• Safe Mode
• Using Msconfig
• System Restore
• Windows Updates
• Microsoft Security Center
• Installing Windows XP Properly

Windows updates are an important part of protecting you computer from malicious viruses and from preventing Spyware and other programs from reaching your personal information and taking over your computer. Please only start this section once you have rid your computer of all Spyware using the programs previously outlined for you. If you have a slow Internet connection such as dial up please be patient as this process will take time to complete. Broadband (Cable & DSL) will experience quicker response. This is extremely important so please complete it no matter how slow or fast your Internet connection is. If you have dial up start it and let it run over night and into the next day if necessary.

Go to Start on the bottom left, then to All Programs and finally onto Internet Explorer.

In the windows Explorer address bar type in the following address, windowsupdate.microsoft.com and hit enter.

If this is your first time ever doing this or your first time in a long time the following prompt box will appear asking you to install the latest windows update software. This software allows Microsoft to scan your version of windows and determine what are the most important updates needed. Please click “YES” and give it a minute to install.

After it has installed the latest updating material the following screen will appear asking you to Install and Run the latest update Spyware. Please click the “Install Now” button.

The next step Microsoft will look for available updates needed to keep your system up to date. This process may take a minute or two to complete depending on Internet speed and computer speed.

Once it has identified what updates it will prompt you with “Express Install” or a “Custom Install”. We recommend a “Express Install” as this feature will install the most important updates as deemed necessary to get to the latest update of publication “Service Pack 2” or if you are using Windows 2000 “Service Pack 4”. Both are extremely important and required.

If you are up to date with all of your updates it will automatically prompt you for “Service Pack 2”. If you need other updates install them first and continue to reboot and re-run windows update as necessary. You may already have Service Pack 2 installed, any new machine purchased in the last 6 months will already have this.

SERVICE PACK 2 INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS:

Click on the “Install” button to the right of the screen.

The next immediate prompt box will be the, “End User License Agreement (EULA)”. You can read the license there and then click “I Accept”.

It will begin to prepare downloading “Service Pack 2”.

Once the preparing is completed, it will begin to download “Service Pack 2”.

Once the downloading is complete, it will begin to verify and download the service pack. This process will take a few minutes to install due to the size of the update, 95 megabytes.

Continuing installation.

It will then prompt you with a “Setup Wizard”. This wizard will backup your current files in case you need to uninstall this service pack for any reason. Please click “NEXT”.

It will then inspect your current configuration and install the update. NOTICE: This will take several minutes no matter how fast your system is. It is a very extensive and comprehensive update.

Once finished, click on “Restart Now” and your machine will be rebooted and the update will finish installation.

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