• Download & Install Windows Updates

     

    Periodically, the DPS IT folks will push down a bunch of system software updates to all of our computers, which, for a time, slows them down significantly. This happens automatically, but there are a few ways you can minimize the inconvenience:

     

    • Desktop computers and laptops must be turned on and connected to our network to download system software updates.

     

    • It's best to leave all of the desktop computers on all night for this.

     

    • It is okay to take your laptop home, just know that if it doesn’t download all of the updates one day, it will resume downloading them as soon as it connects to the DPS network.

     

    • Your computer will not tell you when it begins or ends this process.

     

    • This is a 2-step process: first, the computer downloads the updates while it’s on the network, then the computer installs those updates while it’s shutting down (many updates can’t be installed while the Operating System is running). If your computer is interrupted while it is in the middle of downloading updates it may ask you to install those updates even though it hasn’t downloaded all of them yet. Your computer will resume downloading the rest of the updates as soon as it can.

     

    • When some or all of the updates have downloaded, “Install Updates & Shut Down” will appear as an option in the “Shut Down” menu (you use this to shut down, restart, log off, etc.). When all of the updates are finished downloading, it is not necessary to be connected to a network to install them.

     

    • Select “Install Updates & Shut Down” as soon as you are able, but this will require your computer to be left on for a few minutes as it installs these updates (again, it doesn’t have to be on a network to install updates, only to download them). Avoid forcing your computer off while it is installing updates. Turning off a computer while it is installing updates will make the installation process take even longer the next time.

     

    • When the process is finished, the computer will shut down on its own. When you boot the computer back up, it will tell you that it needs a moment to “configure” the updates it has just installed. This won’t take too long but it will take a bit longer than normal to boot up. It will also take a bit longer than normal to log in. After that, your computer should behave normally again.