So many updates

[Coldicote]

I very frequently see a gold coloured shield-shaped symbol, bottom right of my screen, inviting me to download updates. First of all who or what does this gold symbol represent? I don't see it anywhere else and it doesn't appear on the Control Panel of my PC. If it's to do with Windows I would have expected the more familiar Windows symbol. Are so many updates really necessary and can anyone give an example of one? Thanks.

[Count-A-Strong]

Right click on it and go to properties. Sounds like some sort of anti virus, possibly Symantec.

[ChuckFickens]

The yellow shield is to tell you there are microsoft updates available for windows.

And yes, the updates are necessary, a lot of them are security patches for problems that have been discovered, if you don't install the updates you are leaving your computer at risk.

[ChuckFickens]

Here is a list of this months updates.

http://www.microsoft....bulletins/201008.aspx

They are normally rolled out by Microsoft every Tuesday (apart from very rare occasions when they rush out a update outside the normal schedule)

[cazzz1975]

I hate them...

[bibblebub]

just had 10 updates this afternoon

[ChuckFickens]

Just to make it clear as well, this isn't a windows only thing, Mac OSX and Linux also download large amounts of updates every week.

It's just something that people need to get used to in modern day computing, with computers being more and more left permanently attached to the internet then these security updates are more important than ever.

[Coldicote]

It was frustrating not knowing who was 'imposing' these never-ending updates, but I don't feel so mad about it now I know it is Microsoft sending them out to Windows and other systems. Thanks a lot for your help.

[carlton23]

Microsoft can automatically download your updates at any time you specify that won`t interfere with your work when you switch off if your go on their website.