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Enabling Microsoft Update to keep Office 2003, Office XP, and other Microsoft Products Secure and Up-To-Date

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Hi Folks –

We want to remind everyone that enabling Microsoft Update and keeping your computer up-to-date will give you the best possible experience with Windows.   Are you wondering about the difference between Windows Update and Microsoft Update?  Windows Update offers updates for Windows and drivers for your hardware and devices.  Microsoft Update offers updates for Windows, other Microsoft software, and drivers.  So, if you have any version of Microsoft Office installed on your computer, or any other Microsoft software, then you should enable Microsoft Update. Otherwise you won’t even get security updates for your other Microsoft software.

 

Enabling Microsoft Update gives you updates for more software, it doesn’t change how you get updates.  If you use Windows XP, you can find the updates through Automatic Updates or by visiting the Microsoft Update Website.  If you use Windows Vista, you can find all available updates in the Windows Update control panel.

 

So, you’re probably wondering how to "opt-in", or "enable" Microsoft Update, or check your configuration and stay up to date.  It’s very easy, just follow the steps below:

 

1. To enable Microsoft Update and verify your update settings, click here:  https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=146977.

Note: If you’re a Windows Vista user, this link will take you to the Windows Update Control Panel “applet”.

 

A. On Vista, on the Control Panel App, if you have not enabled Microsoft Update your Control Panel Windows Update screen will look like this and you will see the Get updates for more products link in a yellow highlighted area. Simply click Get updates for more products, to start the Microsoft Update install and scan process:

B. On Windows XP, clicking the above link will take you to the Microsoft Update page. If Microsoft Update is already enabled you can check to see if you need updates for Windows, other Microsoft programs, or your hardware of devices from this page. If you have not yet enabled Microsoft update, you will see this page. Simply click Start now and follow the steps to install Microsoft Update

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2. Regardless of your Windows version or your automatic update settings, you can always check for new updates and new software available through Microsoft Update. If you are a Windows XP user click here:  https://update.microsoft.com/. If you are a Windows Vista user (or Windows 7 Beta user), you can open the Start menu, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.

Thank you!

The MU Team

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thanks for sharing your feedback!

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Our friends on the Microsoft Update team have posted a reminder on their team blog that opting in to

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    microsoft secure itself a beautiful and very well brought congratulate levels also would like to thank my

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    nice thank you for sharing your story with us respectfully

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    How can I enable Microsoft Update by using Group Policy?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thank you for useful information, my friend

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    This thread is priceless, I'm glad I found it. Happy returns!

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Yeah I'm glad I found it too. Good to know useful stuff is always there when you need it!

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Like Matthias, I would also like to know if there is a way to configure this without visiting the website.  Can this be accomplished with a reg tweak or replacing WU related files?  Or at least a stand-alone installer?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi folks, I'd like to give some feedback on a reproducable problem which I believe is a bug in Windows Update. Basically, everytime I do a complete system restore in Vista (with or without SP1), then Windows Update looses it's settings for other product updates. Yes, Windows Update works fine for Microsoft products - but somehow it looses the fact that I also opted in to receive updates for Office and other products! Also, when I click the lightbulb in Windows update to opt-in .. I get sent to the windows update site and receive and error. The KB to fix the error suggestions I delete the software distribution directory in windows and restart the windows update service. This of course deletes all my history of windows update but STILL the same problem exists! I've been able to repro this 3 times now. The solution to get it fixed - after I spoke to PSS - was to reset internet explorer and delete all my cookies and settings. Now I do NOT want to do this a 3rd time -- all of my passwords and settings are in my cookies and I do not want to have to reauthenticate on 15+ websites etc. Please can you look into this -- it's simple to repro -- just opt in to all updates, complete backup and complete restore -- and see that the Opt in for other products feature is broken! Alternatively, is there any way I can identify just the cookies that WU uses in my IE cookies so I can fix this? Many thanks...

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    update on something useful to tell people thank you for yours truly

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi all. What about new beta program for MU? I listen that you invite some MU CTP program member to new beta program but I don`t see new nomination survey & download section is not available for me too. Best regards Stanislav.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    something nice to have Office 2003 and Office XP updateleri The effort was good in the hands of expression thanks to the health

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    dont you use office 2007

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I have installed windows its gr8 man but facing problem while updating office 2003 from net it downloads packages but dosen't installs them plz help Regards Ashwin

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hello, I'd like to activate microsoft update, but I need to  automate this process on windows XP pro. Does anybody know about a "microsoft update agent" which is possible available? So that I don't need to click to activate microsoft update (not windows update) over internet explorer. Just setup.exe and go.. like windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe... best regards Matthias

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    How can I enable Microsoft Update by using Group Policy?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Introducing such a topic you'd like to congratulate you've let us know. Have good work.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    microsoft works very well in this regard have to do timely updates to our

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    How can I enable Microsoft Update by using Group Policy?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    How can I enable Microsoft Update by using Group Policy's?

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Thank you describe picture was beautiful

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I have read your post completely and picture your expression was beautiful thank

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    saol

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    yes I would like to know how / if it's possible to get my Microsoft Update working while using the group policy settings. http://www.parcakontorbayiniz.com http://www.yenilezzet.com http://www.webreklamajans.com

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Microsoft operating system products in the program in about a really great way to come I congratulate themselves

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I prefer to run Windows Update manually

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Microsoft Office 2003 is the best nobody can change them

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi MU Team! Is there any reason why Microsoft Update isn't on by default? Why do we have Windows Update and Microsoft Update? Surely everyone would be more secure if there was only MU? Thanks, Alex.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I would like to know how / if it's possible to get my Microsoft Update working while using the group policy settings.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I prefer to keep Windows 2000 on my PC

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    saol

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Unfortunately I do not like Vista very much. my favorite xp

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Microsoft Office 2003 is the best nobody can change them.

  • Anonymous
    July 29, 2010
    through GPO its only possible embedded in logon scripts. Wuaueng.dll in System32 needs to be at least 7.0.6000 example.vbs: Set ServiceManager = CreateObject("Microsoft.Update.ServiceManager") ServiceManager.ClientApplicationID = "My App" 'add the Microsoft Update Service, GUID Set NewUpdateService = ServiceManager.AddService2("7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d",7,"")

  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2013
    Wrong.. XP SP3, use link http://update.microsoft.com/ get bounced to support.microsoft.com/.../2497281 always.

  • Anonymous
    March 07, 2013
    This link -go.microsoft.com/fwlink goes to a 'Windows Update' advice page.This is very confussing as you have stated that "window" updates are "microsoft' updates or are they now one and the same entity and this page's advice is now redundant ?

  • Anonymous
    November 27, 2013
    After installing MS Office 2003 on a Win / 32bit computer and activating it, each Office program I open requests that I accept Terms and Conditions EVERY TIME I open it.. How to get rid of this problem?

  • Anonymous
    January 25, 2014
    Wonderful advice if only it worked. I have a newly installed and activated Windows 7 and Office 2003. I followed the advice with result zilch. The link simply causes Windows Update to run less the Office 2003 updates. Where can I access Office 2003 updates?Useless!

  • Anonymous
    February 19, 2014
    I have Office 2003. How can I read .docx and .xlsx files that i get as attachments to emails?

  • Anonymous
    August 31, 2014
    Do it manually. Install MS Office 2003. Download and install SP3. Download and install the latest updates in 2014 herehttp://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=43570. Download and install Office Compatibility pack to read docx and xlsx. Done.

  • Anonymous
    July 03, 2015
    The comment has been removed