Upgrading your computer for free is easy, especially if you have a personal computer with Microsoft's Windows operating system. Upgrading your computer isn't just getting new hardware such as more memory, or a bigger hard drive. Upgrading the operating system is an easy and totally free whenever upgrades are available.
Upgrading Your Computer for Free
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Step 1
Click on the "Start" button. The start button is located on the lower, left-hand corner of your tool bar. If you have Windows Vista, the "Start" button is a blue circle with the Windows logo at its center.
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Step 2
Click on the "All Programs" bar. The "All Programs" bar is located on bottom, left-hand side of the start-up menu which appears after you click the "Start" button.
Step 3
Find the "Windows Update" bar. After you click on the "All Programs" bar, a list of all the programs you have installed on the computer will appear. Scroll up or down to find the "Windows Update" bar. If you have Windows Vista, the "Windows Update" bar will have an icon which looks like a blue piece of paper and a Windows logo on it.
Step 4
Click on the "Windows Update" bar.
Step 5
Click on the "Check for Updates" bar. Once you've clicked the "Windows Update" bar, a pop-up window will appear. On the upper, left-hand corner of the new window, you will find the "Check for Updates" bar. Your computer will then look for new updates for your computer.
Step 6
Click on any available updates to have your computer download and install them. If there are no new updates for your computer, then there is no need for you to update. At this point you can look for updates on the Internet, however, before downloading anything from the Internet, make sure you have up-to-date virus and spyware protection.
Step 7
Click on the "Install" button which appears to the right of the update.
Step 8
Click on the "Continue" button. If you have Vista, a pop-up window will ask you if you've started the process or installing a new update. You have started that process so click "Continue." If the window does not appear, then skip this step.
Step 9
Read the license terms. After you Click the "Continue" button, or if that pop-up did not appear, after you click the "Install" button, another pop-up with the update's license appears. It is important that you read the license terms so that you know what you are accepting by downloading and installing this update onto your computer.
Step 10
Click "I accept the license terms." Once you've read the license terms, if you agree, click this button. If you do not agree, click the "I decline" button and then "Finish." The update will not download and will not install if you do not accept.
Step 11
Click "Finish" on the bottom, right-hand corner of the pop-up box. Once you've clicked "Finish," the update will start to download and then automatically install.
Step 12
Close out of all the pop-up windows and boxes by clicking the red "X" button on the top, right-hand corner of the windows/boxes. This step is only necessary if the boxes don't close on their own.
Step 13
Restart your computer. Most of the time, after downloading an update, you have to restart your computer in order to have the update changes applied to your computer. Once the update finishes downloading and installing, a pop-up window will appear asking if you want to restart, if necessary.