Windows Utilities: Rx for Your PC

Diagnostics

Unlike disk scanners and defraggers, diagnostics utilities aren't essential--and that's a relief, because the programs we tested all failed to find, much less fix, problems with our computer. We looked at the diagnostic abilities of Norton Utilities and Nuts & Bolts, as well as two programs (BCM Diagnostics and CheckIt 5.0) that check only hardware, and two (First Aid 98 and RealHelp Extra Strength) that integrate hardware and software diagnostics. None did well enough to merit Best Buy status.

To evaluate hardware diagnostics, we came up with two entirely plausible problems. First we plugged in two conflicting sound cards. Then we installed a floppy drive with bent connector pins. During testing, we discovered an inadvertent third problem--our PC incorrectly thought a Zip drive was installed. To test each program's software-diagnosing skills, we created two Windows Registry errors: We hid an .exe file that Windows uses at start-up, and we botched the Registry entry for 1-2-3's map templates.

SUMMARY

BCM Diagnostics PRO: Quick, simple, inexpensive. CON: Tends to crash, caught no problems. BCM Advanced Research 800/753-0526 www.bcmgvc.com

This shareware Control Panel look-alike is fast, cheap (the registration fee is $25), and easy to use; but it's also limited. It froze when confronted with the two conflicting sound cards, and it deemed our damaged floppy drive simply 'not ready.' The same thing could be said of BCM Diagnostics.

SUMMARY

CheckIt 5.0 PRO: Found one problem that most other programs missed. CON: Failed to identify any of our test problems, confusing interface. TouchStone Software 714/969-7746 www.touchstonesoftware.com

When you launch CheckIt 5.0, you'll probably see the message 'You Have a Problem.' Sadly, one problem is that you're using CheckIt. The $50 utility couldn't handle the sound-card conflict. And like every other program here, it saw the damaged A: drive as empty. To be fair, CheckIt found the missing Zip drive, but its recommendation wasn't very helpful.

SUMMARY

Discover Pro/Registry Wizard (Nuts & Bolts) PRO: Less expensive than Norton Utilities. CON: Missed every problem we tested. Network Associates 408/988-3832 www.nai.com

In many areas, such as file handling, Nuts & Bolts beats Norton Utilities. But Nuts & Bolts' diagnostics tool, Discover Pro, is as inept as Norton Diagnostics at detecting hardware glitches. We also tried the package's Registry Wizard to see if it could find either software problem (both in the Registry); it found 79 "orphans" (Registry references to files, folders, and programs that aren't there), but none we had planted. If you need hard-core diagnostics, skip the $40 Nuts & Bolts.

SUMMARY

First Aid 98 Deluxe PRO: Hardware and Windows diagnostics in one. CON: Didn't find any of the test problems. CyberMedia 800/721-7824 www.cybermedia.com

For $40, First Aid 98 Deluxe combines hardware and Windows diagnostics in one program with one Check-Up button. Too bad it missed all of our test problems. Like CheckIt, it did find the unintended Zip drive problem; unlike CheckIt, it suggested fixes. It doesn't test floppy drives but does discuss them in its hard-to-find knowledge base. Finally, it noted neither Registry error.

SUMMARY

Norton Diagnostics/WinDoctor (Norton Utilities) PRO: Found and fixed one Registry orphan. CON: Very weak hardware diagnostics. Symantec Corp. 800/441-7234 www.symantec.com

Norton Utilities includes separate hardware and software diagnostics tools. Norton Diagnostics (the hardware part) is a complete clunker; WinDoctor (software) is the best of a sorry lot. Norton Diagnostics failed to see our sound-card conflict and concluded that the misinstalled drive was empty. WinDoctor found and fixed the hidden .exe file but didn't notice our other Registry flaw. If you already own the package, stick with it, but don't pay $79 for its diagnostics alone.

SUMMARY

RealHelp Extra Strength 1.0 PRO: Diagnoses hardware and Windows. CON: Failed most of the tests. Quarterdeck 800/683-6696 www.quarterdeck.com

Like First Aid, the $60 RealHelp Extra Strength 1.0 integrates hardware and Windows diagnostics. Unlike First Aid, RealHelp noted our sound-card and floppy problems. But it didn't offer workable solutions: It reported the damaged floppy drive as empty, and its Find-A-Fix knowledge base had nothing helpful to offer. It failed to see the missing Zip drive. Like Norton's WinDoctor, it fixed our hidden .exe file but missed the orphaned 1-2-3 folder.