Anyone using Windows and/or Office should book mark (Favorites) these.

Microsoft Windows Update
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

Microsoft Office Updates
http://office.microsoft.com/ProductUpdates/default.aspx

Either of the above two will download a small program that scans your Windows/Office installation, compares it (on your machine) to what's available, and makes a list of updates you can then choose to install, or not, on your machine. (It does not send anything "back to Mickey" about your machine, other than a list of the downloads you choose.)

The Windows updates are very important since this is where you get most of the "Critical Updates" and Service Packs (SR's) that keep you safe from the latest hacker tricks. Do the Windows update first.

If you're not up to date, you may have to go back a couple of times to get that way, since quite a few Critical Updates have to be separately installed, with a reboot. For minor stuff, you can pick several and do them as a batch.

You might also want to look around at:

Microsoft Office Downloads
http://www.microsoft.com/office/downloads/default.asp

This last site is a "poke and choose" that you have to browse for yourself; but it does offer some tools and gadgets that may be of interest if you use Office.

John