norton windoctor

[Vic 970]

comments please on norton windoctor.

I have just run it on my pc (from cd) and it reports 136 problems, ie: invalid entries, missing links etc. (directories &/or files missing or moved to another directory) yet I have run EasyClean which reports none of the above.

I do have some minor probs with my pc. but the apps refered to still seem to run ok.

I'm reluctant to run the WinDoc repair as there is no undo feature when using from cd.

[Budfred]

I would agree with your caution. I haven't used a recent version of Norton, but I did in the past and ended up having to reformat after some of the "fixes" were done. On the other hand, if you have Systme Restore you could try it and see if it helps. As someone who neglected to back up before I ran this handy helper, I urge you to back up first.

Good luck,
Budfred

[JohnO]

Go ahead and run it. I have Norton Windoctor for over a year and it always finds errors. Unless you have a virus, they are almost always minor. Never had a problem yet with it fixing. If you are still nervous, Windoctor will let you select each problem and allow you select different options to fix it, rather than using the recommended fixes.

[JohnO]

Budfred has a good point about system restore. If you bought Norton Systemworks 2002, Goback is part of the suite and an excellant program to do this if you are not running XP or ME (these OS's have a system restore themselves).
I'm curious though, why run Norton Windoctor if you do not trust the program to fix the errors?

[mjc]

If you do decide to use it, go for the manual fixes....that way you should be able to actually track them down. Also, look very carefully at the locations for the dead shortcuts...you may have a lot of them that are mocved and not really dead, but Norton doesn't really differentiate.

[Vic 970]

thanks for the replies.

I'll have to study the 'problems' in detail, it reports links to progs being changed from one drive or directory to another ie: e to f. c to d etc.
but I'm running w98se on c & w2000 on d
progs concerned are on drives e & f. 1 to run with 98 the other with 2000 and they're working ok.

I have run system restore, which only came up with 1 file (which was restored) & it then came up 'clean'

Easyclean came up 'clean' too.

[mjc]

When you were trying your tri-boot setup didn't your drive letters switch around?

Could have been leftovers from that, especially if any of the shortcuts/links were to a CD drive. In which case they were just in a MRU list and are non-critical. That is why I said use the manual option to trace them down.

[Vic 970]

No, I had the tri boot setup working ok, it was partition magic that woudn't work afterwards.
Linux is still there but I don't have access to it, (deleted the linux boot menu) I think I need to get back into it, probably delete & then recover the lost space & start over, but that's another problem.

the biggest culprit is publisher which I've installed twice, due to a printer problem on w98 (which I am trying to sort out) I have installed office97 & publisher98 on w2000 where they print ok. I have office 2000 on w98 but the same version of publisher ie: 98 & I think maybe this is where norton is confusing the links, but it works ok on either o/s.

[Steve]

Vic,

I've been using Norton WinDoctor for two years without a problem. Go ahead and use it. Since you have the CD I would recommend running Norton System Check. It seems to do everything that WinDoctor does and a little more.

I suppose that any software utility could cause you problems but I think Norton's Utilities is pretty safe.

[sea69]

go ahead and install winXP and get it over with!

lol

(If you had winXP, you could just do a Restore Point {{{actually works}}} unlike winMemory Eater, and if it messed things up rather than fixing them you could just go back to your saved Restore Point)


personally I wouldn't use it on my machine. As it isn't installed, how does the CD know what is supposed to be where??

;)

edit: for that matter, I would be VERY "judicious' in regards to using Easy Cleaner as well. It depends on what OS you're using it on, be careful, it can be like a "chainsaw" rather than a surgical knife/

[JonathanB]

have been running Norton Windoctor for a year now without problems. I just ticked Repair All and everything's still fine. You will not have the time to browse it one by one and trace each of the entries. I have also Easy Cleaner and Desktop Cleaner and both sees dead shortcuts, etc. differently. I run all three without problems.:)

[sea69]

there are other considerations regarding both apps.

WinDoctor (if installed) installed being the "key" word- not running it from the cd.

Regcleaners- fine if you're on win9x, but for those running winXP you can have problems deleting files that it by default finds unneeded- etc

;)