Just clicked on a Microsoft SP1 update and got a virus on the laptop.
How do you get a virus through a Microsoft update?
It WAS from their site. The screen went to a blue screen in the end.

No you don't get viruses from the Windows Update site if you went to the legit site. What symptom led you to believe it is a virus?

The regular Microsoft update pop up came up and my son clicked on it and it went to a black screen and started running all kinds of numbers, letters and words across the screen. He clicked for it to stop because it looked like a virus. It went to a scan and said unable to restart. Then it went to a blue screen.

What version of Windows?
Can you reboot in Safe Mode (http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/restart-safe-mode/) and do a full virus scan?

He tried that already. Now he is trying to install Ubantu Linux instead of Windows.

That quite a drastic step. I would have reinstalled Windows.

I think he tried that already.

Why on earth are you trying to install an SP1 update when XP is on SP3??

HUGE alarm bells there !

Good point Curly. No such notice for SP1 should have appeared.

I don't know why he did that it popped up as an update for the computer and he hit okay.
I don't know anything about the updates so I really do them
I figure why update something I am happy with.
He has Vista not XP.