Back in the early days of Windows XP, I wrote, "Human nature being what it is, the majority of people tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it comes to security issues and protecting our computer investment. We may get on a kick for a few days or weeks and pay close attention to the updates that are issued then slack off until the issue is forgotten totally. If you nodded your head as you were reading that last sentence, you are probably a good candidate for Windows XP Automatic Updates."

What I said then still holds true today with Windows Vista. Back in the XP days it was called 'Automatic Updates' and now it's just called 'Windows Update', but it does essentially the same thing. Depending on some choices you made during the Vista installation process, Windows Update may already be set up to automatically download and install updates. If you chose the 'Use Recommended Settings' as shown below, you'll automatically get the full compliment of updates. I suggest you select 'Ask Me Later' and I'll talk more about that later in the article.

Fig. 01

Whenever the word Automatic comes along people tend to balk because it smacks of taking away control. That’s another one of those human nature issues. Even if you find the concept objectionable, Automatic Updates can be to your advantage while allowing you to retain the control of what gets updated. Just like it was back in the XP days, reports of updates effectively crippling a machine that was previously in excellent working condition are still fairly common. It's easy to blame an automatically enabled update for this situation, and in some cases it is the fault of the update, but the truth is, if you set up Windows Update properly, it's a situation that can be avoided or at the worst, easily corrected if a rogue update does get installed.

When you set up Windows Update and select the method it will use to deliver updates, note that in all options but one, you always have the option to review the updates prior to installation. This is where the user has to make a decision whether or not the update is proper for the system. Just because an update is available doesn't mean it's needed or even necessary in all situations. Users have to take responsibility for determining whether or not the update will impact their system negatively. If the answer is questionable, don't update until you are able to sort out the potential ramifications of installing the update. If you do install the update, ensure that there is a current backup of all critical data prior to installing. Using the Vista System Restore function is also a good idea. To update without taking precautions is simply negligent on the part of the user.

Setting Up Windows Update

One thing about Vista is there are usually many ways to go about accomplishing a task. Configuring Windows Update is no exception. Right off the top I can think of at least four different ways to go about getting Windows Update configured, but what it boils down to is you want to end up at the 'Choose How Windows Can Install Updates' screen shown below. My tendency is to go through the Control Panel whenever I'm configuring options as I find it the most direct method. To reach the screen shown I went to:

Start > Control Panel > Security > Windows Update > Turn Automatic Updating On or Off

Fig. 02

The Options

Once you get to the screen where the options can be selected, which option should you choose? There are four options available for Automatic Updates. Obviously I can't tell you which option is right for your situation. I will tell you what I think about each option and why I would or wouldn't use it on my systems.

• Install Updates Automatically (Recommended) - There is no way I would ever allow this option. Just because a security update, service pack or critical update is issued, it doesn't mean it's absolutely necessary for every system. Giving any application or utility the right to download and install something automatically on your system is just asking for trouble. That said, if you don't mind having updates automatically downloaded and installed on your system without your input, by all means select the first option. If you prefer to take a more active role in controlling what is placed on your system, select one of the other options.

• Download Updates But Let Me Choose When to Install Them - This is a better choice than the first option but still not ideal. On the plus side, the user is at least consulted about when (or if) the downloaded updates will be installed. The downside is that bandwidth and hard drive space are wasted if an update is downloaded that you don't need and will never be installed.

• Check for Updates but Let Me Choose Whether to Download and Install Them - To me, this is the ideal option. Let me know there is an update available. From there I can go to Windows Update or look it up on the Microsoft site to get more information and determine if it's necessary and appropriate for the system and how it is used. Even if the update is appropriate, I may want to delay downloading and installing it until I see how it's impacting other user systems and this option provides that opportunity without wasted effort.

• Never Check for Updates (Not Recommended) - There are certain situations where you really don't want any updates at all. If one or all of your systems fall into this category, you'll know. The option is available if needed, but it will likely be a very small percentage of users that should select this option.

Bottom Line

I've had a lot of people say my thoughts and advice about Windows Update are flawed and will result in many systems being compromised because updates aren't automatically installed. That's a good point, and it may well be true if the user just dismisses the update notifications the other update choices provide. If the user lacks that amount of self-discipline or time to review and act on the notifications then without a doubt they should have automatic updates enabled.