How To Configure Automatic Updates to Prompt You Before You Download Updates in Windows XP

This article describes how to configure the Automatic Updates feature to prompt you before you download updates.

Configure the Automatic Updates Feature

To configure the Automatic Updates feature:

1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click Notify me before downloading any updates and notify me again before installing them on my computer.

When you configure this setting, Automatic Updates checks the Windows Update site periodically for critical updates while the computer is connected to the Internet but the connection to the Internet is not being used.

After Automatic Updates has compiled a list of available updates, a list of updates is displayed. Click any updates that you want to download. Automatic Updates downloads only the updates that you selected. When the download is complete, you are prompted to install the updates. Some updates require that you restart the computer after you install these updates.

NOTE: If you do not select updates from the list, these updates are not displayed in any lists that Automatic Updates generates in the future. To unhide these updates, click Restore Hidden Items on the Automatic Updates tab.