Hardware and software setup

Software updater. Automatic and manual update of applications on android

Not many people know about it, but new viruses appear every day. And today they are capable of causing such harm to a computer that it was hard to imagine yesterday. Therefore, each user should be aware of the relevance of protecting his operating system. To keep your Windows safe, it needs to be updated regularly. But if the virus has already settled in your PC, check out and download a free antivirus from our catalog.

The Importance of Windows Updates

If a couple of decades ago Windows 98 was an ideal and, as it was believed, a secure system, now there is no need to talk about it. Microsoft has not released updates for it for a long time. The corporation took a different path, releasing Windows XP, then Vista, later Windows 7, and so on. So-called "patches" are regularly issued to them.

A patch is a specific software package that enhances system security. At the time of release of the operating system, it is safe. But every day, hackers around the world are trying to find more and more vulnerabilities and find them, unexpected failures appear in the system during development, leading to various system problems. Installation of scheduled Windows updates in most cases helps to solve these problems.

Windows operating system update

First of all, you need to enable automatic update. To do this, go to the "Control Panel" and find the item "Windows Update" in it.

The next window requires configuration. Select "Settings".

The icon with the checkmark shield has a drop-down list.

It is important that one of the first three items is selected. The best is considered an automatic process, which is recommended by the system.
When choosing last point OS security cannot be 100% guaranteed.

After configuring the update settings, click the "OK" button.

The screenshot shows which updates are important and optional. V this example 14 important pieces, and 38 unimportant ones.
Important updates should always be installed. The second depending on the wishes of the user (Administrator).

Software update

The user works on the computer and has fun using for this various programs and games. The problem is that hackers regularly look for holes in installed software. How can this be used against the host of the computer?

For example, the VLC player can play streaming video and audio. Knowing this, an attacker can attack the port that is being used this program. Therefore, very often various software notifies that an update has appeared. Usually the user is prompted to download it. Also on the download site (official site) there is information about fixed bugs old version and apologies in the new one.

SUMo (Software Updates Monitor)

This small free utility able to find all kinds of updates for installed programs on your computer.

EXE file opens without installation. The program has a Russian-speaking intuitive clear interface.
Before you start working with SUMo, you should understand the settings.

Here you can select the interface language and make some program settings. By default, they are optimally set. Nothing needs to be changed here. Items 2 to 4 must be checked. They make it easier for the user to work with the program.
By clicking on the "Automatically find installed applications" button, the program will start searching for outdated software and updates for it.
In the example, all programs with exclamation point require an update. SUMo indicates available new versions. For example, Winrar 3.71.0.0 can upgrade to Winrar 5.31.0.0.

Clicking the Update button will start the update process.

You can also run this procedure in another way, which is shown in the screenshot below.

Two ways to enhance the security of the system, make the life of PC users more peaceful and reliable!

Many users install new applications from Play market to your Android smartphone. It happens that a user suddenly notices that a friend has exactly the same application that does not work the same way as he does. More precisely, in the application, a friend has new features and features, but for some reason our user does not have them. The user has great doubts that he is using the updated application of the latest version. The question arises, how to update the application on Android?

Rice. 7. Click "Accept" to grant permission to Yandex.Mail to use device resources

Click "Accept", the application update starts, it will take some time.

You can find out which applications are updated and which are not in the Play Market, the "My applications" option, the "Updates" tab:

Rice. 8. Message in the Play Market that the Yandex.Mail application has been updated

Setting up update notifications

It happens that update messages come completely out of place and there is a desire to turn them off. You can turn off the sound that occurs when such updates appear, or block them from receiving them.

To turn off notifications, you need to open the Play Market settings. To do this, follow the steps described above in Figures 1-3. When the “My apps and games” option is opened on the Android smartphone, you need to scroll (scroll) the window down so that the “Settings” appear (Fig. 9):

Rice. 9. Play Market settings

Open "Settings" Google Play Market, and click "Alerts" (1 in Fig. 10):

Rice. 10. Update notification settings. Application auto-update settings.

Having opened "Notifications", we check the checkboxes. If you do NOT want to receive notifications about the availability of updates for applications, you must uncheck the box next to "Updates" (1 in Fig. 11). Also in this case, you should uncheck the box next to "Automatic update" (2 in Fig. 11):

Rice. 11. Check / uncheck the checkboxes for update notifications and for auto-update applications

If the checkboxes are unchecked, then notifications about the availability of updates and about automatic updates should not come.

Set up auto-update applications to save Internet traffic

Everyone chooses the settings for auto-updates of applications for himself. On fig. 12 "Only via Wi-Fi" is selected. It is convenient to update applications. I already have a sad experience when the limit mobile traffic ends quickly and completely unexpectedly. However, Wi-Fi is not ubiquitous and widespread, so you have to think about the consumption of Internet traffic and choose the appropriate settings.

Rice. 12. Application auto-update settings

Useful information about app updates in compressed form can also be found in Google help:

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Any good developer software monitors the errors that users discover in the process of work, and promptly eliminates them by releasing updates. If, apart from fixes, there are no significant changes in the program, then the new version is usually assigned an intermediate number, for example, "5.1.14". This numbering allows the user to decide whether to update the program or not. If the application is stable, it is hardly worth spending your time searching for and installing a newer interim release. However, when the program closes with an error or conflicts with the hardware, then an update is simply necessary. Another reason to check for updates regularly is the issue of security. If the program stores sensitive user data (for example, a password storage utility, browser, antivirus, or application for working with systems electronic payments) should be updated as often as possible. The number of installed applications on a computer can be in the tens or even hundreds. For most of them, updates are released regularly. And even if you follow a simple logic and update applications only when necessary, it is not always possible to notice the release of a fresh version. It's good if the program has a function automatic check updates at each launch or at a specified frequency. But if it is not there, constantly monitoring the release of new versions takes a lot of time, because you need to regularly visit the official website of the program and look for an update in the appropriate section.

In most cases, the developers of a particular program offer to subscribe to the newsletter from the manufacturer. This service can be provided on the official website of the program and is offered during its installation. This option is convenient, but not without drawbacks. Emails with notifications of this kind are often identified by anti-spam protection as advertising junk, so finding the right email in the spam folder is again a waste of time. In addition, in addition to information about updates, really useless messages can come to the mailbox, for example, about a presentation new utility or discounts on software purchases. However, there is a simple, but very effective method solving the problem of finding and installing software updates - using special applications to monitor new software versions.

Update Checker 1.032

Developer: FileHippo.com
Distribution size: 154 kb
Spreading: free This project was implemented by the popular online software directory - FileHippo.com. Update Checker is a tiny client that allows you to use the online service of this portal. Update Checker does not have an interface as such - it uses a browser window to display information. In order for the program to run, the system must have the Microsoft .NET Framework installed. After running Update Checker, it searches the system for a list of installed applications, and then sends a request to the FileHippo.com website. By comparing the versions of programs from the list with those in the catalog, the service generates a list outdated programs, specifying the download link next to each. On the page with the list of programs, you can see latest version each application, as well as the one installed on the computer. A separate list on the page shows beta versions of popular programs.

SUMo 2.6

Developer: KC Softwares
Distribution size: 1.5 MB
Spreading: free This utility was created by the same developer who made a lot of other useful utilities, including such well-known ones as VideoInspector, KFK, AVIToolbox and others. The somewhat unusual name of the utility - SUMo - is actually an abbreviation and stands for Sofware Updates Monitor. SUMo allows you to search for updates on the Internet both for a single application and for all programs that are installed on the system. If you need to manually check the availability of an update for a particular utility, just drag its executable EXE file into the working window, then select a new item in the list and select context menu program, select the "Check" command. Similarly, you can "open" in the program DLLs and ActiveX files.

SUMo can also scan for installed applications. During the scanning process, data about the number will be collected installed version and compared it with the latest available version. Scanning can be performed in two modes - normal and advanced. The second option allows you to more accurately determine the list of installed software, but it will take more time to use it. In the list of detected installed software, you can see the current version number and the name of the developer company. If the program detects that the installed application can be updated, the phrase "Update available" will be displayed in the "Update" column of the list of checked software, and the update number will also be shown.

For clarity, each program in the list is marked with its icon, which makes it possible, having a quick glance at the list of applications, to quickly determine which of the installed utilities are updated, for which it is not necessary to update, and for which vice versa it is strongly recommended. Downloading updates is not very convenient - in order to download an update, you need to perform several actions. If you select the command in the context menu of the program "Update" or use the button of the same name in the SUMo window, the utility will redirect you to the project page, where several links will be generated. Contrary to logic, these are not download links, but search terms, mainly for various large software directories. As a result, we get a somewhat strange picture - Sofware Updates Monitor detects the presence of an update for the application, but the user often has to look for the update distribution package on his own. If the list of installed programs contains those for which you do not need to search for updates, you can create a list of applications that are prohibited for monitoring.

AppSnap 1.3.3

Developer: Ganesh Viswanathan
Distribution size: 5.2 MB
Spreading: free To monitor new versions of applications, AppSnap uses its own database. Unfortunately, the number of supported programs is not very large, so it is possible that in the "Installed" section you will not see even half of the software available on your computer. The fact is that the program searches the system only for those applications for which it can show the presence of fresh versions. This is a very big drawback, although, in fairness, it should be noted that the small list of programs for which AppSnap can track updates is well chosen. Indeed, it contains the most common utilities - 7-zip, Winamp, Firefox, uTorrent, Opera and others. popular programs(just a few hundred).

You can download and install updates directly from the AppSnap window. During the download process, a process status bar is displayed on the screen.

Replenishment of the database of programs, the developers have entrusted to users. So, in order for the utility to be able to check the update of a program that is not in the database in future versions, " unknown application" must be entered manually by filling out the appropriate form on the official AppSnap website.

UpdateStar Premium 4

Developer: Update Star
Distribution size: 4.8 MB
Spreading: shareware The UpdateStar interface is presented as a tabbed ribbon, each containing its own settings and tools. The program has multilingual support, including Russian. In order to make monitoring updates as convenient as possible, the developers of the program endowed it with a number of features. First, UpdateStar users will not need to search the web for software distributions, as the utility redirects to a page with download links. Secondly, the program has one very convenient function - sorting applications according to different criteria. Among these criteria are, for example, "Security level". This parameter is displayed as a set of asterisks and characterizes how relevant for this application data privacy problem. Obviously, for programs with a higher priority (with large quantity asterisks) should be upgraded first.

By determining the software installed on the computer and providing information about the programs (the latest version number, application security rating, etc.), UpdateStar focuses on its own online database. Despite the huge number of applications indexed by this utility (about three hundred thousand various titles - from graphic editors and antivirus programs to professional packages for application development, engineering design, etc.), errors and inaccuracies are not ruled out in the process of work, which may be associated both with erroneous entries in the system registry, and with the fact that the database may not have a record of the found application . But even in this case, UpdateStar allows you to work around the problems that have arisen. So, for example, a program that the program did not identify can be marked and a request made to the UpdateStar developers about it. After some time, it will already be included in the database for monitoring updates, the volume of which, by the way, is constantly increasing. The accuracy of determining installed applications is quite high, but still, before starting a system scan, it will not be superfluous to use the integrated registry cleaner tool. If, as a result of incorrect removal of an application, unnecessary entries remain in the system registry, this tool will allow you to remove them. To be safe, before deleting "junk" entries in the registry, UpdateStar can make a backup copy of the deleted data. In this case, when unplanned errors occur, you can import the data into the registry, returning to the previous state.

In order to keep track of the release of new versions of programs, it is not at all necessary that they all be installed on this computer. You can check the availability of fresh releases using a pre-exported list of programs. This list can be saved in UpdateStar's native format or as an HTML file. If, say, the rating of updates used by the program by default does not match the user's ideas about which programs should be updated first, he can use an additional criterion - his own rating. By setting each program to its own priority, in the future you can quickly determine which of the programs you use should be updated. It takes some time to compile your own rating. If you're too lazy to do this, you can simply focus on the average application rating, which is defined as the average user priority data in UpdateStar. data statistics about installed applications the program also presents in the form of a visual diagram. UpdateStar keeps a history of updates. In the program, you can view statistics that contain data on the installation time of a particular application.

After starting UpdateStar, it analyzes the system and determines the versions of installed programs. By creating a list of installed software on the "Programs" tab, next to each application whose version is outdated, the utility generates a link to download a more recent release. After clicking on this link, a browser window will open, in which it will be presented detailed information about the selected program - screenshots of the application's working window, a link to the developer's official website, training videos demonstrating the program's capabilities (if any), and, of course, a direct link to download the new version. UpdateStar can be automatically downloaded along with the system and gives you the ability to run a scheduled update check. The built-in task scheduler allows you to automatically monitor updates daily, weekly or monthly, certain time. To download information from the Internet, the program can work with specified settings proxy server, and use a secure SSL connection.

Conclusion

At first glance, the SUMo program looks the most attractive. It contains all the tools you need to quickly search for and download software updates, while it has a Russian interface and, importantly, is distributed free of charge. However, there is a "fly in the ointment" - an inconvenient download of new versions of programs that have been discovered. If you close your eyes to the fact that UpdateStar Premium is commercial product, of all programs for automatically detecting updates, a slight advantage remains with her. This is the only program that allows you to monitor application updates automatically on a schedule. Unfortunately, most UpdateStar features are only available for the commercial Premium version. So, for example, the free version does not have a registry cleaner, it is not possible to create a list of programs, only the most significant updates for applications are shown, and checking for new versions occurs much less frequently. And yet, even free version UpdateStar can make things easier for many. As for AppSnap, this program can only be useful for a collection of "emergency" flash drives. Some users find that installing new version the program is not worth it if the previous release works without problems and suits in all respects. This definitely makes sense, because, as mentioned above, most intermediate versions do not contain fundamental changes, but only eliminate inaccuracies in the application. Well, as to whether to install or not new release This is something everyone has to decide for themselves. The main thing to remember is that "new" does not mean "better".

To maintain the normal operation of the computer, it is necessary to update drivers from time to time, but searching for and installing them manually is boring and time consuming. And why? After all, this work is easy to automate. Let's take a look at ten today. the best programs to update drivers on PCs and laptops of all brands and models.

Intel Driver Update Utility Installer is a proprietary utility for finding and updating drivers for any Intel products (processors, system logic, network devices, drives, server components, and more). Compatible with Windows XP, 7 and newer editions of this system.

The hardware of the PC on which it is installed is automatically recognized by the utility. Checking for new versions of drivers on the Intel website is done by clicking the "Search" button, downloading and installing - at the request of the user.

In addition, the Intel Driver Update Utility Installer allows you to find and download drivers for any other Intel devices of your choice from the list (option "Search manually").

The developers warn that the application installs only typical drivers that do not take into account the features of a particular brand of computer. Therefore, before launching it, it is worth visiting the website of the manufacturer of your PC or laptop and checking if there is anything suitable there.

AMD Driver Autodetect

AMD Driver Autodetect is a similar proprietary tool from AMD. Designed to keep drivers of video cards of this brand up to date (except for AMD FirePro).

After installation, the utility will monitor the relevance of video drivers and ensure their timely updates. It automatically detects the model of the video card installed on the PC, as well as the bit depth and version of the operating system. When launched, it checks to see if there is a fresh driver on the AMD website. If there is, it informs about it and offers to download it. To start the installation, the user just needs to confirm his consent by clicking on the "Install" button.

AMD Driver Autodetect is also available exclusively for Windows.

NVIDIA Update

NVIDIA Update is a proprietary Windows utility for installing drivers for NVIDIA devices. Like AMD Driver Autodetect, it independently recognizes hardware models and checks for the latest driver on the manufacturer's website. The decision to install is up to the user.

Driver Pack Solution

DriverPack Solution is a lifesaver for service engineers, system administrators and those who earn extra money by providing services for Windows installation and programs. The application is a huge collection of drivers for devices of various brands and models, as well as a module for installing them.

Driver Pack Solution released in two versions - online and offline.

  • The online distribution is designed to be used on a PC that has an Internet connection. Its difference is a small file size (285 Kb). Once launched, the program scans Windows for installed drivers and the relevance of their versions, after which it connects to the database (on its own server) and performs automatic updates.
  • The offline distribution (size 10.2 Gb) is intended for installing drivers on a machine that is not connected to the Internet. In addition to the installer, it comes with a base of 960,000 drivers for Windows 7, XP, Vista, 8 (8.1) and 10, both for 32 bit and 64 bit. After launch, the scanning module recognizes device types and installs drivers from its own offline database.

The online version of DriverPack Solution is convenient for permanent home use. In addition to keeping drivers up to date, it allows the user to automatically install and update individual applications, remove software junk, view a list of equipment, information about the operating system and computer security.

The offline version is an emergency solution. Its task is not to select the best, but simply the right driver to start the device. And then update it online.

DriverPack Solution and the proprietary utilities listed above are completely free.

Driver Genius

Driver Genius is a universal driver management tool. The latest edition of the program is the sixteenth, optimized for Windows 8 and 10, but can also run on older systems.

In addition to updating the versions of installed drivers, Driver Genius can:

  • Create backup copies of drivers and save them as archives - regular and self-extracting, as well as in the form of an installer (exe). To restore from a backup, you do not need to use Driver Genius.
  • Remove unused and failed drivers.
  • Display information about computer hardware.

The backup feature is a real treasure for those who frequently reinstall Windows. However, the program itself is by no means a gift: the cost of one license is $29.95. You can use it for free only for 30 days.

Snappy Driver Installer

Snappy Driver Installer is an application created by one of the developers of DriverPack Solution and has a lot in common with the latter. Also available in two versions: SDI Lite and SDI Full.

  • The SDI Lite variant is a module for recognizing devices and searching for suitable drivers on the Internet. Its size is 3.6 Mb. It does not have its own base.
  • The SDI Full option is an installation module plus a base (31.6 Gb). Designed to install drivers regardless of Internet access.

Features of Snappy Driver Installer:

  • Works without installation (only portable version, can be run from a flash drive or DVD).
  • Completely free - no premium features or ads.
  • With an improved selection algorithm, which is based on the principle of "do no harm".
  • It has a high scanning speed.
  • Creates a system restore point before installing the driver.
  • Allows you to change themes according to the user's choice.
  • Multilingual (there is a version in Russian, Ukrainian and other national languages).
  • Adapted for Windows 10.

driver booster

iObit Driver Booster is an application loved by gamers. Available in editions Free - free, and Pro - paid. The subscription price for the latter is 590 rubles per year.

Driver Booster has one single function - scanning the system for outdated drivers and installing updates in one click. And not simple updates, and (according to the developers) tuned to increase the performance of games.

- free and very simple utility to install and update PC drivers on Windows base 7, 8 and 10. Its database includes only original, signed drivers from the official websites of equipment manufacturers.

The application is designed for users with no experience. Support for the Russian language, a minimum of settings and one-button control practically exclude the possibility of confusing or breaking something. And if new driver proves to be inappropriate, DriverHub will remove it from the system and return the old one to its place.

All features of DriverHub:

  • Search for missing, update outdated drivers and additional software. Automatic installation.
  • Simple and expert mode of operation. In expert mode, the user can select a driver from several available ones, in simple mode, the program itself selects the optimal version.
  • Daily replenishment of the database of drivers.
  • Storage of download history.
  • Recovery - roll back drivers to previous versions.
  • Display basic information about the computer.
  • Launching system Windows utilities from your interface.

DriverMax Free

DriverMax is a free, uncomplicated, English-language utility, the main purpose of which is the same driver update. Unlike others free apps it has another useful option - creating a system rollback point and backing up installed drivers of the user's choice. As well as restoring from a backup.

After installing DriverMax, it persistently reminds you that it would be nice to register on the site and buy a paid license with advanced features, one of which is completely automatic operation. Annual usage starts at $10.39.

Driver Magician

Driver Magician is the last hero of today's review. I had 2 versions in the recent past, one of which was free. Today there is only a paid one with a 13-day trial period. The cost of the license is $29.95.

There is no Russian language in Driver Magician, but it is not difficult to use it. The set of features is about the same as in Driver Genius:

  • Scanning and updating.
  • Creation backups drivers with the ability to restore both with and without using the program (the backup is saved as a zip archive or installer application).
  • Uninstalling the driver.
  • Backing up and restoring individual user folders - Favorites Internet Explorer, Desktop and Documents, and - system registry(one file).
  • Identification of devices unknown to the system.

In the trial period, the program is fully functional. Compatible with any version of Windows.

That, perhaps, is all. Choose what you like best and enjoy.

Most software updates are automatic by default. But still, you should know how to check for updates and update the program yourself. By keeping your computer software up to date, you improve the stability and security of your computer.

Operating system update

Installing the latest operating system updates is one of the most important processes in protecting your computer from viruses, malware and other Internet security threats.

Windows

To update Windows OS, open the Control Panel. Type in the search bar update and select Check for Updates.

Installation can take significantly longer than searching for updates, so you can take a break from your computer and have a cup of coffee during this time. Once the installation is complete, you must restart your computer for the updates to take effect.

Mac OS X

To update Mac OS X, open App Store (app store) and click the "Updates" button in top panel. OS X updates will be at the top of the list of available updates. On the right side of the screen are buttons to update individual apps and an Update All button to apply all available updates.

Software update

For many programs, regular updates are not that important, as they will only bring some improvements or new features, but not security improvements, so there is no need to update them frequently. However, for more essential software such as a web browser or antivirus software, updates are just as important as operating system updates.

Most programs automatically check for updates. If there are updates, the program will notify you about it. Well, for other programs, study the program menu yourself and find out how to start the update.

For example, Kaspersky Anti-Virus: you can start the update in the control center.

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