What Microsoft doesn’t tell you about windows updates.

Note: If you have the current windows CD with the latest service packs, you can skip the Scenario.

Scenario:
Your computer is running slower and slower, and is doing weird things. So like many people you just reinstall a clean version of 98, xp, 2000 on your computer using that older install CD disk that came with the computer. These disks contain the original version of windows that is full of holes and bad places where Spam Bugs (hackers and viruses and the like) can get into your system and do vindictive things. So you go online to Microsoft Windows update to get the latest patches and service packs to protect your computer system.
If you do this you are going to get blasted with Spam Bugs of all kinds when you go up on line to do the windows updates. Some of these Spam Bugs pop up right in front of you, warning you that your system is failing in some way and that you must take immediate action. DO NOT CLICK ON ANY OF THEM ! Try using CTRL F4 to close that window. It appears as though Microsoft wants you get and use the latest CD version of their windows for your updates and they discourage the use of updates online with older versions of windows.

For those that think that they paid good money for windows, and don't feel like buying new software every year or so, here are some helpful hints.
Basic: To minimize the number of Spam bugs and the like, Get on line, do a few windows updates fast and then get off line. Repeat until all updates are done.

Detail: Start with only the critical update files. It is best to do the list of small size files first. Then log off the Internet. Unplug the DSL cable from the computer. ( Dial up users do not have to disconnect their phone line. ) Run your anti virus, anti spyware programs to clean up your file system. (You will be surprised at the number of Span Bug hits that you received while doing the update ) Plug the DSL cable back in. Go on line and get the rest of the small files saving the large file for last. Log off, disconnect the DSL cable, run anti virus, anti spyware programs to clean up your file system. Keep going back for more updates until there are no more updates. Microsoft does not give all the updates at one time, You will have to go back several times to get them all. As your updates are done, You will find that the unwanted hits become fewer and fewer. Once your system is totally updated you can leave the DSL cable plugged in with reasonable safety.

The story of the worst experience in doing the updates from our repair department.

This person had a 2.2gh ( very fast ) H.P. computer. It ran so slow that it took almost 15 minutes to start up. After digging out over 1100 spy-ware bugs and a dozen or so viruses, I gave up and decided to do a total reinstall of windows. Once installed, I plugged in the DSL cable. At that moment the Spam Bugs hit the screen so fast that I could hardly click them away fast enough. Try as hard as I could, I could not get through the windows updates. I would manage to get part way and end up with a Spam bug that I just could not get rid of. After a second reinstall I gave up, and took the computer to the shop where I was able to do the all of the installs and updates. After some inquiries about the history of the computer, I learned that system was an older windows 2000 system that was never updated. The owner admitted that a lot of computer free games where downloaded and maybe a few XXX files might have gotten downloaded. What transpired next was that the Spy-ware programs (out there) got the I.P. address of the computer. This address then gets sold to every “Bad Boy Internet site” that was willing to pay for that information and what ever else that got commandeered off the computer. These hits just keep blasting away milking the computer system of any valuable information that it may have had!

Moral of the story:
This person thought they where protected with Norton firewall installed. But there was too much going on for the firewall to do its job. So here is the question.  If the brakes on your car were not working properly, would you take your car in and have them make the horn sound louder? No of course not. Your attempt to clear other cars out of the way is just plain stupid. So do your windows updates first.

Doing those horrible windows updates.

Windows updates has moved up to the number one spot in “WeStopSpam” and is now the most important thing that you can do to prevent Spam bugs, viruses and spy ware.

Note: Different sites use different meanings for the name “Spam”. At “WeStopSpam”,  “Spam Bugs” are all types of  Spam, all types of viruses, and all types of spy ware, but not E-mail Spam. For more information about E-mail Spam, see “E-mail Spam” on the home page.

Why are windows updates so important?

When windows first came out, it was solid and stable. As time went on, malicious and vindictive computer programmers figured out how to get into the windows operating system and make it do malicious things. Simply they found security leaks in the windows operating system and used it to their advantage to seek out information and get it from your hard drive. This process is often called spy ware. (Click the spy-ware button for more detail.  Spy-ware could be a multi billion dollar illegal enterprise)

To combat all of the security breaches, Ms windows makes patches to fix the breach. Ms windows is working overtime on their windows products, in an attempt to “plug the leaks” faster than the bad programmers that are writing them. There are an estimated 1000 or so patches to plug all of the breaches. The breaches may be (are) reaching an epidemic level(s). If you think I am over doing it, get an older copy of windows 95, 98, 2000 and try to install it on a clean hard drive with a new I.P. account. Go to *http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and do the updates. You will get a half a dozen or so popups telling you that you have viruses or what ever. DO NOT CLICK ON THEM! Do not click on any of them not even if it tells you it is a Microsoft product. You just want to get through a few of the more important critical update patches. Now log off of the Internet and load a virus and spy-ware scanner. If you don’t find at lease 50 or so more Spam bugs, I’ll eat my hat and that is a promise!  Now go back up to Microsoft windows Update and get a few more critical updates, you will get far fewer Spam bug hits. You may have to go back a third time to do the final cleanup. You may ask why use old windows Versions instead of newer versions, of windows, because there are more windows 98, 2000 systems out there, I know because the stats on this site show windows 98, 2000 more prevalent than any other operating system. Things get worse if you try to do a reinstall from a system that was inundated with Spam bugs. Even if you buy a new hard drive that is virus free, when you install new and then try to do ms updates, your computer will get blasted with Spam bugs! How can this be you say? Simply the “spy sites” have your IP address (& who knows what else) and they know that your system is vulnerable to their hits.
P.S. Who knows to whom they sell their database to?

Do ALL of the critical Ms updates!
The Ms Links on this page may not work correctly,  for a good reason.  You must use “Ms internet explorer” You can’t do updates with a third party browser!  (like A.O.L)  Also the back button does not work properly.
If you want to do the updates now, It is as easy as 1,2,3
1. Make sure you are using “Ms internet explorer”
2. Go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
3. Follow the very easy steps on the MS site. 

Note. In all of my experience, the updates are free to do. Except for windows XP and windows 2003. If you have a windows XP system, be careful when doing updates to SP2 or SP3 if you don’t have a valid registered copy of XP, you will have to call Microsoft and get a valid key code number to finish the install. Do it you will need SP2. I had a customer call Microsoft and tell them that they had windows XP that quit working and traded in for a newer used computer that also had XP on it. The customer had to pay $50.00 for the new key code number. However all bets are off, you may have to pay full price for  XP.