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Windows 7 and Other software Up to Date

Windows 7 is an ever-evolving operating system that requires new updates and maintenance constantly. These updates benefit your computer and render it more secure and stable. Microsoft facilitates the process of keeping your computer system up to date via Windows Update. This built-in tool downloads the most current updates, fixups, hotfixes, drivers, and so on for your system and then commences an installation. Updating has never been so easy and so visual.

Over a period of time, your system will accumulate many updates and newly formed software that Microsoft supplies. As you probably know, Microsoft sometimes gathers a mess of these into one package or compilation and releases it as a service pack.

Later in this tutorial, we discuss how to install and remove software applications, including issues of running older programs. 16-bit software that you have been using for years will have compatibility errors with 64-bit Windows 7, and you'll learn more about these 64-bit compatibility issues later in this tutorial. Also included is a description of side-by-side installations in Windows 7, and how the OS uses virtual registries to run different versions of the same software on a PC.

In this tutorial:

  1. Understanding Windows Live
  2. Updates versus upgrades
  3. Why updates are important
  4. Windows Update
  5. Windows Update: The essentials
  6. Types of Updates
  7. Completing an Update
  8. Configuring automatic Updating
  9. Windows Update Applet and Functions
  10. Manually Install Updates Using Windows Update
  11. Action Center
  12. Updates Do Not Install Properly
  13. Other Windows Update Settings
  14. Configuring Windows 7 Update to Use a Proxy Server
  15. Can't Find Hidden Update
  16. Viewing and Changing Installed Updates
  17. Can't Uninstall Current Update
  18. Upgrade Windows Anytime
  19. Understanding Windows Server Update Services
  20. Windows Update Policies
  21. Updating Drivers
  22. Using Device Manager to Update Drivers
  23. Windows Update Driver Settings
  24. Windows 7 Service Packs
  25. Basic Service Pack Information
  26. Installation of Service Packs
  27. Installing and Removing Software
  28. Installation via CD or DVD
  29. Problem Installing from Disc
  30. Installation via Downloaded Program
  31. Viewing and Changing Programs
  32. Uninstalling Software
  33. Compatibility Issues in 64-Bit Version
  34. Upgrade Issues with 64-Bit Windows 7
  35. Other Program Compatibility Issues
  36. Side-by-Side Installs and Virtual Registries
  37. Removing Updates from Windows 7
  38. Thwarting Exploits with DEP
  39. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
  40. Picking Computers to Scan
  41. Vulnerability Checks
  42. Installing MBSA
  43. Running the MBSA
  44. Running the MBSACLI
  45. MBSACLI Location
  46. Running in an Isolated Environment
  47. Using Windows Server Update Services
  48. WSUS Updates
  49. WSUS Requirements
  50. Installing, Configuring, and Using WSUS
  51. Adding the Application Server and Web Server (IIS) Roles
  52. Installing the Report Viewer
  53. Installing WSUS
  54. Configuring Group Policy Settings for WSUS
  55. Creating a GPO to Configure Clients to Use WSUS
  56. Verifying That Clients Are Using GPO Settings for WSUS
  57. Verifying That Clients Are Using GPO Settings with GPResult
  58. Creating Computer Groups on WSUS
  59. Approving Updates in WSUS
  60. Viewing WSUS Reports