Word to the Wise: Upgrade Your Copy of Vista Now

If you are rocking a copy of Windows Vista, Microsoft has an important message for you: It's time to make sure you are running a Service Pack, or you'll no longer be supported. Of course, most folks have probably upgraded to the latest version of Vista long ago.

But if you (or your organization) has turned off Automatic Updates or opted to avoid SP1 for some reason, you might still be running the original RTM version of Windows Vista. And that puts you in a very precarious position.

Here's the deal: As of last week, Microsoft no longer supports original RTM (release to manufacturing) version of Windows Vista. This isn't surprising; the clock always runs out on every version of Windows, and Vista's time has come. That means your copy of Vista will no longer receive security and other software updates.

If you want to find out what version of Windows Vista you're running, you can follow Microsoft's instructions. Then, you can watch a video to see how to install updates and ensure you've got the latest service packs.