Choosing Updates

By admin on May 31, 2012 in Choosing Updates | 0 comments

Hi everybody. Often times we get lots of things trying to update themselves on your computer. If you are not sure exactly what the update is, there are times that you might decide to simply pass and not do the update at all. In this column, we will discuss what is safe and what you should avoid. The first thing we are going to discuss are Windows security patches. Once a month on patch Tuesday, Microsoft issues a series of updates for all supported versions of Windows. Patch Tuesday usually falls on the second Tuesday of each month. The type and number of updates that are offered go by operating system and the number of security holes that have to be patched. Usually, these updates are safe to install but there are certain ones you might want to avoid. One of the types that we have seen the most problems with is the  .net updates. As of late, these updates have been popping up even after they have been installed and sometimes they simply will not install at all. At present, I would have to advise against trying to install these updates. Another area we often see issues with are with updates for Office. We often see issues where the patches will not install as well.  If you encounter an issue while trying to install any patches, it is probably a good idea not to try to force it is as problems with your Windows install could definitely be an issue. There are two products that you should update every time a new patch is offered they are Flash and Java. These two little gems are what allow you to view multi media items such as movies and slide shows. They also are required for playing many online games like Pogo and Zynga. The patches are usually offered to you automatically and always help to patch known security holes. Always allow these updates when you see them. Another product that offers security updates is Adobe Reader. Again, it is a good idea to keep this product patched so you can have the best security possible. Quick Time and Real Player will also offer security updates for their products. Since...