Ho To Install High Priority (Critical) Updates For Windows XP.

Microsoft periodically releases critical and security updates to its operating systems, such as Windows XP, and its Internet Explorer web browser. We recommend that you scan for these High Priority - Critical updates and install them as soon as you see the alert.
You can manually scan for and install High Priority (e.g. Critical) Updates for your computer by following these steps.

These steps are written for computers with Windows XP :

How to install High Priority (Critical) Updates Automatically :

1. Your EN computer has been configured to automatically download High Priority - Critical updates when they are available.
2. You will see an alert pop up in your notification area (lower right corner of screen). The icon should appear appear as an upright Shield. See below. Notice the difference between the High Priority shield on the left and the Symantec AntiVirus shield on the right.
   
   
   
   
3. If you place the mouse over the icon, you will see a message similar to the one below.
   
   

1. Click on the upright Shield.
   
   Note: You will see two choice at this screen: Express Install (Recommended) & Custom Install (Advanced).
   
   
   
   Note: If you click Custom Install (Advanced), you see a list of the updates to be installed. you can then select which updates to install.
   
   
2. Normally, you will click on the Express Install (Recommended) button. Then click Install and install all High-priority updates required for your computer.
   
   Please DO NOT delay applying these High Priority updates.

How to Verify that High Priority (Critical) Updates have been applied

If your computer is set to download and install updates automatically, you may never see the upright Shield or the World. You can easily check to see if updates have been applied for you. Open Internet Explorer. From the Tools menu choose Windows Update. After the Windows Update page loads, click the View Installation History link on the left. This will display the list of updates and the date applied.

How to install High Priority (Critical) Updates Manually

Depending on the version of the 'update' website you visit, you may be prompted to click either a link or a button in Step 3 below. Choose the one that matches your screen. Open Internet Explorer. From the Tools menu choose Windows Update. Microsoft Update site: Click Express. Windows Update site: Click Express Install (Recommended): High Priority Updates for Your Computer. Note: After starting the scan and waiting for several seconds, you may see the message: Software Upgrade for Some Windows Components Required . If you see this, click Download and Install Now. This will download and install the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool. When finished, click Close. Click Continue to re-start the scanning process. If any items are found and you are using the Microsoft Update site, click Review and install updates and then click Install Updates. If any items are found and you are using Windows Update site: Click Install. If High-priority items are NOT found, close the browser window. Wait while the updates are downloaded and installed. If you are asked to Restart the computer, please do so. Once the computer restarts, repeat Steps 1 - 7 until all the High Priority (e.g. Critical) Updates are applied. When this happens, you won't find any listed in Step 4.

How to Update to Microsoft Update

The Microsoft Update Web site provides updates for Microsoft operating systems and programs. Microsoft Update is an optional service that you can use to update both Microsoft Windows operating systems and other Microsoft products. In contrast, when you use Microsoft Windows Update, you access only updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems. These steps will show you how to enable Microsoft Update. ICT recommends a switch to Microsoft Update since it combines the search for both Windows and Office updates into one. The new system is named "Microsoft Update," and it requires installation of Active-X software. Visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate Note: If you don't see the 'Start Now" button as indicated in Step 2, but instead see a "Welcome to Microsoft Update" screen as well Express and Custom buttons, STOP. The computer is already using the Microsoft Update Web site. Click Start Now. On the Review the license agreement page, click Continue. Note: The Information Bar is displayed when potentially dangerous actions on a Web page have been blocked. The Information Bar appears between the toolbar and the content window in Internet Explorer. When you reach this point, you should see a warning message about needing to install an ActiveX control. Click the message in the Information Bar that says This site might require the following ActiveX control: 'Microsoft Update' from Microsoft Corporation'. Click here to install... and select Install ActiveX Control.... You will see a dialog box prompting you to install Microsoft Update. Click Install. When it finishes, the Microsoft Update Web site displays the current Automatic Updates configuration. If it is set to be Automatic Updates: ON, you will see a Check for Updates button. If it is OFF, you will see a Change Setting button, click Change setting, and then set the schedule to download and install updates. Click Check for Updates. If additional software is needed for the Microsoft Update site, you will be prompted to install the latest version of some Windows components. Click Download and Install Now. Wait while this software is installed. Click Close. Click Continue. The site will now start "Checking for the latest updates for your computer...". Note You may see items listed from both Windows and Office. See below. If any items are found, click Review and install updates and then click Install Updates. When you go to the Tools menu and select Windows Update you will be taken to the Microsoft Update website. The "Custom" button from Microsoft Update is may be used to if needed to reinstall a failed High Priority download. The "Software, Optional" and "Hardware, Optional" listed by this process are roughly the same as the "Optional Updates or "Recommended Updates" from the old Update processes. For more information on Microsoft Update, visit Microsoft's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page.