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Open Internet Explorer by clicking Start > All Programs > Internet Explorer (Start > Programs >
Internet Explorer in Windows 2000/Me/98).
Internet Explorer in Windows 2000/Me/98).
Select Tools > Windows Update.
You will be taken to the Windows Update site. You may be asked if you want to install the Windows Update software - click Yes.
Depending on which version of Windows you are using, you will see either a button marked Express (Windows XP) or Scan for updates Windows 2000/Me/98. Click this button when it is displayed. The Windows Update site will scan your PC to see which of the available updates you have not already installed.
Click on Review and install now > Install Updates (Windows XP) or Install Now (Windows 2000/Me/98). Allow the Windows Update process to complete. You may need to perform these steps a number of times to get all of the available updates.
Top Seven Strategies for Combating Viruses
A virus infection on your PC may seem like the end of the world. It can slow your PC down and delete your precious files and documents. It may also be responsible for causing your PC to crash frequently. Ways to get rid of a virus infection are discussed later in this article, but following the seven handy steps below will minimise your risk of infection in the first place:
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Do not open any files that are attached to an email that is from a suspicious, unknown or untrustworthy source. Don't open files attached to emails even from close friends or colleagues unless you know what they are. Be particularly wary of emails from people that you know with strange subject lines. Some viruses can automatically email themselves to everyone in the address book on an infected PC.
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Backup your files on a regular basis using your favourite backup program. If the worst happens and a virus does decimate your system then you will still be able to restore your precious files and programs from the backups you have made.
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Install anti-virus software on your PC and use it to scan your hard drive regularly. There are many different virus scanners, both commercial and free. Some of the best free scanners are looked at in more detail later in this article.
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Update your anti-virus software regularly. There are over 500 new viruses discovered each month. Without updating your anti-virus software regularly (every couple of days) it will not be able to defend you against the latest threats.
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If you transfer data between computers using floppies or removable USB disks, make sure you scan them with your virus checker as soon as you insert them into your PC. Check the disk, even if it has come from a trusted source, as it may have unwittingly been infected with a virus.
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Set your virus checker to scan all incoming emails before they are delivered to your inbox.
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If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) offers such a service have them scan your email before it is delivered to your PC. You can usually do this by logging in to your ISP's web portal and using the configuration utility to turn on virus scanning.
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As well as following the seven essential steps given above, the most important thing to remember when exploring the online world is to always err on the side of caution. If you receive an email promising something that is too good to be true it probably is, and clicking on a link in it may well infect you with a virus. Never download a file from the Internet if you are not sure what it is or don't trust the source, and always be wary of programs sent to you via instant messaging applications.
