The purpose of this article is to hopefully explain how Microsoft Windows updates are pushed out to UMS staff and faculty computers.
Detailed Information
Why are updates being pushed to my computer?
There are a few reasons that IT pushes out security updates to your computer. The most important is that we want to make sure your computers and more importantly your files and documents are as safe and secure as we can make them. One of the best ways to ensure this is to keep all the computers on campus up date with the latest updates. The University of Maine System also has security policies which we are all required to follow. For more information, see University of Maine System Information Security Policy.
How will I know when I have updates to apply?
When there are security updates that the IT department thinks need to be applied to your computer to keep it safe and secure, you will get a notification pop up at the bottom right of your Desktop.Clicking on the notification will bring up more information about what updates are being installed.
What should I do when I have updates?
If you aren't in the middle of anything too intensive you can choose "Apply all required changes now (recommended)".
- You can still work on your computer as you normally would. It might be a bit slower than normal but everything should still work.
- The computer won't restart automatically, when it is done, unless you check the box for it to do so
- If the box for Restart my computer automatically when needed is not checked, it will be prompted to restart within the next four hours.
What can I do if I am too busy to install updates right now?
You have a couple options available:
Remind Me Later
Click the "REMIND ME LATER" button.
- This will make the screen go away for awhile, but it will keep coming back up in the system tray to let you know you still have updates.
WARNING: Be aware that if you don't install the updates by the required installation deadline, the updates will install at that time or the next time your machine starts back up after that time. This could be when you are doing something important.
Install Later
Choose "Apply all required changes outside my business hours".
- This will cause the updates to install after hours
- As long as you check the "Restart my computer automatically if needed" your computer will be all patched and ready to go in the morning.
- This will require you to leave your computer on over night.
- Choose Apply all required changes outside my business hours
- Check the Restart my computer automatically if needed
- At the end of the day, save your work and log out of your computer (DO NOT Shutdown or power off)
WARNING: If you shut down your computer instead of just logging out, when you start your computer in the morning it will start the install of the updates then, so be sure to leave it powered on overnight.
What happens once the updates start installing?
- Once the updates start installing you will see a notification in lower-right of your desktop
- Once it is done installing and if you chose Restart my computer automatically if needed your computer will restart.
- If you did not choose to restart automatically you will be notified that your computer will need to be restarted to complete the update process.
- In the Restart Window you will presented with some options for how to handle the required restart
- You can restart now or your can snooze the restart for a few hours. Whichever works for you is fine.
What are Business Hours and how can I set them?
Business hours define when the update process should consider you to be working and lets it know to try avoid installing updates during that time
- By default your business hours are 5 am to 10 pm Monday thru Friday
- You can change the Business hours on your computer
- Open Software Center
- Click Options in the left pane of the Window
- Use the drop-downs to select the start time and end time for your work day and then check the boxes for the days you work.
INFO: If you want to automatically have your computer install available updates before the deadline, under Computer Maintenance section, check the box for Automatically install or uninstall required software and restart the computer only outside of specified business hours, then click Sync Policy
- Close Software Center
When are updates pushed to my computer?
- Microsoft releases updates on the second Tuesday of the month
- These updates are generally available to client computers on the third Tuesday of the month for self or out of Business hours installation
- Updates are required 21 days after the 2nd Tuesday of the month they were released, giving users 14 days to install at their convenience
Environment
- University-managed
- Windows 11
- Microsoft supported versions of Windows 10