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Microsoft Launches Windows Fix It Center Beta

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Anyone with experience troubleshooting Microsoft WIndows can testify that, sometimes, getting to the bottom of a software problem can be a little…time consuming. To help ease the pain, Microsoft has unveiled a beta version of its Microsoft Fix It Center, which hopes to make fixing the most common Windows problems as easy as clicking a button—something even technology-phobic Windows users might be able to do.

Microsoft Fix It Center is designed to help users install appropriate software updates and identify known problems that might be impacting their Windows systems. The application features automated troubleshooters and a series of wizards that guide users through set-up and routine maintenance tasks. The software scans a users’s PC to create an individualized software and hardware profile; that information is then compared against Microsoft’s databases of known support issues and updates, and lets the user know about anything relevant to their particular computer—and the software keeps records of everything its done so users know what’s been changed on their computer. Users can control the level of automation that Fix It Center users, and the system even supports multiple devices.

Microsoft Fix It Center is available for Windows XP SP3, Vista, and Windows 7; it’s a free application, but users will need a Windows Live account to use the service.

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Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
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