How to Update Microsoft Windows Live OneCare

Microsoft Windows Live OneCare is a comprehensive security program that is designed to protect your computer from a number of threats. In order to make sure that it is providing the best protection possible, it's important to keep the software updated so that it can counter new threats as they arise. Updating Microsoft Windows Live OneCare will only take a few moments of your time, in order to make sure that your PC has the latest security updates directly from Microsoft.

Instructions

1. Ensure that Microsoft Windows Live OneCare is currently running on your computer. If the software isn't running, launch it from the Start menu and wait for it to launch and initialize. If you do not yet have OneCare installed on your computer, install it using your software product key and Windows Live ID (usually an e-mail address for a Hotmail account, though you may create a Windows Live ID using other services as well.)

2. Click the "Check for Updates" button after Windows Live OneCare has launched. The software will connect via the internet to a Microsoft server to see what updates are available and whether the updates it finds are newer than those which are currently installed. If the updates are new, Windows Live OneCare will automatically begin downloading them so as to update its security definitions.

3. Check for Windows Live OneCare updates that may be distributed through Windows Update as well. These generally will be updates to the software itself and not its definitions, but are still important as they will help to correct possible problems that may be encountered with the software. Select any updates found in this manner and click the "Update" button, then wait for Windows to download and install them.

4. Restart your computer if necessary after any definition or software updates. If restarting is required, you will be asked whether you would like to restart as soon as the update is finished; if you select "No", the updates will be initialized after your next reboot.