OT New to XP, What Updates to Install?

miwi21 wrote on 7/26/2003, 11:54 PM

I've had my new computer 2 months with XP Pro and just heard that there's a major security concern with Direct X 8.1 and 9.0a. There's a fix by installing the new 9.0b, but in running Windows Update they show 27 updates available for my system. Which one's should you install? All of them or just those that are labeled critical.

Should you just use the automatic update feature and just forget about it or be more conservative and pick and choose what to add?

Thanks

Comments

craftech wrote on 7/27/2003, 11:37 AM

Windows 98

BillyBoy wrote on 7/27/2003, 12:16 PM

Because Windows by far is the most popular operating system for PC's, hackers constantly target it and attempt to do malicious things. Once some vulnerability is reported Microsoft releases a patch which hopefully will prevent damage to your system.

The question becomes should you install all the patches or just some?

Depends. If your computer has Internet access, more so if you use it a lot or have broadband where you are in effect always connected the answer is yes. In fact you can set XP up to automatically tell you whenever a new patch is available. Before you actaully install, read the notes that descibe what the patch is suppose to fix. If it envolves some little used activity, then you may not wish to install it. Generally all the patches, updates Microsoft considers critial you probably should install. If you haven't already you should seriously consider installing the Service Pack because it fixes a lot of things in the original release that aren't on the Windows CD.

I know people that never installed any of the updates and nothing bad ever happend to them. On the flip side I know other people that installed all the patches and STILL bad things happened.

Look at it this way. If you got a recall from your car dealer warning that if you didn't bring your car in a wheel may fall off or your brakes fail, you probably would take your car in for peace of mind. If Microsoft admits, hey, sombody figured out a way to tamper with Windows and do such and such, and they offer a way to prevent it, think of that as insurance too.