Windows Update is a very important tool in maintaining the security and stability of your computer. There are two ways that you can access Windows Update. First, you can configure the Automatic Update control panel to check periodically or you can check manually by going to the Windows Update web site in the Internet Explorer web browser.

You can get to the configuration for Auto Update in two ways. You can reach it by going to the Start menu and selecting control panels.

If you are using the Category view in Windows XP Service Pack 2, select the Security Center option. From the Security Center you can then select the Automatic Update control panel.

If you are using Windows 2000 or the Classic view in Windows XP, you can select the Automatic Update control panel.

You can also reach the Automatic Update settings through the System Properties. To open the system properties right-click the My Computer either on your desktop or under the Start menu and select the Properties option in the contexual menu that appears.

You can check for new updates directly by going to Microsoft's web site at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com using your Internet Explorer web browser. You can also reach this address by either selecting the Windows Update option under the Tools menu in Internet Explorer. If you have the option to view common task in the explorer bar turned on, you can also get to the Windows Update site by clicking on the link in the Control Panels window.