problem due to instability). There wasn't any SR points available after I uninstalled the patch. This lends credence to, "The update may be flawed or you may have a combination it doesn't like. "

Later, I reinstalled SP1 successfully. I set a SR point manually and disabled the anti-virus program as well as other programs running in the background. Can't rule out if there was a problem the manual SR point would or would not be available.

I do a prep before installing downloads as well as apps. It is the belt and suspender ideology for users who have much to lose with a malfunction or a problematic system. Murphy's law may be reason enough to take the precaution.

 

NEWT,
You pretty well some it up for me.I can't thank you enough for the help & all the info.Right now I am one of those ones that you just about have to draw a picture to make me understand,but as long as I have the interest & the "want to ",I should be able to pick up on all this one day,I just don't know when.
I really have gotten interested in the PC world in the past 3 months & 4 months ago,I said that I would never have a PC,had no interest in one,& would never use one,Yeah Right.I have been on this thing an average of 3-4 hours a day since January 2003.I really enjoy finding out how to make this thing do something & figureing out problems,WITH HELP.

NEWT,I will try "Creating a Restore Point ".

Thanks to everyone on this board for all of the response to my problem.
I have made this board my #1 site to visit everyday.

 

Go get em, DragRacer.

 

I agree with Charles about automatic not always being automatic.

Unfortunately, before downloading or installing an app one does not know with any assurance that a SR point is being established. It would be helpful if the system just before downloading or installing an app gave a message that said the system files are now being saved, but it doesn't! Others including myself have experienced a failure of this feature and learn later there is no SR point..

Establish a point for yourself for some certainty there is a point available. It is a very simple procedure to follow using the wizzard. Its a no brainer. Also, help and support provides detailed information.

 

Re.....

KenKeith,
Thanks for the info,I have been doing a lot of research on this issue & have been playing with my PC a lot here lately just to see what each function does.I believe the best way to learn is to just mess with it & try & learn for yourself.

Thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions & info.