Windows Update Versus Windows Update Catalog
Updates are a fact
of life if you own and use a computer. Windows Update has received
quite a bit of attention, due largely in part to the number of new
exploits that constantly appear from those intent on compromising
networks and users. Blame whoever you want; software developers,
crackers, hackers, or sunspots, but a good understanding of Windows
Update and how to use it effectively is essential. Most likely you
already know that Windows Update is an online warehouse of sorts for
your computer’s operating system, software, and hardware updates
that can be accessed online via the Start Menu. For users who have a
single computer and want to keep it updated the standard Windows
Update is fine. Navigate to the update site via [Start] [All
Programs] and [Windows Update] selections. Select [Scan for Updates]
and a list of available updates pertinent to your computer will be
returned for you to review. Make your selections and the update
process will complete. All well and good.
However, what if you
want to know about all the updates that have been issued relating to
a specific XP product or piece of hardware? Microsoft has recently
upgraded Windows Update to include another section called Windows
Update Catalog, accessible through the same Windows Update
interface. From the Windows Update Catalog you can review all the
operating system updates that have been issued as well as the driver
updates for hardware devices. To access Windows Update Catalog:
[Start] [All
Programs] [Windows Update]
In the left pane, under Other Options, select [Personalize Windows
Update]
The right pane will display the [Personalize Your Windows Update
Experience] screen (Fig. WU-01).
Fig. WU-01
Click [Save Settings] and look at the left pane again. Under the
See Also section there will be an entry called Windows Update
Catalog. Click it and the [Welcome to Windows Update Catalog] (Fig.
WU-02) screen will open in the right pane.
Fig. WU-02
Select whether you want to find operating system or hardware
device updates from the choices offered. Like the note at the bottom
of the screen says, at the current time only the Windows XP and .NET
Server operating systems are part of the Windows Update Catalog.
Depending on which selection you make, either the Microsoft Windows
(Fig.WU-03) or Hardware Drivers (Fig. WU-04) screens shown below
will open.
WU-03
WU-04
Set the search parameters for the correct operating system and
then use the optional advanced search parameters if you want to
narrow the search. To see all the updates just click search after
selecting the correct operating system.
This is where the differences truly start to emerge between
Windows Update (WU) and Windows Update Catalog (WUC). If you had
still been in WU and selected [Scan for Updates] the listing you
received would only apply to the operating system on the machine you
were using to access WU. In WUC, the listing returned covers the
operating system of choice, and depending on your search parameters,
a complete listing of Critical Updates and Service Packs,
Recommended Updates, and Multi-Language Features. (Fig. WU-05)
Fig. WU-05
From the Search Result screen you can switch between the
categories of results, selecting none, any or all which you want to
add to the Download Basket; another major difference between the
standard WU and WUC. There is a [Sort By] button on the right side
of the screen that allows you to organize results by title or date.
Once you’ve made the selections click [Go To Download Basket] (Fig.
WU-06).
Fig. WU-06
The Download Basket is the final part of Windows Update Catalog.
The updates you selected are shown in the lower secion of the
window. The only thing left to do is type or browse to the location
where you want the downloaded files to reside. I have found that the
location you specify must be 50 characters or less so a folder in
the root seems to be a solid choice. Each component you download
will automatically be placed in a separate subdirectory.
A Few Final Notes
-
A log is created
in the Other Options section under [View Download History] which
you can review at any time.
-
It’s certainly
handy, if not preferable, to have all the updates stored locally
rather than relying on internet access if you support multiple
computers.
-
For high speed
access users on single machines it’s not as critical an issue,
but for dial up users who want to reformat, having the
individual updates safely stored on a removable media can save
hours in repeated download time.
-
Human nature
being as it is, it seems the majority of people, especially
computer users, 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 Automatic Updates. Anytime 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.
See article on
Automatic Update.
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