423151 - KB article: Using Firefox for Windows Update

Status: VERIFIED FIXED

(support.mozilla.org :: Knowledge Base Articles, task)

Description

[Chris Ilias [:cilias]]

We often see people asking if they can use Firefox for Windows Update.

Comment 1

[Jason Barnabe (np)]

-Why it doesn't work.
-What you can do instead (use IE instead for that one site, configure Windows to download updates automatically (though I don't think we want to explain how to do that on sumo))

Comment 2

[Jefferson]

I think I can handle this one.

Comment 3

[Jefferson]

Here's a draft. 

http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Using+Firefox+for+Windows+Update

I do list the steps to find the automatic update dialogs for Windows XP and Windows Vista. This seemed better than linking to Microsoft's oft-changing help pages, and it is the best practice, just like having Firefox do automatic updates.

Looking forward to your ruthless edits.

Comment 4

[Jason Barnabe (np)]

I still don't know about giving Windows Update instructions here. What's the problem with Microsoft changing their document often? Something like this looks good http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/updates/automatic.mspx

-Maybe move "Why doesn't Firefox work with Windows Update?" to the intro, remove the "Alternate Solutions" and promote the other headings one level
-Need formatting for menus and buttons and stuff
-Kind of obvious, but you could use a showfor to show this content on Windows only, and for other OSes say that Windows Update is for Windows only.
-Can you link to the AMO versions of IE Tab and IE View?
-Maybe combine the IE tab and IE view sections

Comment 5

[Chris Ilias [:cilias]]

Was this originally created as a translation of "Upgrading Firefox"? For some reason I get the "Content may be of date" message, when visiting <http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Using+Firefox+for+Windows+Update>.

Comment 6

[Jefferson]

> Maybe move "Why doesn't Firefox work with Windows Update?" to the intro,
> remove the "Alternate Solutions" and promote the other headings one level
Done

> Need formatting for menus and buttons and stuff
Done (I think)

> Kind of obvious, but you could use a showfor to show this content on 
> Windows only, and for other OSes say that Windows Update is for 
> Windows only.
Done

> Can you link to the AMO versions of IE Tab and IE View?
Done

> Maybe combine the IE tab and IE view sections
I prefer them separate because they're so often confused, but it's a mild preference.

> Was this originally created as a translation of "Upgrading Firefox"? For 
> some reason I get the "Content may be of date" message, when visiting
> http://support.mozilla.com/kb/Using+Firefox+for+Windows+Update
I created it from the new article box (#4 on this page: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Creating+articles). No idea where that message is coming from.

Comment 7

[Jason Barnabe (np)]

Made live with a couple extra changes:

-Minor tweaks to some wording and formatting
-Uncapitalized "Automatic Updates", because Microsoft's site doesn't seem to capitalize it.
-Uncapitalized section names per style guide
-Used non-redirect link to mz KB and added "(mozillaZine KB)"

That wasn't ruthless, was it? :)

Chris, can you look into why Tiki thinks this a translation?

Comment 8

[Chris Ilias [:cilias]]

Translation issue looks fixed. (on its own)

Anywise, now that this article is moved to the KB, any further discussion about the article should take place on the staging copy
of the article <http://support.mozilla.com/kb/*Using+Firefox+for+Windows+Update>.