Just like with Windows, Microsoft also periodically releases patches and fixes for Office. Office is the most popular business application suite in the world, so most of you probably want this update.

Some versions of Office include a Help > Check for Updates command. Check in your version of Microsoft Word to see if that's there. If so, you can use that command to jump directly to the Office Update Web site. If not, open your web browser manually and go to the Microsoft Office Update website.

From the Office Update web page, click Check for Updates, and then follow the prompts. The exact steps vary depending on your version of Office and depending on when you do this. The available updates appear with checkmarks next to them, as in Figure 3-6, and you can click Start Installation to install them.

Microsoft constantly changes their offerings, so it may look different on the day you do it than it does in Figure 3-6.

Figure 3-6: Microsoft Office Update.

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Update Your System BIOS

The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) is the little program that helps the computer start up when you press the power button. It's hard-coded into a chip inside your computer (on the motherboard), so it can't be accidentally erased. However, this chip's content can be modified with a special utility so that important updates to the BIOS can be made without having to buy a new chip (or worse yet, a new motherboard).

A BIOS update can potentially correct problems with hardware interaction (for example, if your computer won't work with a certain new piece of hardware you've installed), as well as certain startup and shutdown problems. Typically, you would update your BIOS only upon the recommendation of the technical support staff for your computer manufacturer after going through a troubleshooting process over the phone with them.

There's a lot of potential for you to harm your computer by changing the BIOS, so be very careful and only change it if you know exactly what you're doing.

Here's how it works.

1. Check your BIOS version by looking for its code when the computer first starts up. It'll say something about BIOS, followed by a long version number. If it scrolls by too quickly at startup, press the Pause/Break key on your keyboard to pause it while you write it down.
2. Go to the website for your computer's manufacturer and see whether a BIOS update is available. The numbers must match up for the BIOS version.

Putting an update for the wrong BIOS on your computer can disable it.

3. If there's an updated BIOS available, read about the improvements and bug fixes that it implements, and see whether it's something you need. Because of the risk involved with updating the BIOS (which is explained next), you should not install a BIOS update just because it's available. You should do it only to correct a problem.

Updating the BIOS is risky for two reasons. One is that if you install an update that's not designed for your specific BIOS chip, your computer won't work anymore and you'll have to take it in for professional fixing. The other is that if the power goes off during a couple of critical seconds during the BIOS update process, it can render your system unbootable (and again, it's off to a professional shop for fixing).

4. Assuming you want the BIOS update, download it to your hard disk.
5. Find a blank floppy disk, or one containing nothing you need to keep, and insert it. Make sure it is not a really old one (more than 5 years), because old disks are prone to read errors.
6. Run the setup program contained in the file you downloaded. It will prepare a bootable floppy disk from the floppy you inserted.
7. Use Start > Shut Down to restart your computer with the floppy in the drive. The BIOS Update utility runs.
8. Follow the prompts in the update utility to update your BIOS.
9. When the update is finished, remove the floppy and reboot Windows normally.

There -- now you know. Use this information wisely and sparingly.

Moving On

In this lesson, you learned about updates, and how to acquire and install them. Complete your study for this lesson by doing the assignment and taking the quiz. Then check the Message Board to see what your fellow students are talking about.

In the Lesson 4, you'll find out about computer viruses and how to prevent infection.