How to update Windows and installed programs? Programs for automatic software updates
Good afternoon, dear readers and subscribers of the blog, in the modern world, where it is already difficult to imagine a device that does not have access to the global Internet, and this is understandable, people want to control everything from a computer or phone. To solve this problem, crowds of programmers create a huge number of programs every day, and the same number of programs are simply abandoned or not properly maintained. What I mean is, I’ll give a recent example when, due to another security hole in Windows XP or Windows 7, the world was shocked by the new WonnaCry virus. Every day, hackers find holes in software products and the question of how to implement automatic program updates, of which there are a lot installed, how to keep track of it. Agree that doing this manually is very time-consuming and people often forget about it, and it is understandable that they do not always have enough time for other things. Today I will try to help you with this and at least somehow more securely keep your computer safe.
Automatically update Windows 10 programs with SUMo
It is logical that someone has already thought about this and asked the same question, that there should be an automatic program update service that runs either on a schedule or manually and checks what is installed on the system and compares it with the latest available versions of programs. Today I want to talk about the Software Updates Monitor utility.
Software Updates Monitor is a free utility designed to monitor software; it has a portable version and is in Russian, which is very nice. You can download SUMo from the link
http://www.kcsoftwares.com/?sumo
Click the Download button.
I would like to immediately advise you to download the portable version, as it will not contain additional sponsored software
At the very bottom, click the archive icon, it is highlighted with a red circle.
When you first launch Software Updates Monitor, it will automatically scan your Windows 10 or another version, this is done in order to find all the utilities present on the computer in the Windows registry.
The process itself takes a minute at most, but it all depends on your disk or SSD.
Once Software Updates Monitor finds all the software, I advise you to go into the settings and see what is there in order to customize everything for yourself.
- Loading at startup > in Russian this is, if you want the utility to always be on alert and you don’t mind a few resources, then I advise you to install it.
- Checking for SUMo updates at startup > is necessary to keep the utility itself up to date
- Checking for updates at startup > if you want full automatic updates of programs on your computer, then leave it, I personally don’t install it, it’s enough for me to run it once a week and check it myself.
- Update Microsoft products > you can install it, updates for Windows and its additional products will be downloaded.
- Other minor settings
And so, as a result of scanning, you will receive a consolidated list of software. It is marked in red that it is advisable to update, since your utilities are very outdated. Less critical versions are in yellow, relevant versions are in green.
How the update occurs, here is the algorithm. After scanning, you select the desired program, in my example it will be 7Zip. Click "Update". You will be redirected to a site where you will download the latest stable version.
Personally, I can also advise you to try opening the desired program and see if it offers to update, most often it has such functions, but many people disable them
Please note that by default the Download button will take you to the utility store for purchase, we don’t need this, just above the button there is always a link to the official website of the program, in my example it is igor Pavlov and the link is on the web button, there you will download &Zip, I think you understand the principle.
This utility will help you find out about the release of the latest versions of programs installed on your operating system; I advise you to use it.
Not many people know about this, but new viruses appear every day. And today they are capable of causing such harm to a computer that it would have been difficult to imagine yesterday. Therefore, every user should be aware of the relevance of protecting their operating system. To keep your Windows secure, it needs to be updated regularly. But if the virus has already settled on your PC, check out and download a free antivirus from our catalog.
The importance of Windows updates
If a couple of decades ago Windows 98 was an ideal and, as it was considered, safe system, now there is no need to talk about this. Microsoft hasn't released updates for it for a long time. The corporation took a different path, releasing Windows XP, then Vista, later Windows 7, etc. So-called “patches” are regularly issued for them.
A patch is a specific software package that increases system security. At the time the operating system is released, it is safe. But every day, hackers all over the world try to find new vulnerabilities and find them; failures unexpected during development appear in the system, leading to various system problems. Installing scheduled Windows updates in most cases helps solve these problems.
Windows operating system update
The first step is to enable automatic updates. To do this, you need to go to the “Control Panel” and find the “Windows Update” item in it.
The next window requires configuration. Select “Settings parameters”.
The shield icon with a checkmark has a drop-down list.
It is important that one of the first three points is selected. The best is considered to be an automatic process, which is recommended by the system.
When choosing the last item, you cannot count on 100% security of the OS.
After configuring the update settings, click the “OK” button.
The screenshot shows which updates are important and optional. In this example, there are 14 important pieces, and 38 unimportant ones.
Important updates should always be installed. The second, depending on the wishes of the user (Administrator).
Software update
The user works on the computer and has fun using various programs and games. The problem is that hackers regularly look for holes in installed software. How can this be used against the computer owner?
For example, VLC player can play streaming video and audio. Knowing this, an attacker can attack the port used by this program. Therefore, very often various software notifies that an update has appeared. Usually the user is prompted to download it. Also on the download site (official website) there is information about bugs fixed in the previous version and apologies in the new one.
SUMo (Software Updates Monitor)
This small free utility is capable of finding all kinds of updates for installed programs on your computer.
The EXE file opens without installation. The program has a Russian-language, intuitive interface.
Before you start using SUMo, you should understand the settings.
Here you can select the interface language and make some program settings. By default they are set optimally. Nothing needs to be changed here. Points 2 to 4 must be checked. They make it easier for the user to work with the program.
By clicking on the “Automatically find installed applications” button, the program will begin searching for outdated software and updates for it.
In the example, all programs with an exclamation mark require updating. SUMo indicates available new versions. For example, Winrar 3.71.0.0 can be updated to Winrar 5.31.0.0.
By clicking on the “Update” button, the update process will begin.
You can also run this procedure in another way, which is shown in the screenshot below.
Two ways to increase system security will make the lives of PC users more relaxed and reliable!
Updating programs is one of the most important procedures that must be performed on a computer. Unfortunately, many users neglect to install updates, especially since certain software can handle this on their own. But in a number of other cases you should go to the developer’s website to download the installation file. Today we'll look at how you can easily and quickly update the software on your computer using UpdateStar.
UpdateStar is an effective solution for installing new versions of software, drivers and Windows components or, more simply put, updating installed software. Using this tool, you can almost completely automate the process of updating programs, which will allow you to achieve the best performance and security of your computer.
How to update programs with UpdateStar?
1. Download the installation file and install it on your computer.
2. At the first launch, a thorough system scan will be carried out, during which the installed software and the availability of updates for it will be determined.
3. Once the scan is completed, a report of the software updates found will be displayed on your screen. A separate item displays the number of important updates that should be updated first.
4. Click the button "List of programs" to display a list of all software installed on your computer. By default, all software that will be checked for updates will be checked. If you uncheck those programs that should not be updated, UpdateStar will stop paying attention to them.
5. A program that requires an update is marked with a red exclamation point. Slightly to the right of it there are two buttons "Download" . Clicking on the left button will redirect you to the UpdateStar website, where you can download the update for the selected product, and clicking on the right “Download” button will immediately begin downloading the installation file to your computer.
6. Run the downloaded installation file to update the program. Do the same with all installed software, drivers and other components that require updates.
Updates are an integral part of any software product. Developers never stand still, constantly improving the performance of their own programs and optimizing their work. It’s no secret that large software products require downloading updates almost every week, but for users this is a waste of time and an “unnecessary” reboot of the computer, so annoying notifications can be easily turned off in the settings and “sleep peacefully.”
However, such a policy in relation to programs and the operating system will not lead to anything good. Updates help optimize the operation of the software, which means it increases the speed of its operation and allows you to forget about annoying errors or incorrectly working functions.
Windows Update
Windows operating system updates are one of the most important, as developers optimize the OS, improve security, and also fix bugs. If you are the happy owner of a licensed copy of Windows, then the Update Center by default checks for updates and notifies the user about their availability, so if you see a dialog box asking you to download and install the update, do not hesitate to agree or put it off for 1-3 hours until there will be an opportunity to take a break from work.
Automatic update
If the update center is disabled or you want to check for updates for your operating system manually, you need to open the following window from the menu:
Start→Toolbar→System
Opening “Windows Update”
Press the button “Checking for updates for your computer” and wait for the search results. If there are updates, we agree to download them and after the download and installation are complete, reboot the computer.
Manual update
Often there is a need to update the operating system of computers that are not connected to the Internet. What to do in such situations? Use third party software.
WSUS Offline Update is an indispensable program for those who need to get the latest Windows updates for computers not connected to the Internet. The program downloads updates to a computer with an Internet connection, after which it offers to save the data in ISO format or simply burn it to a DVD. Then it will be enough to unpack the files on the selected computer and enjoy the updated operating system.
The program will also help you download C++ Runtime libraries, Microsoft Security Essentials, Windows Defender Definition databases and much more.
Software updates
With programs, as a rule, everything is somewhat more complicated, since not all developers provide an automatic update function via the Internet when releasing updates, so they often have to be downloaded manually.
Automatic update
Agree, almost every computer has several dozen, if not hundreds, of different programs installed. Each of them allows users to perform different tasks, from watching movies to editing photos or designing buildings. Large companies such as Adobe or Sony regularly release updates for current versions of software products, which not only expand functionality and fix errors, but also significantly improve software optimization.
Manually updating each program individually is too time consuming - this process can take a whole day, depending on the amount of software installed. In such cases, update search programs help out by collecting information about current versions of installed software and comparing them with what the official developer website offers.
Appupdater is a small program that was developed by a group of enthusiasts. The program allows you to check for free software updates from a small list compiled by developers. If there are updates, the program appears in the list indicating the official website of the program.
FileHippo AppManager is a small and lightweight program that is developed on the basis of an older program called FileHippo Update Checker, but unlike its “parent”, it allows you to immediately download and install updates. Allows you to find updates for most popular software products. A distinctive feature of the program is that it can also find beta versions of your applications.
Ninite Updater Free is a simple solution for finding updates for your software. Before downloading the program, users need to select a list of software on the official website whose updates you are interested in. The developers offer free and paid versions of the program, the differences between which are the list of supported software, speed and additional functions.
Manual update
If there are not many programs on your personal computer that need to be updated, then you can search for updates manually.
You can check for updates via Settings→ Updates.
If such a function is missing, then simply go to the developers’ website ( Menu - About the Program) and look at the latest information about the current version of the program.
Every conscientious software developer monitors errors that users discover during their work and promptly fixes them by releasing updates. If, in addition to corrections, there are no significant changes in the program, then the new version is usually assigned an intermediate number, for example, "5.1.14". This numbering allows the user to decide whether to update the program or not. If the application is stable, it is hardly worth wasting your time searching for and installing a newer interim release. However, when the program closes with an error or conflicts with the hardware, in this case an update is simply necessary. Another reason to regularly monitor updates is the security issue. If the program stores confidential user data (for example, a utility for storing passwords, a browser, an antivirus, or an application for working with electronic payment systems), updates should be performed as often as possible. The number of installed applications on a computer can be in the tens or even hundreds. Most of them receive regular updates. And even if you adhere to simple logic and update applications only when necessary, it is not always possible to notice the release of a new version. It’s good if the program has a function to automatically check for updates every time you start it or at a specified frequency. But if it is not there, constantly monitoring the release of new versions takes a lot of time, because you need to regularly visit the official website of the program and look for an update in the appropriate section.
In most cases, the developers of a particular program offer to subscribe to the manufacturer's newsletter. This service can be provided on the official website of the program and is offered during its installation process. This option is convenient, but not without its drawbacks. Emails with notifications of this kind are often identified by antispam protection as advertising junk, so in order to find the desired email in the spam folder, you need to waste your time again. In addition, in addition to information about updates, truly useless messages may arrive in your mailbox, for example, about the presentation of a new utility or about discounts on purchasing programs. However, there is a simple but very effective way to solve the problem of finding and installing software updates - using special applications to monitor new software versions.
Update Checker 1.032
Developer: FileHippo.comDistribution size: 154 kb
Spreading: free This project was implemented by the popular online software directory - FileHippo.com. Update Checker is a tiny client that allows you to use the online service of this portal. Update Checker does not have an interface as such - it uses a browser window to display information. In order for the program to run, the Microsoft .NET Framework must be installed on the system. After launching, Update Checker searches the system for a list of installed applications, and then sends a request to the FileHippo.com website. Having compared the versions of programs from the list with those available in the catalog, the service generates a list of outdated programs, indicating a download link opposite each one. On the program list page, you can see the latest version of each application, as well as the one installed on your computer. A separate list on the page shows beta versions of popular programs.
SUMo 2.6
Developer: KC SoftwaresDistribution size: 1.5 MB
Spreading: free This utility was created by the same developer who made a lot of other useful utilities, including such well-known ones as VideoInspector, KFK, AVIToolbox and others. The somewhat unusual name of the utility - SUMo - is actually an abbreviation and stands for Sofware Updates Monitor. SUMo allows you to search for updates on the Internet both for a single application and for all programs installed on the system. If you need to manually check the availability of an update for a specific utility, just drag its executable EXE file into the working window, then select a new item in the list and select the “Check” command in the program’s context menu. Similarly, you can “open” DLLs and ActiveX files in the program.
SUMo can also scan for installed applications. The scanning process will collect information about the installed version number and compare it with the latest available version. Scanning can be done in two modes - normal and advanced. The second option allows you to more accurately determine the list of installed software, but it will take more time to use. In the list of detected installed software, you can see the current version number and the name of the developer company. If the program detects that the installed application can be updated, the phrase “Update available” will be displayed in the “Update” column of the list of software being checked, and the update number will also be shown.
For clarity, each program in the list is marked with its own icon, which makes it possible, by taking a quick glance at the list of applications, to quickly determine which of the installed utilities are updated, for which updating is not necessary, and for which, on the contrary, it is highly recommended. Downloading updates is not very convenient - in order to download an update, you need to perform several steps. If you select the command in the context menu of the program "Update" or use the button of the same name in the SUMo window, the utility will redirect to the project page, where several links will be generated. Contrary to logic, these are not download links, but search queries, mainly from various large software catalogs. As a result, a somewhat strange picture emerges - Sofware Updates Monitor detects the presence of an update for the application, but the user often has to search for the update distribution package on his own. If the list of installed programs contains some for which you do not need to search for updates, you can create a list of applications prohibited for monitoring.
AppSnap 1.3.3
Developer: Ganesh ViswanathanDistribution size: 5.2 MB
Spreading: free To monitor new versions of applications, the AppSnap utility accesses its own database. Unfortunately, the number of supported programs is not very large, so it is possible that in the “Installed” section you will not see even half of the software available on your computer. The fact is that the program searches the system only for those applications for which it can show the availability of the latest versions. This is a very big drawback, although, in fairness, it should be noted that the small list of programs for which AppSnap can track updates is well selected. Indeed, it contains the most common utilities - 7-zip, Winamp, Firefox, uTorrent, Opera and other popular programs (several hundred in total).
You can download and install updates directly from the AppSnap window. During the boot process, a process status bar is displayed on the screen.
The developers entrusted users with replenishing the program database. So, in order for subsequent versions of the utility to be able to check for an update to a program that is not in the database, the “unknown application” must be entered manually by filling out the appropriate form on the official AppSnap website.
UpdateStar Premium 4
Developer: UpdateStarDistribution size: 4.8 MB
Spreading: shareware The UpdateStar interface is presented as a ribbon with tabs, each of which contains its own settings and tools. The program has multilingual support, including Russian. To make monitoring updates as convenient as possible, the program developers have endowed it with a number of features. Firstly, UpdateStar users will not need to search the Internet for software distributions, since the utility redirects to a page where there are download links. Secondly, the program has one very convenient function - sorting applications according to different criteria. Among these criteria there is, for example, “Security level”. This parameter is shown as a set of stars and characterizes how relevant the issue of data confidentiality is for a given application. Obviously, higher priority programs (with more stars) should be updated first.
By identifying the software installed on a computer and providing information about programs (latest version number, application security rating, etc.), UpdateStar relies on its own online database. Despite the huge number of applications indexed by this utility (about three hundred thousand of all kinds of items - from graphic editors and anti-virus programs to professional packages for application development, engineering design, etc.), errors and inaccuracies are possible in the process of work, which can be related to with erroneous entries in the system registry, or with the fact that the database may not have an entry about the found application. But even in this case, UpdateStar allows you to work around the problems. So, for example, a program that the program has not identified can be flagged and a request can be made to the UpdateStar developers about it. After some time, it will already be included in the database for monitoring updates, the volume of which, by the way, is constantly increasing. The accuracy of determining installed applications is quite high, but still, before starting a system scan, it would be a good idea to use the integrated registry cleaning tool. If, as a result of incorrect uninstallation of an application, unnecessary entries remain in the system registry, this tool will allow you to remove them. To be on the safe side, before deleting “junk” entries in the registry, you can make a backup copy of the deleted data in UpdateStar. In this case, if unplanned errors occur, you can import data into the registry, returning to the previous state.
In order to keep track of the release of new versions of programs, it is not at all necessary that they all be installed on a given computer. You can check the availability of new releases using a pre-exported list of programs. This list can be saved in UpdateStar's native format or as an HTML file. If, say, the update rating used by a program by default does not coincide with the user's ideas about which programs should be updated first, he can use an additional criterion - his own rating. By setting each program its own priority, you can quickly determine in the future which programs you use should be updated. You need to spend some time compiling your own rating. If you're too lazy to do this, you can simply focus on the average rating of applications, which is determined as the average data about user priorities in UpdateStar. The program also presents statistics on installed applications in the form of a visual diagram. UpdateStar stores update history. In the program, you can view statistics that contain data about the installation time of a particular application.
Once launched, UpdateStar analyzes the system and determines the versions of installed programs. By creating a list of installed software on the "Programs" tab, opposite each application whose version is outdated, the utility generates a link to download a more recent release. After clicking on this link, a browser window will open, which will provide detailed information about the selected program - screenshots of the application's working window, a link to the developer's official website, training videos demonstrating the program's capabilities (if any), and, of course, a direct link to download the new version. UpdateStar can automatically download along with the system and allows you to run scheduled update checks. The built-in task scheduler allows you to automatically monitor updates daily, weekly or monthly at a specific time. To download information from the Internet, the program can work with the specified proxy server settings and also use a secure SSL connection.