Customer Reviews

VCOM Fix-It Utilities 6 Pro [Old Version]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I am a software tech- I am always testing new programs. I have tried "several" utilities that "claimed" to speed up my XP SP2 "maxed out" DELL 8200, 3.06ghz, 1002mb memory, computer. None worked, until Fix-it6!

Utilities that mess with the registry, are VERY risky!
I had BAD results (had to do a system restore, with the others, using- Acronis 9.0 (read my GOOD review!). I tried System Mechanic5, Winoptimizer, and 1clickfix (the worst for me!, I wouldn't even try it!), + several others that actually slowed my computer!

Fix-It 6- ROCKS! Programs open/run so much FASTER!
Anytime you see love/hate reviews on software, the "hate" reviews are usually because of installation problems...! I've installed fix-it on "several" clients computers, without a problem.

How to !BEST! install...-
Note-When installing pgm, ONLY install Fix-It Utilities (forget ALL their other utilities...!!!). The rest are usually unnecessary & a HUGE pain...! (custom, down arrow & disable spyware & antivirus...)! DISABLE AUTO-UPDATE!
Install with "!!!startup group items disabled!!!" (Google search) & install fix-it Utilities ONLY!... Make sure your firewall is enabled!
Do ONLY "1" manual check for updates/install... (Help/Easy Update... I Register later).
You can use it on other computers IF you only do "1" update!

Now to clean...-
1.Go to OneStopSolutions & run CleanUp.
RESTART
2. I recommend that you back-up your registry (I use freeware Erunt).
Go to FIX, and keep running... "Registry Fixer" over and over (back) (& only delete green/maybe yellow if uninstalled...), until no more invalid entries can be deleted (usually hundreds! Slow, but thorough!). Restart.
3. Go to OneStopSolutions & run All-InOne
Restart ("ALWAYS!" wait for hard drive lights to stop blinking, before you do anything more...!!! SLOW DOWN!)
DONE, ENJOY!

NOTE: If your computer is still slow- May be Spyware or a Virus?-1. For Spyware- Get #1SpySweeper (disable memory shield, read my review on PROPER install!) for spyware, or freeware #5Windows Defender (much less effective!) & do a full scan...
2. For anti-virus-
I use NOD32 (tricky to configure! Try free trial). Highly rated Bit Defender 10 or AntiVir "Pro", are easier! NEVER run TWO "active" antivirus pgms, at once! You MUST completely uninstall old AV first- Then clean with Fix-it (1 & 2 above),
3. For a firewall-
XP firewall only protects "incoming", so you never know when spyware/virus..., is "sending"...! BAD!
I recommend/use- I've tested several, and only found one that isn't a "buggy..."/ "resource hog", I REALLY LIKE "FREEWARE (Google it...)" Sygate Personal Firewall version "5.5!" (later versions are "buggy..."!). Passes all the firewall security tests I've tried, and user friendly!
To install new firewall- Log off internet, uninstall old ((you can only run one firewall! disable XP- Control panel, Windows Firewall...), Fix-it 6... (1 & 2 above), install new firewall, restart, log onto internet..., restart.
Run fix-it AllInOne... (want your computer 40%+ faster!?- Read my review on Diskeeper Pro 10 (10 ONLY!), and forget AllInOne!)
ENJOY!

This program offers all of the features offered by Norton Systemworks (anti-virus, disk defrag, windows maintenance, etc.) It also offers a Registry Defrag feature (unavailable on Norton), to optimize registry performance.

What is missing, that existed in ver 5.0 , is a Registry Fixer which caught registry errors (there are literally hundreds of them). It would then list them as green, yellow and red (depernding upon how critical they might be to your system) so that you could decide which to delete. There were problems with this feature, because it would occasionally remove a critical registry entry (causing machines to crash), but it is such a great idea that I wish they had continued to pursue it (the Registry, especially under XP, becomes clogged over time, slowing down your computer). Neither Norton nor any other program that I'm aware of has a comparable feature, although stand-alone registry cleaners are available from other vendors.

In addition to anti-virus protection, it includes spyware cleaning and blocking, but not a firewall or spam protection.

I purchased Fix-It primarily to correct a registry problem. It was rated very highly on the PCWorld website. It did a great job. I had over 850 registry errors, corrected them and did a reorg on the registry. My computer is running beter now. The other utilities included work as advertised. I have been using Norton Systemworks for many years and this product is very comparable at a lower price.

In late October, with Norton System Works due to expire on several Pc's, I purchased: 1) VCOM's Fix It Utilities 6 Pro; 2)Trend Micro's PC- cillin; & 3) System Mechanic 6 Pro.

I installed Fix It Utilities 6 Pro on one PC and it has worked like a charm ever since. Its easy to use, has frequent and easy updates, & its not a resource hog like Norton.

I installed System Mechanic 6 Pro on a second PC - After the second one crashed on SM6Pro, & $200 in hardware & software repairs later, I installed Micro-Trend's PC-cillian on the 2nd pc. PC-cillian couldn't be registered or subsequently updated at micro-tends web site so I uninstalled it. At this point SM6 Pro was up to revision q, so I thought I'd give the updated version a try. I down loaded SM6 Pro but it wouldn't open due to "corrupted files"

Today, I went back to VCOM's web sight and purchased a second copy of Fix It Utilities 6 Pro & installed it on the second PC. Once again, problem solved, It works great on my 2nd PC.

Having recently tried all the major players, I have only one conclusion: Fix It Utilities 6 Pro is the best utility program availible

I have used Norton for ten years upgrading occasionally. Each version that I got was more screwed up then the last one I had. Each version would not allow use of certain modules, but I was able to trick the software into letting me run the modules that I needed. Finally the 06 version was Dead on Arrival (DOA) I finally called it quits for Norton. V Com did some things that Norton could but would not and some things that Norton did not know how to do yet. V Com is cleaning up the mess that Norton made of my computer. This is the best software that I have come across in a long time.

Excellant product-easy to use-many features that really help keep my computer in top shape!

After reading a review in PC Magazine (I'm a subscriber), I bought V-com's "Fix-It Utilities Pro" version 6 because I read a review that said it's great at cleaning up my PC's registry. (I'm using Windows XP Home Edition.) Well, it cleaned things out, all right. After using the registry and file "cleanup" utilities in this program, all the programs I use on a daily basis, like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Powerpoint, were ALL crippled in one way or another. I had to reinstall them all to get back to some level of normalcy.

But that isn't the end of the problems this program has caused. It also removed almost all of the programs from the "Add/Remove Programs" dialog box in the Windows Control Panel, so that I can't even cleanly remove this program.

My recommendation is that you avoid this program at all costs. There's an old adage that says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, even if you think your PC is broken, use anything other than "Fix-it Utilities" to try to maintain or fix your PC.

I have had this software for about a week. At first, it seemed to be working like it was advertised. I keep my computer maintained anyway so I didn't see huge performance help. However, when I ran the registry cleaner, it did something to my computer for which I had to go back to a prior windows restore point. I was so frustrated with trying to solve the problem that I have not reinstalled the software. Personally, I think there has to be better software out there. I don't have a lot of experience with other utilities but I have tried TuneUp Utilities 2006. It seems to be better suited for PC Maintenance and especially the touchy registry cleaner issues. TuneUp did not mess up my registry and has a better user interface. My overall opinion of this software is to look elsewhere.

This software is solid, much better than the newer Symantec's Norton SystemWorks, which seems to slow down a PC until you got one of the fastest CPUs. The software comes with a $20 rebate on the box.

I installed this software after getting it free after rebates, and I must say I am not the least bit impressed. It claims to speed up your system, but instead only slows it down. Seems like it would be because it was bugging down my computer, but it's relatively new and has a gig of memory. As another reviewer mentioned, my internet stopped working correctly (although the other computers on my network without this program worked just fine with internet!) and my system restore just wouldn't work. It deleted a lot of entries I needed to run my system correctly.

The anti-spyware was an absolute joke & the updates were large files almost every day. 8 MB a day practically.

On a lighter note, Fix-It Utilities found a virus other programs were unable to find.

I use Zone Alarm Security Suite and then use CCleaner to take care of the rest. I think they're the best combination. No program beats Zone Alarm's. Fast, secure, and won't bug down your computer. I had to reinstall my operating system thanks to Fix-It Utilities.