UPDATES YOUR COMPUTER MAY NEED
         
Name of update* What does this update do? How often are these updates released? How long to download & install?
How important is this update? [Maximum = 5 stars]        
      With a slow Dial-up Connection  With a High Speed Internet Connection
         
         
1) Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack-3 This major update is like the "C" version of Windows XP. This was a one-shot update Could take about 4 or 5 hours or more About 20-40 minutes
κκκκκ (Okay, so actually it's like the "D" version of Windows XP.) that was released about 6 months    
  It contains many security updates and bug fixes. ago, but is still being downloaded    
  If you purchase a new PC now that still has Windows XP, you will and installed by people who    
  automatically receive the Service Pack-3 version of Windows XP. have Service Pack-2 on their    
    computers. This update is automatically    
    downloaded and installed if you have    
    Automatic Updating turned ON, but    
    be sure you don't prematurely cut off    
    your Internet connection or turn OFF the    
    computer while it is downloading.    
         
2) Microsoft Windows XP Security Updates, Critical  These are periodic updates to make your computer more At least once a month. Depends on how up-to-date your Depends on how up-to-date your
   Updates, and Optional Updates secure against viruses and hackers. They also update   computer already is, but it could computer already is, but it could
κκκκκ your hardware and software to make them work better.   take about 10-20 minutes. take about 3-10 minutes.
         
3) Microsoft Office updates (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, These updates make your Office programs more secure These are released about once a quarter. Depends on how up-to-date your Office Depends on how up-to-date your Office
   Access, Outlook, etc.) and fixes bugs in them.    programs already are, but it could take programs already are, but it could take
κκκκ     about 3 to 10 minutes. about 3 to 5 minutes.
4) Internet Explorer, Outlook Express updates These updates make your Internet Explorer and Outlook Express more secure      
κκκκκ and fixes bugs in them. They are included in # 1and # 2 above.      
         
5)  America Online updates These are periodic updates to make your computer more These updates are released frequently  Could take anywhere from 30 seconds Could take anywhere from 15 seconds
κκκκ secure against viruses and hackers, fix certain (maybe every other week). to about 3 minutes. to about 3 minutes.
  bugs in the America Online software, and to add      
  new features to their software.      
         
6) Norton Internet Security, Norton AntiVirus, Norton These are updates to the Norton programs themselves  These updates are released about once Depends on if you just installed a  Depends on if you just installed a 
     AntiSpam, Norton Personal Firewall, to make them more effective at catching and removing a week or so. new version of Norton or if you  new version of Norton or if you 
  Norton SystemWorks, etc. viruses or blocking hackers, etc. Since there are something   are just updating a version that you've are just updating a version that you've
κκκκκ like 10 new viruses introduced every day, there is an   had on your computer for awhile. had on your computer for awhile.
  update that contains a list of the newest viruses, too.   It could take anywhere from 20 seconds It could take anywhere from 20 seconds
      to 2 or 3 hours. to 30 or 40 minutes or more.
         
7) McAfee VirusScan, Firewall, SpamKiller, etc., Spy Sweeper Same as # 6 Same as # 6 Same as # 6 Same as # 6
Spybot, Ad-Aware, etc.        
κκκκκ     to 1 hour or more. to 15 minutes or more.
         
8) Hewlett-Packard printer software updates, graphics HP releases updates to fix bugs in their printing and Unknown, but not very frequent. It could take anywhere from 1 minute It could take anywhere from 30 seconds
   program updates graphics software and to improve and/or add certain features.   to about 3 minutes. to about 1 minute or slightly more.
κκ        
         
         
9) Sonic CD/DVD burning program updates, Sonic, Ulead, and Nero release updates to fix bugs in their software Unknown, but not very frequent. It could take anywhere from 1 minute It could take anywhere from 30 seconds
Ulead CD/DVD burning program updates,  and to add new features to their programs for making your own   to about 3 minutes. to about 1 minute or slightly more.
Nero CD/DVD burning program updates, etc. CDs or DVDs.      
κ        
10) Dell system, HP system, Compaq system, IBM system, Computer manufacturers release updates to fix bugs in their  These are probably released about once It could take anywhere from 1 minute It could take anywhere from 30 seconds
   Sony system, Gateway system, Toshiba system, hardware and software. a month, but it depends on the company. to about 3 minutes. to about 1 minute or slightly more.
  eMachines systems, etc., etc.        
κκκ        
11) Microtek scanner software updates, Lexmark These are updates to improve your scanner/All-in-One machine/ These are probably released about once    
scanner/printer updates, HP scanner updates, printer software and fix bugs in it. a month, but we're not sure.    
Dell scanner/printer, etc., etc.        
κ        
12) Macromedia Flash Player updates Macromedia Flash is a program used on web pages and CDs to These updates are infrequent. These updates are fairly fast, taking about These updates are fairly fast, taking about
κκκκ display animation, video, and games. These updates   1 minute or slightly more. 1 minute or less.
  usually add new features and improve the operation of the      
  Player.      
         
13) Adobe Reader updates Adobe Reader is a very popular program used for  These updates come out about once a These updates take about 1 minute to  These updates take about 1 minute
κκκ manuals, tax return forms, invoices (including ours). quarter. 5 minutes to download & install. to 3 minutes to install.
  These updates fix bugs and add new features.      
         
14) Kodak EasyShare updates Kodak EasyShare is a program used to download  Unknown, but not too frequent. Unknown, but probably not more than about Unknown, but probably not more than 
κκ pictures from a Kodak Digital Camera and edit the pictures.   3 minutes. about 1 minute.
         
15) QuickBooks, Quicken, Microsoft Money These updates make these programs more secure against Probably every quarter or so About 1 to 15 minutes or more. About 1 to 5 minutes.
κκκκ hackers trying to steal your financial data, fix bugs      
  in the programs, and add new features.      
         
16) Firefox browser, Netscape browser Same as # 4. Same as # 4. Same as # 4. Same as # 4.
κκκ        

* The programs listed are generally easier to update from within the programs themselves  (for example, through the "LiveUpdate" program, which is built into Norton programs) rather than going to the manufacturer's web site by clicking on the links shown for each program. The addresses for these web sites change frequently, so these links may not work for long. Be sure to look for a link or button on the manufacturer's web site that says, "Updates," "Support," "Driver Downloads," etc., if the links on this page no longer work.

This information may change without notice and includes some of our best guesses as of June 6, 2006.

Microsoft Excel version of above