Some clarification to Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Automatic Update on WinXP

Letting a recent Windows operating system, say, Windows XP SP2 update itself is very easy: just make sure you have those automatic updates enabled, and you are all set. Or are you? It turns out that especially with Windows XP, there's one manual step that you need to do. In the process, you might also become confused with the different terms.

Originally, Microsoft developed a web site called Windows Update, which, as it's name suggests, lets you update your Windows operating system components and those accessory applications that come with it (for instance, Internet Explorer and Media Player). But the problem is that common Microsoft applications such as Office, SQL Server or Visual Studio are not receiving automatic updates in Windows XP. With Windows Vista and forth-coming Window Server 2008, the situation is different, and you don't need to worry about this. So, the following only applies to Windows XP (SP2).

If you try to bring Office, Visual Studio and so forth to be part of the automatic updates, you can find it difficult to find the correct information. But the key is this: you have to learn that there's also a new service called Microsoft Update that is the version 6 of the older Windows Update that Windows XP uses by default. Now, Microsoft Update updates many common Microsoft products like Office, whereas Windows Update only updates Windows components. So, you need to replace Windows Update with Microsoft Update.

To do this, simply go to the Microsoft Update site, and follow the instructions. Once you are through, Windows XP's Automatic Updates will start using Microsoft Update instead of Windows Update, although this cannot be seen from the Automatic Updates user interface, as far as I'm aware (Control Panel/System/Automatic Updates). If you need to revert back to the older Windows Update, follow the instructions in KB article 901037. There's also a FAQ available. Good luck!