Key takeaways
- Patch My PC checks everything installed on your machine, works out which versions are out of date, and updates them all in one pass.
- Download it from patchmypc.com/home-updater. The home updater is free.
- It is a portable program — there is no installation step. It runs straight from the file you downloaded.
- Red entries are out of date, green entries are current. That is the whole interface once you know it.
- Create a restore point before you update anything: Options, then Create Restore Point. If an update goes wrong, that is how you get back.
- It also installs software. The list on the left holds free programs it can fetch and install in a single batch, without visiting each website.
- Installing this way avoids the bundled toolbars and junk that individual download pages often attach to free software.
- The Uninstaller tab removes programs you no longer use, faster than working through Windows settings.
- The Scheduler runs updates automatically on a schedule you choose, and catches up next time you switch on if the machine was off.
- Only install what you recognize. The convenience of a batch installer is also the risk.
- Not sure where your machine stands? The free benchmark test takes about two minutes.
PatchMyPC Download
To download Patch My PC, just open your favorite browser. Go to patchmypc.com/home-updater. Click the button under the title, Patch My PC Home Updater Download, that says 'Download Patch My PC Home Updater.' When your download dialog box comes up, click Save. Click on the downloaded program from your downloads folder or from the browser download areas to run the program. The program doesn’t go through an installation process. It’s a portable program, which makes it automatically run right on your desktop. It’s already installed.PatchMyPC Quick Overview
It looks a little complicated at first. The program looks at all the software that you have on your computer, and then sees what version it’s running, and sees if it’s up to date. Programs in red indicate that you have outdated versions installed. Programs in green indicate that you have the latest version installed.First Step: Utilize Create Restore Point
What this program can do is update all my programs that are out of date or older versions. It is very important that before you update any software, you should create a restore point. If anything goes wrong during the update process, we want to make sure we have a restore point on our computer, so we can restore the computer back to where it was before we ran the program. It’s just kind of a safety feature. Click Options > Create Restore Point. There are other features and other options available that you can go through at your own leisure. This is the most important one.Second Step: Review App Section
Click Apps to go back to your computer's list of software. The ones in red are ones that we should update and the ones in green are ones that already have the latest version installed. Now the cool thing about this program is that I can now look through the list of additional apps that they have in the list on the left. You can install any of these free programs on my computer. The best part is that it will install these programs all at once. You don't have to go to every website, and then download it, and then install it, and then run the installer. This is going to do everything at once. Just be careful that you know what you’re installing. If you want to know the ones that I've used and trust, you can use the list below to review specific sections that I go through at the timestamps provided. Plugins & Runtimes 4:02 Browsers 4:25 Multimedia 5:04 Utilities 6:22 Hardware Tools 7:07 File Archivers 5:57 Documents 7:43 Media Tools 18:18 Messaging 8:37 Developer 9:04 Sharing 9:13 Graphics 10:16 Security 10:45 Miscellaneous 11:12 Gaming 11:19 Portable Apps 11:53Uninstaller Tool
Another feature of this program is the Uninstaller. This is a speedy way to uninstall programs that you might not want. Click Uninstaller on the left menu. All the programs on your machine will come up. Any ones you know you don’t use, you can go ahead and uninstall them from here. Very simple to do.Scheduler Tool
Scheduler is a very cool part of this program because it allows the Patch My PC program to automatically run and update your software on a schedule that you tell it. If your computer is off, it will run as soon as possible when you turn it back on.Third Step: Perform Updates and Installations
To perform the updates and new software installations, click the Perform Updates button at the bottom right of the program window. You will see the progress screen as it is working and the progress bar moving at the bottom. When it is done, it will say 'Re-scan Installed Apps' at the bottom status bar. Another cool thing is that sometimes downloading free programs individually will download bloatware or additional junk that you didn’t ask for. And we’re not going to do that because we did it through the PatchMyPC updater.* * * * * *
Thanks for checking out this tool tech tool known as Patch My PC. And if you haven’t already, please go ahead and download our EZ Trading Computer's Complete Guide to Trading Computers. This guide is jam-packed with great tips so you can totally optimize your trading experience. My name’s Eddie Z, and I’ll see you in the very next video.Frequently Asked Questions
What is Patch My PC and is it free?
It is a small utility that scans the software installed on your computer, identifies which versions are outdated, and updates them all at once. The Home Updater version is free. It is also portable, meaning it runs directly from the downloaded file without an installation step.
Why should I create a restore point before updating software?
Because it is the only easy way back if an update breaks something. A restore point is a snapshot of your system as it was, and creating one takes seconds — Options, then Create Restore Point. On a machine you trade on, that few seconds of insurance is worth taking every time.
Does Patch My PC install unwanted extras?
Installing through it generally avoids them, which is one of the better reasons to use it. Downloading free software individually often brings bundled toolbars and other additions attached by the download page. Fetching the same programs through the updater skips those installers. Even so, only install programs you actually recognize.
Can I schedule updates automatically?
Yes. The Scheduler tab lets you set a time for the program to run and update your software without you being involved. If the computer happens to be switched off at that moment, it runs at the next opportunity instead. For a trading machine, scheduling updates outside market hours is the sensible arrangement.
Why does outdated software matter on a trading computer?
Old versions are where security holes live, and they are also a common cause of instability that looks like a hardware fault. A machine that crashes or stalls intermittently is often running an outdated driver or an old version of something in the background, not failing physically. Keeping software current removes that whole category of problem.
