Microsoft Updates

[Greenstead]

It is important you keep all Microsoft products up to date. The updates include both new features, and most importantly security updates.

For windows you can use the automatic update feature or go to the windows update site:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
This site will scan your PC and identify updates you are missing. You should always take all the critical updates.

Also from there, if you have MS office products (2000 or higher) you can go on the Office updates site and do the same.

Two other useful checks:
Go to here
http://www.microsoft.com/security/
and get the latest news on security threats and what to do to protect your PCs.

And download and use this:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8b7a580d-0c91-45b7-91ba-fc47f7c3d6ad&DisplayLang=en
It says it is for professionals, but it is so easy to use you will have no problems. It identifies any critical updates you are missing and directs you to them.

[Greenstead]

With the recent virus attack of the latest Sasser worm it should be even clearer how important it is to keep those updates fully up to date, Windows and Virus definitions.

Schedule update checks every day.

Don't be caught out.

[cszeto]

For those running XP, a peek at www.microsoft.com/sp2preview may also be worth the effort. Many new improvements to the XP firewall, a lot more functionality that is like some of the other personal firewalls, plus easier configuration of firewall with file and print sharing. Attachment handling is also much more cautious in alerting against accidental or unintentional executions.

[Greenstead]

You may have heard that SP2 is soon released for XP. Anyone with auto-updates enabled will be getting it automatically.

It is a large download (~260 MB) so be careful if you use dial-up. A CD is available.

A main improvment is a new firewall which is always on by default and is configurable for just those connections and services you need.
A guide to configuring the new firewall is here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0204.mspx

SP2 is a fundemental replacement for many core components of XP to help protect against buffer over runs which are exploited by the virus boys. It also includes improvements for manging your wireless LAN and also pop up blocking in IE.
The new features are described here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2top.mspx



If you manage an organisations security updates you can block the SP2 update whilst you check it out and prepare.
See here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx

[cszeto]

The XP TCP/IP stack has also been improved for better stability. Key for notebook users or anyone with more than one NIC, as well as users of add-on personal firewall products.

[kevincaley]

I wish I could agree that it is important to keep all Microsoft products up to date but I have recently discovered that there are dangers. I have a small 3 computer network running Windows XP and two of the computers are fully updated to SP2 with automatic updates. Fortunately the third is not, and that's where I keep all my work files. A couple of weeks ago I suddenly started to notice that I was getting random errors when I tried to access files on the network. Sometimes I would get randon errors: "The Folder *:\*\*.*" isn't available. The folder may be located in an unavailable location, protected with a password, or the filename contains a / or \." Having looked round for a solution I finally hit upon the following post on the Microsoft Discussion Group:
" <manuel.email.at.post.harvard.edu@deadspam.com wrote in message news:37dt0gF5btgo4U1@individual.net... This is likely the known serious bug with the February 8th security updates, which sporadically and unpredictably "hides" certain folders, and in general prevents access to network files on some but not all folders. See my post on Feb 13th called "Xp Feb 9 update package Invisible files in some network folders"

The only solution currently is to remove the security updates and complain to Microsoft.

This has solved mi problem andmade me very wary of trusting the Microsoft updates in future - be warned!