How-To allow Windows Updates to run automatically in Windows XP

In Windows XP you can configure your windows update to be done automatically.  In a past lesson we explained What is a Windows Update?

Today’s How-To Guide For the Computer Beginner we will learn:
How-To allow Windows XP Updates to run automatically.

Windows Updates For Windows XP

In Windows XP we want to click on our start button, and in the search box type in ‘windows update’. 


We are going to make sure your computer settings are set to do the windows updates automatically.

Look to the left hand side of this new window, and we want to click on ‘settings’.
Once you open t
his section it will give a number of different options for you to choose from.

As you can see on top you have a pull down box, and it will give you different option of WHEN to do the updates.  To make sure you get all the available service packs for windows XP?  They state the easier way is by the automatic update option.

If this does not work?  How to install Windows XP Service Pack 3
or How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP service Pack.

I have my computer on all the time, and I choose the option of allowing the computer to do my windows updates at 3:00 am each day.  I know I will be sleeping, and it won’t interrupt things during the day when the computer is in use.

You can change these times and dates to what you best for your circumstance.

You can click APPLY and then OKAY at the bottom to save your changes.

You have now changed your computer to do your windows updates automatically.

Don’t forget to read the article on manually doing windows updates!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.




Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on turning on automatic windows updates on Windows XP!!

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How-To allow Windows Updates to run automatically in Vista or Windows 7

In Windows Vista or Windows Seven (7) you can configure your windows update to be done automatically.  In a past lesson we explained What is a Windows Update?

Today’s How-To Guide For the Computer Beginner we will learn:
How-To allow Windows Updates to run automatically.

Updates For Windows

In Windows Vista or Windows 7 we want to click on our start button, and in the search box type in ‘windows update’.  You will see at the top of the start menu the option for Windows update as seen below, and we want to click on windows update to open a new screen

Once the new window appears it will note the windows updates that are available for your computer.  We are going to make sure your computer settings are set to do the windows updates automatically.

Look to the left hand side of this new window, and we want to click on ‘change settings’.

Once you open this section it will give a number of different options for you to choose from.

As you can see on top you have a pull down box, and it will give you different options to choose from.

1. Install updates automatically (recommended) - If you select this option then all critical updates will be downloaded automatically and installed on your computer. These updates will be installed at the time you specify in the fields labeled Install new updates. This is the recommended option for the majority of people as it guarantees that you have all the critical updates automatically installed on your computer.


2. Download updates but let me choose whether to install them - If you select this option, Windows will download updates to your computer, but not install them automatically. If you want to install the updates then you must install them manually. You should only select this option if you have a reason for not installing updates automatically. Only advanced users should use this option.


3. Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them - If you select this option, you will be alerted when there are new updates available to download and install. You can then choose to download and install the updates that you wish. This option should really only be used by people who know exactly what updates they need or those who have limited access to the Internet.


4. Never check for updates (not recommended) - If you select this option, Windows will never automatically check for updates. This option should never be selected as it puts your computer at great risk to being compromised, infected, or hacked.

I have my computer on all the time, and I choose the option of allowing the computer to do my windows updates at 3:00 am each day.  I know I will be sleeping, and it won’t interrupt things during the day when the computer is in use.

You can change these times and dates to what you best for your circumstance.

I have opted to have my recommended updates done at the same time as my important or critical updates.
You may also have the second option of asking WHO may do the windows updates for the computer.  If you leave this unchecked it would only the administrators on the computer. 

These messages deal with the optional updates.  These are the ones that you can choose to see if they are important for you computer or NOT important.

You can click OKAY at the bottom to save your changes.

You have now changed your computer to do your windows updates automatically.

Make sure you also read How-To do a manual windows update!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.
Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on turning on automatic windows updates on Vista and Windows 7!!

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What is a Windows Update?

With every version of Windows that I can remember you were always given messages about ‘windows updates’.  I was asked some rather conflicting questions about windows updates, and so as you might have guessed today’s

How To Guide for the computer beginner is

What is Windows Update?

Microsoft provides windows updates, and you normally see these on your right side of the task bar in the notification area.

If you hoover over the icon that the mouse pictures are showing it will give you a message that there is a windows update available.

There are different types of updates.  Updates are classified as Important, Recommended, Optional, and Featured.

Important Updates (or Critical updates) are updates that they ask you do download right away.  They are normally have security issues involved with them.  They are to help keep your privacy, security, and vulnerability to crooks a minimum.    It could be that Microsoft found a hole they want to patch up, or found that hackers found a way to penetrate the windows system. 

Recommended Updates are updates to various components of the operating system that should be installed for proper functionality.

Optional Updates, are new features, updates, or Ultimate Extras that are not necessary to install for proper functionality of the operating system or applications.  In the last windows update that I did for example, they mentioned my printer software had an update to download.

Featured you don’t really see anymore, but if you ever do they will give you a description of the update.  You will be able to decided if it is something that your computer will find beneficial.   In other words, its little extras if you want them.

Do I need to install these windows updates?

At the bare minimum the important or critical updates, along with the recommended updates YES you should!
I have heard people mention these updates slow down your computer, or cause issues.

They don't necessarily slow the PC down - having too many computer applications open at once, or viruses, or a cluttered/full hard drive are more likely culprits!

If you found you had to do a large number of windows updates then do a bit of computer maintenance, like defrag your computer, etc afterwards.

The optional or featured updates give you description of what they are, and you make the decision as to which ones are important TO YOU and your circumstance.

Can Windows Updates be done automatically?

What is nice about newer operating systems is YES the critical and recommended updates can be done automatically for you.

In a future lessons we will go over how to configure your computer to do that for you.

The optional windows updates are just that – optional.  You will have to make a choice as to whether or not you wish to download those.  We will go into that more later.

Windows Updates – Final thoughts

Each home computer will have to do their own updates separately.  It is the Administrator will have to do the updates as well.

From time to time to a windows update message will appear on your desktop to ask you to restart your computer.  This is asked so that they update can be installed properly.  You normally have an option of restarting NOW or later.

If you have a huge amount of windows updates to do on your computer?  I have personally found if you do them in order of date – older ones first – and in groups of maybe 3-5 updates at a time?  They update faster, and with less problems. 

If you have a fast computer, or fast internet speed?  You may not have to go that route.  Be patient though, when you have huge amount of updates it does take time.

Message from Microsoft:

There are a number of reasons an update might fail. Windows Update needs to be able to scan your computer for needed updates, download the updates, and then install the updates. If something goes wrong during any one of these stages, it can prevent an update from being installed on your computer. For more information about an error or failure, click the Help link in the error message. If there isn't a topic on the specific error, see Troubleshoot problems with installing updates for more information.

At times we all have issues with our computer or our internet provider.  Most of the time unless there is truly some issue with your computer or internet provider it’s a fluke.  Try the update again, and chances are it will go just fine.

If it is a rather large update, and your computer is slower either in speed or internet?  Do that update all by itself.  Let all your computer resources go towards the update.  In other words don’t do other things on the computer while it tries to update.

I was doing some work on a friend’s computer recently, and our internet provider was having issues due to the weather.  Her computer needed over 70 updates, and I did them in groups of 5 at a time.  If the update was LARGE?  I did it one at a time.  Due to the weather at times the internet would completely stop, and I had to start all over again.  YES it was annoying, but needed to be done.

In future articles I will go into more detail on Windows Updates.

I wanted to be sure you knew what they were first.
Setup Automatic Windows Updates on Vista or Windows 7
Setup Automatic Windows Updates on Windows XP
Do a Manual Windows update

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided below.


Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.



Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on What is a Windows Update!!

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Firefox 6 Ready for August 16 Release

Mozilla states that it is on track to release Firefox 6 next week according to notes posted on the company's website. Developers have signed off on Firefox 6 and also anticipate no problems that could delay the release date of August 16 for the most recent upgrade to Mozilla's web browser according to meeting notes.



According to the notes, "On track with a few bugs still remaining. No concerns for Tuesday." Mozilla has used a new rapid-release schedule ever since the spring of this year. This new schedule delivers a new version of Firefox every six weeks, a move that many analysts and critics are comparing to the same one Google uses to update its Chrome browser for the last year.



Firefox 5 was released back on June 21, six weeks ago next Tuesday. Mozilla is already working on Firefox 7 and plans on releasing it on September 27. In addition to that, if the rapid-release schedule works like it is supposed to, Firefox 8 will become available on November 8 with Firefox 9 becoming available on December 20.



Firefox 6 includes multiple, noticeable changes to the browser, including highlighting domain names in the address bar. Both Google Chrome and Internet Explorer 9 do a similar thing by making domain names boldfaced. In addition to that, Firefox 6 also reduces start-up time when users rely on Panorama, the multi-tab organizer for Firefox.



Some users, however, are upset by the change of pace for Mozilla and Firefox including corporations like IBM, which have installed the open-source browser on tens of thousands of Windows PCs. However, that has not frightened Mozilla, who has not backed off of the rapid-release schedule at all. Though, in response to enterprise complaints and concerns, Mozilla has established a committee in order to take feedback from users.



As well as releasing Firefox 6 next week, Mozilla also plans on releasing Firefox 3.6.20, an update that will include security patches and other fixes to the 2010 edition retained by nearly 1 in 3 users of Firefox. When Firefox 6 ships, users running Firefox 4 or Firefox 5 will be offered the newest edition via the browser's update mechanism that is triggered when the "About Firefox" dialog is opened.



As of the end of July, only 11% of Firefox users were still running Firefox 4 and 48% were running Firefox 5. What do you think? Are you excited about the release of Firefox 6? What are your thoughts on Mozilla's new rapid-release schedule? Let me know in the comments section below.



Source: Computer World - Mozilla on track to ship Firefox 6 next week

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How-To Change Your Computer Name

When you first setup your computer you are prompted to NAME your computer.  I know some computer beginners have other people set the computer up for them, or honestly don’t remember this step if they did it themselves.

Your Computer name is used to identify the computer on a network.  I noticed as well that most of the time when you setup the computer that manufacturers will have this filled with a recommendation.  Its normally the make and model of the computer.

At my home we have more than one computer.  I setup a home network, and I want to be able to identify the different computers easily.   You could name your computer by location (kitchen, basement, bedroom), or by user (bob laptop, sue tower).  If you want to rename your computer after your pet?  That is YOUR choice!

As you might have guessed Today’s How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner is:

Renaming Your Computer

First I must note that you will need Administrative Rights to do this. 
Second Note:  Close all documents, web pages, etc.  You will need to restart the computer when you are done.


You will start by clicking on our start button (red finger), and show our start menu.
We will be looking for the control panel (yellow finger).

Once you see your control panel look to the left hand side


Control Panel has two views.  We want to be sure you are NOT on the classic view.  You notice the white dot I circled?  Click on Control Panel Home if you white dot is next to classic view.







We are looking for the System and Security Section . (In Windows XP ‘Performance and Maintenance’)
We will click on the green words, System and Security







Find the SYSTEM (same with Windows XP) section, and notice:
Click on the blue See the name of this computer in blue letters (Windows XP Click on computer name tab.  You should see the computer name and workgroup name.)


Your next screen is again broken down by sections.  You want to look for Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings





My blue arrow above is pointing to your computer name.  That is what it is called presently.

The Red arrow is pointing to CHANGE SETTINGS. 


We will click on CHANGE SETTINGS, and at this time you may get prompted by your computer for either Admin password, and other screen asking if you truly wish to continue.  We do want to do this if we are going to change the name on your computer.



The Systems Properties window will open first.
If you look to the top make sure you are on the ‘Computer Name’ tab.
If you notice my mouse is over the ‘change’ button in the picture.
Click the CHANGE button.
Computer Name Changes Screen will pop up next.

In the white box is your current computer name.  You can click inside that white box, and change it to what you want at this point.

Keep in mind spaces and special characters can’t be used.  If you want two words like “Bob computer” you need to use “Bob-Computer”.  You notice I used a symbol much like a minus sign between the words.

In the picture the OK button is greyed out in the COMPUTER NAME CHANGES screen.

Once you enter your new computer name?  The OK button will become available to click.  You may click this once you made the changes you wanted.

Most of the time you are asked to restart the computer so the changes are completed.  You may need to close all your other files, web pages, etc. before you tell the computer to restart.    You will see all your open files, programs in your task bar.

How-to Change your Computer name in Windows XP

The process is similar, except some of the labels are different.

Start button to Control Panel
Click Performance and Maintenance
Click System
Click on computer name tab.  You should see the computer name and workgroup name.



Click your ‘change’ button, and enter your changes in the area provided.
If you change your workgroup you may get a thank you and welcome message.

Click OK to finish, and you will be prompted to restart your computer.


If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.




Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.





Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on Renaming your computer!!

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New Finger and Stylus Gestures Could Be Coming to Windows 8

A lot of people are excited about the upcoming operating system from Microsoft known, as of right now, as Windows 8. Windows 8, or whatever it is named upon release, is the highly anticipated successor to the the immensely popular Windows 7 operating system currently out from Microsoft. However, some new developments are leaking their way onto the internet, including the fact that Microsoft has unveiled several patent filings that are pointing to new finger and stylus gestures that could be incorporated into Windows 8 tablets.

These patent filings were actually filed back in 2010 but Microsoft just published them last week. These new patents show that Microsoft believes finger and stylus gestures can work not only separately but together as well in order to offer a user-friendly means of input on new touch screen devices. This new method that would recognize both methods of input would recognize the first method as your finger and the second as your stylus. Using both your finger and your stylus could then create a variety of gestures, a lot of which seem to be geared more toward image editing though could be put to other uses as well.

For example, a copy gesture would allow you to tap on an object with your finger and then move it around with your stylus. A cut gesture would allow you to split an object in half using fingers, a stylus or both at the same time. A brush gesture would assist you in removing part of an image and then storing it somewhere else on the screen. A staple gesture may be used to stack multiple objects or images on top of each other and a stamp gesture would create duplicates of whatever you wanted.

The upcoming Windows 8 operating system for tablets was unveiled by Microsoft at the D9 Conference back in June. Microsoft is expected to release more information and details about the OS at the upcoming Build Conference in September, with a beta possibly ready for developers to test out at that time as well.

Source: CNET - Windows 8 could see new finger and stylus gestures

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How-To Rename Computer Folders

Welcome!  Last Time we spoke about Creating a Computer folder.  Today’s How-To lesson for the Computer beginner is about Renaming our Computer Folders.

We may do that to get better organized, or because we have a typo!

You will need to find the location the computer folder that you wish to rename first of all.

It can be on your desktop or elsewhere.

First thing we do is we will RIGHT CLICK on the computer folder icon itself!





A menu will appear and we will move to the ‘RENAME’ section.  Then click on “RENAME”



 

The name area will be highlighted similar to our picture stating “NEW FOLDER”.  You don’t need to click in that area at all.  You just start typing.  Once you have renamed the folder to what you have chosen hit your enter key.


 

I have changed our folder to PHOTOS.

Rename Computer Folder

If you are within a window you can also rename the Computer folder a second way



Make sure you Highlight the Folder that you wish to rename by clicking on it once.







Look at the top of your window for the word FILE

Click On FILE, and you will get a number of menu options

You are looking for RENAME

You would then click on RENAME












And your Folder name will appear highlighted.





As we did above just start typing.  There is no need to click at this point.  Once you have renamed your computer folder to what you had chosen you will then hit your ENTER key.

If you ever wish to change a document name?  You would follow the same procedure, but clicking on the document name instead of the computer folder.

Pretty easy right?


 
If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided. 




Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.




Thank you for reading out How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner on Renaming your computer folder!!

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