Microsoft Quietly Previews PC Advisor Repair Tool

notthatwillsmith writes "On Friday, Microsoft invited members of the Windows Feedback Program to try out a preview of a new application, the Microsoft PC Advisor. The new tool promises to 'continuously monitor your PC for problems and give you the solutions to fix them, in real time.' After testing on several Vista machines with a variety of problems, Maximum PC has written a full report on the Microsoft PC Advisor. The short version? Like every other 'PC Repair' tool they've tested, the new apps signal-to-noise ratio is quite bad, and it misses the obvious and important problems, like out-of-date videocard drivers."

Comments

Oh, come on...

[TheRaven64]

Such a perfect set-up, is just asking for:

Did it detect the problem that Windows was installed, and recommend replacing it?

Re:Oh, come on...

[cmacb]

"PC ADvisor has determined that your machine is unacceptably slow. You have probably installed, uninstalled and re-installed too many programs in response to PC ADvisor's previous suggestions. Now your Registry is hosed.

PC ADvisor recommends you now re-format your hard drive and do a fresh install of Windows.

Please have your credit card handy as I can assist you with repurchasing any software for which you have lost the appropriate paperwork.

Remember it was YOU who accepted all those terms and conditions without reading them, don't blame PC ADvisor.

And do not call and complain to those hard working programmers at Microsoft, they are far too busy innovating new features like PC ADvisor to have to deal with your silly little printer issues. Windows and Office together probably cost as much as your entire PC, but that DOES NOT include the manpower to listen to you bitch and moan over the telephone. Suck it up, admit you are the cause of your own problems and do as I say.

Do it NOW or PC ADvisor will punish you further!

The popup repair bot

[ajs]

You appear to be trying to install Firefox as your primary Web browser. I've deleted the downloaded installer and alerted the authorities. Is there anything else you'd like to do today?

Re:ssdwee oijio0j w3455 xxasdfer23aj oojlkj

[Anonymous Coward]

That reminds me I haven't burned my share of christians today. Only two more and I'll have enough points on my atheist card for a new black robe!

What's an "ATHIEST"

[mangu]

It seems to be someone who's more "ATHI" than anybody else, but what's exactly an ATHI?

Re:What's an "ATHIEST"

[Anonymous Coward]

An athiest is like an atheist, except dyslexic. They don't believe there is a dog.

Error messages that crop up in the near future.

[atomic-penguin]

The new tool promises to 'continuously monitor your PC for problems and give you the solutions to fix them, in real time.' After testing on several Vista machines with a variety of problems, Maximum PC has written a full report on the Microsoft PC Advisor.

PC Advisor: "I noticed you are running Vista. That is probably the reason for your variety of problems. Would you like to downgrade to Windows XP, for this limited time offer of $99.99? Cancel or Allow?

Windows Firewall: "PC Advisor Repair Tool is trying to reach the Internet. Block or Unblock?"

Windows Defender: "I noticed you are running a program called "PC Advisor", Windows Defender does not recognize this program. Would you like to remove or disable "PC Advisor"?

preview

[spazdor]

Clippy:

Hey, it looks like you're trying to install a FOSS operating system.

I can help you to:

• reinstall Vista from scratch instead
• click helplessly around until whatever your problem was goes away
• PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST STOP IT OK? DELETE THAT ISO. I CAN CHANGE.

Re:I wonder what they were expecting.

[Fred_A]

The new version much simplifies the interface and should fix this. The core routine is :

print "Have you tried rebooting?\n";
return(O);

Works every time (or at leasts keep users off the phone, which is the point, really).