Windows Updates | Computing for Arts + Sciences

Windows Updates

Installing Windows updates is critical to keeping computers safe and secure as well as providing new features and performance improvements to the Windows operating system.

CAS provides our users with the ability to install updates at any time and enforces a scheduled update time on each of our systems, in order to keep our systems up to date.

Updates in Windows 10

  1. Click on the Start Menu

  2. Click on the Settings button (cogwheel)

  3. Click on the tile for Update & Security

To Check for Updates

  1. Open the Updates window

  2. Click the Check for Updates button

To Install Updates

Any CAS user is able to install updates at any time through the Updates window. Installing updates regularly can help keep your system up to date when it is most convinient to you and help prevent large amounts of updates from accumulating and installing at the same time.

  1. After checking for Updates, or if updates have previously been found
  2. Available updates will be listed in the Windows Update window

  3. Click the Install Now button

Setting Your Active Hours

Active hours tells your computer when not to attempt installing updates. This does not necessarily mean updates will never install during these hours, however it will attempt to delay the updates during the selected hours.

By default, the active hours are set from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and can be adjusted up to a maximum length of 18 hours.

  1. From the Updates window

  2. Click on Change Active Hours

  3. Set the Start and End times as desired

  4. Click Save

Pausing Updates

In some situations, it may be necessary to prevent updates temporarily due to large projects or other deadlines.

With Windows 10 Enterprise you are able to pause updates for up to 35 days. After the time is up however, Windows will automatically check for and install updates and will prevent pausing updates again until after any available updates have been installed.

  1. From the Updates window
  2. Click Advanced Options

  3. Click the toggle switch, which by default is set to Off

  4. Settings automatically save. Click the back arrow to return, or close the window.

  5. You can verify that updates have been paused by opening the Updates window.

You can re-enable updates manually by toggling the switch in Advanced Options back to the Off position. Doing so will cause Windows to immediately check for updates.