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.