Computers, do you know the difference between sleep mode, restart and shut down?

We have had a few computers in store lately that have required updates to be done. 

The common response once we have spoken with the owners of these computers and advised that that these needed to be done was ‘I thought I had that set to automatic.’ Or ‘Don’t they happen by themselves?’ 

The fast answer is yes, they do happen by themselves. 
 
However, they do require you to shut down or restart your computer rather than ‘sleep/hibernation’. This means that you cannot just leave it go and it will magically happen. You do need to select from the menu either shut down or restart. 

When you put your computer into sleep or hibernation your computer saves the current set up and data to a special file then hibernates the pc. When the computer comes out of hibernation the computer automatically uses the files it created to restore the computers condition.  This can mean that the new updates don’t download or finish installing. 

So what is the best thing for you to do to eliminate this problem? Well if you have a Windows 8 or 10 computer you should select to do a ‘restart’.  A ‘shut down’ in newer computers actually only hibernates the computer.  Whereas if you have a VISTA (recommend you look at upgrading soon) or Windows 7 computer you can do either a ‘Restart’ or ‘Shut down’ as it will turn off the computer.  You can select either of these options from your Windows menu, generally located in the bottom left hand corner of your screen. 

If you have just done a Windows update we recommend that you turn you computer on earlier than you need it by to ensure that these have the time to install and run correctly. 

I know this can be confusing, but generally if you have any glitches with your computer when you turn it on we recommend that you select to do a ‘restart’ as this should help sort these out. If it doesn’t and you still experience issues then we recommend your speak to your local computer repairer to help you out. 

Remember, to also keep your computer on charge when doing your updates as this will help eliminate any software issues.