Copyright: © 1994-2000 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.
Citation: © 1994-2000 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.


Introducing Norton WinDoctor

Norton WinDoctor is the safe and easy way to diagnose and repair the most common types of Windows problems. It checks all the information necessary for Windows to run properly. Plus it checks for components needed by programs that run under Windows.

Norton WinDoctor starts with a Wizard interface to let you choose the kinds of diagnostic tests you want to perform. After running the tests, Norton WinDoctor displays an easy-to-read report of the problems it has found. Problems are listed by problem type in the order of severity. You can choose to display the list sorted by name or status (whether they are fixed).

Norton WinDoctor lets you tailor the repair process to your own needs. You can specify which problems to fix and how to fix them. Or, you can let Norton WinDoctor fix all found problems automatically.

If you decide you don’t like a repair WinDoctor has made, undo it. To undo repairs you made in previous sessions, use Norton WinDoctor’s Repair History feature.

Norton WinDoctor keeps Windows running at peak efficiency. This not only makes using your computer faster and easier, but also safer. By fixing errors that might otherwise lead to data loss, Norton WinDoctor protects your work.

Combined with Norton System Doctor, Norton WinDoctor is even more effective. Norton System Doctor can automatically monitor your computer for Windows problems. If a problem arises, Norton System Doctor informs you of it and lets you launch Norton WinDoctor to correct the problem.

To scan your computer for Windows problems, click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

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To view WinDoctor test results

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to run WinDoctor tests for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of the problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

To see the individual problems for each problem type, select one type and click the Details button.

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To limit the scan to specific problems types
To limit the scan to specific problem types

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Select Let Me Choose Which Tests To Run.

3	Click Next.
A checklist of Norton WinDoctor scans displays.

4	Click the boxes to select the scans you want to run.

5	Click Next.

To specify how you want Norton WinDoctor to process the problems it finds, click Analysis Agents.

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To open Norton WinDoctor

You can open any of the Norton Utilities programs from Norton Utilities Integrator.

To open Norton WinDoctor:

1	Double-click Norton Utilities Integrator on the Windows desktop.

2	Click Find and Fix Problems in the left pane of the Integrator.

3	Click Norton WinDoctor in the right pane.

Or, click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor now.

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To repair all problems automatically

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Select one problem type and click Repair All.

5	Click Yes to confirm that you want all the problems included in this type repaired using Norton WinDoctor’s recommended method.

Norton WinDoctor repairs all the problems included in the displayed problem type, and a green check displays in the Status column.

 The Problems Found pane lists high-level problem types, which can include one or more individual problems. To see a complete list of the problems included in a problem type, click Details.

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To repair problems one at a time

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Click a problem type to select it.

5	Click Details to display a complete list of the problems associated with the selected problem type.

6	Select one problem you want to repair in the Details pane and click Repair to open the Select Solution Method dialog box.
The problem you selected displays, along with the potential solutions.

7	Select a solution and click OK.
The first solution in the list is always the one Norton WinDoctor’s recommends.

8	Select another problem and repeat.

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To repair a group of problems

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Click a problem type to select it.

5	Click Details to display a complete list of the problems associated with the selected problem type.

6	Select a group of problems you want to repair in the Details pane and click Repair to open the Automated Repair dialog box.

7	Do one of the following:

Select Let WinDoctor Pick The Best Solution, click OK, and go to step 9.

Select Allow Me To Choose The Solution and click OK.
The problem you selected displays along with the potential solution methods.

8	Select a solution and click OK.
The first solution in the list is always the one Norton WinDoctor recommends. When it is fixed, the next problem you selected displays until they are all fixed.

9	Select another problem type and repeat.

 If you decide not to fix a problem, click Cancel when it displays and then click Yes to display the next problem.

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To scan your computer for problems

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the Wizard instructions to check for problems.

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To select alternate repair methods

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Click a problem type to select it.

5	Click Repair in the toolbar.

6	Select Allow Me To Choose The Solution For Each Problem and click OK.
The problems associated with the problem type display one at a time.

7	Select an alternate solution for the displayed problem.
The first solution in the list is always the recommended solution.

8	Click Repair.

9	Repeat to repair the next problem that displays.

 The Problems Found pane lists high-level problem types, which can include one or more individual problems. To see a complete list of problems, click Details.

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To sort the list of found Windows problems

Norton WinDoctor sorts problems by problem type. You can choose to sort them by severity or by the scanners that were used to identify them.

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Click Advanced.

5	Click the Filter by drop-down list to select the sort criterion.
The list in the left pane changes to reflect what you selected.

6	Click a filter type in the left pane to display associated problems in the right pane.

To sort the list of problem types in the Problems Found pane, click the column heading.

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To undo repairs made by Norton WinDoctor

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Select View Repair History and (optionally) undo changes.

3	Click Finish.

4	Click a previously completed repair to select it.

5	Click the Undo button on the toolbar.

 To specify how long repairs are saved, as well as other Undo options, right-click on the dialog and choose Options.

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To set Repair History options

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Select View Repair History and (optionally) undo changes.

3	Click Finish.

4	Open the View menu and select Options.

5	Set Undo options.

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To disable WinDoctor Analysis Agents

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Select Let Me Choose Which Tests To Run.

3	Click Next.

4	Click Analysis Agents.

5	Uncheck one or more problem Analysis Agents and click OK.

6	Continue the scan process.

To see information about each Analysis Agent, place your cursor over it and read the tooltip that displays.


To ignore a reported problem

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Click Details.

5	Click the problems you want to ignore in the Details pane.

6	Open the Problems menu and select Ignore Selected Problem.
The problems you selected are marked as ignored.

7	To hide the ignored problems, open the Problem menu and deselect Show Ignored Problems.

To make a problem active again, open the View menu and select Show Ignored Problems.

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To clear the ignored problem list

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Follow the on-screen instructions to check for problems.

3	Click Finish.
Norton WinDoctor displays a list of problems found, organized by problem type, in order of severity.

4	Open the View menu and select Options.

5	Select the General tab and click Clear Ignore List.

6	Click OK.
All of the problems you have previously selected to ignore display in the Details pane.

To make a single ignored problem active again, open the View menu and select Show Ignored Problems to display it, then open the View menu and select Ignore Selected Problem.

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To clear the Repair History

1	Click here  [image]  to open Norton WinDoctor.

2	Select View Repair History.

3	Click Finish.

4	Open the Problem menu and select Clear Repair History.
If the item is grey, there are no repaired problems in the list.

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About problem types

Norton WinDoctor detects and corrects a wide variety of Windows problems. You don't need to know anything about the problems that are being repaired. Norton WinDoctor automatically repairs the problems using the best possible solution.

However, if you want to become more involved in the repair process, Norton WinDoctor also lets you pick and choose what problems to correct and how to repair them. Problems you may encounter while scanning your computer with Norton WinDoctor include:

Missing program files
One or more of the files necessary to run one of your programs is missing.

ActiveX/COM related problems
A registry entry that points to a component required for one or more of your programs is invalid.

Invalid shortcuts
One or more of the shortcuts to programs is invalid.

Registry related problems
For example, orphaned shortcuts where one or more entries in the registry refer to files that do not exist.

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About ignoring problems using Analysis Agents

Norton WinDoctor is designed to provide the most thorough scanning possible for Windows problems. Many irrelevant problems are removed by Norton WinDoctor Analysis Agents, but you still might encounter problems you feel are unimportant.

You can keep problems you choose not to fix from repeatedly displaying in Problems Found by choosing to ignore them in the Select Analysis Agents dialog box. Once they are marked as ignored, the problems no longer display.

To get to the Select Analysis Agents dialog box, select Let Me Choose Which Tests to Run on the first panel of the Norton WinDoctor Wizard.

If you later decide that you want to see or fix problems you previously ignored, you can clear the ignored problems list in the Options dialog. All ignored problems display in the Details view.

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About undoing Norton WinDoctor repairs

By default, Norton WinDoctor always asks you to confirm before it makes a repair. Even with this extra safeguard, you may sometimes want to undo a repair. With Norton WinDoctor, not only can you undo a repair you just made, but you can also undo a repair you made yesterday or even last week.

The Repair History tracks the changes that Norton WinDoctor makes to your system. To undo any tracked repair, open the Repair History screen, click to select a repair, and then click the Undo button on the toolbar.

To configure how long or how many Repair History items are retained, open the View menu and choose Options.

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Types of Norton WinDoctor repairs

Norton WinDoctor checks your computer for all kinds of Windows problems, including problems that pertain to:

Shortcuts

ActiveX/Com

Application paths

Uninstall file entries

System configuration settings

Fonts

File dependencies

System startup settings

DOS program configuration files

If you suspect a certain type of problem, you can choose to limit Norton WinDoctor to one or more specific problem types with the Norton WinDoctor wizard. Most of the time however, you'll want to do a full scan to keep your computer running at its best.

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About alternate repair methods

When Norton WinDoctor detects a problem, it suggests a recommended repair method. This is generally the best and most complete solution to the problem. If you wish, you can also select from a list of alternate repair methods. These alternate methods also correct the problem, but in a different way. Most of the time, you'll want to select the recommended solution.

 The Problems Found pane lists high-level problem types, which can include one or more individual problems. To see a complete list of problems, click Details.

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Selecting Norton WinDoctor Analysis Agents

Norton WinDoctor automatically filters out certain types of irrelevant problem conditions. For instance, some of the tests that make perfect sense to run on your hard disk would not apply to a removable drive, such as a Zip drive. To avoid cluttering the test results with irrelevant information, Norton WinDoctor uses a series of Analysis Agents to omit this information. You can turn these Analysis Agents off and on to suit any special conditions you may encounter.

This dialog box contains the following:

Norton WinDoctor Analysis Agents checkbox list
Click any checkbox to uncheck it, disabling that Analysis Agent. When all of the options are disabled, all problems encountered by WinDoctor are reported, regardless of relevance.

To see information about each Analysis Agent, place your cursor over it and read the tooltip that displays.

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Selecting Norton WinDoctor scans

Norton WinDoctor can perform a variety of scans to find problems with your system. You may not wish to run every scan every time you run Norton WinDoctor. This dialog box displays the list of available scans and allows you to select the ones you want Norton WinDoctor to run.

This dialog box contains the following:

Norton WinDoctor scan checkbox list
Click any checkbox to uncheck it, disabling that scan.

To see information about each scan, place your cursor over it and read the tooltip that displays.

Deselect all/Select all
Deselects or selects all the available scans.

Analysis Agents
Click to open the Select Analysis Agents dialog box, where you can specify how you want Norton WinDoctor to process the problems it finds.


Automated Repair dialog box

This dialog box displays when you click Repair after selecting a problem type in the top section of the Problems Found pane. On this dialog box, you select how WinDoctor should repair the selected sub-problems included in that problem type.

This dialog box contains the following:

Let WinDoctor Pick The Best Solution...
Click to allow WinDoctor to automatically repair each sub-problem in the selected problem type by determining the best solution and applying it.

Allow Me To Choose The Solution...
Click if you want to choose from a list of available solutions for each sub-problem. This option opens the Automated Repair dialog box.

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Select Repair Solutions dialog box

The Automated Repair dialog box displays one sub-problem at a time, and presents the available solution methods to repair it. The first solution in the list is the most complete fix for the problem. You may select other solutions or accept the recommendation.

This dialog box contains the following:

Select Solution list
Select the solution you want applied to the problem.

Repair
Click Repair to apply the selected solution.

Cancel
If you selected a problem type with multiple sub-problems, or a group of sub-problems, Cancel allows you to skip the currently displayed sub-problem and display the next, or close this dialog box.

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About problem severity

Norton WinDoctor displays an easy-to-read report of the problems it found. Problems are listed by problem type in the order of severity.

There are three levels of severity:

Low
Problem that is unlikely to affect your use of the computer, but should be repaired to keep your system uncluttered. For example, you may have a reference to a file in the registry that points to a file that has been moved or deleted.

Medium
Problem that would be an annoyance to you, but probably won’t interfere with the most important tasks you perform. For example, if an application shortcut refers to a file that is missing or has been moved, you would not be able to launch that application from the shortcut.

High
Problem that can block you from using your computer or could result in data loss. For example, if a file that is required to run an application is missing or corrupt.


Welcome

Welcome to Norton WinDoctor, the safe and easy way to diagnose and repair the most common types of Windows problems. You can tailor the repair process to your own needs, by selecting which tests to run and which problems to fix.

After running the tests, Norton WinDoctor displays an easy-to-read report of the problems it found. You can specify which problems to fix and how to fix them. Or, you can let Norton WinDoctor fix all found problems automatically.

Select one option, then click Next to continue.

Perform all Norton WinDoctor tests (recommended)
Runs all the available Norton WinDoctor tests.

Let me choose which tests to run
Opens the scan checkbox list where you can select specific tests to run.

View Repair History and (optionally) undo changes
Skip all scans and display the Repair History, where you can review repairs that have been made and select specific repairs to undo.


Scanning for problems

Norton WinDoctor scans for problems and then executes the Analysis Agents that filter irrelevant problems from the Problems Found list. This dialog shows the progress and status of each activity during the test session.

Wait for all the scans to be completed, then click Next to see the results.

Stop
Click to stop Norton WinDoctor activity.

To select Analysis Agents, you must choose to select which tests to run on the first panel of the wizard.


Finish

Norton WinDoctor presents its findings on this dialog.

To view any problems found, click Finish.


Click this option to limit the number of days that repair history information is saved.


Enter the number of days to save information on repaired problems in the Repair History.


Click this option to limit the total number of repairs that will be saved based on the length of the Repair History list.


Enter the total number of repaired problems to keep in the Repair History.


Configures Norton WinDoctor to keep a record of all repairs without limitation.


Configures Norton WinDoctor to keep a record of all repairs without limitation.


Displays the progress of the current repair.


Displays the name of the problem currently being repaired.


Indicates the number of completed repairs.


Indicates the number of problems that could not be repaired.


Indicates the number of problems yet to be repaired.


Indicates how many problems have been repaired.


Indicates how many problems could not be repaired.


Indicates how many problems have yet to be repaired.


Displays the name of the problem currently being repaired.


Displays the Select Analysis Agents dialog box. Analysis Agents enhance Norton WinDoctor scans by filtering information about irrelevant problems.


Unchecks or checks all of the Norton WinDoctor scans.


Select the Norton WinDoctor scans you want to run. Click a checkbox to select or deselect a scan.

To see information about each scan, place your cursor over it and read the tooltip that displays.


Review the available Norton WinDoctor scans in the list and select the ones you want to run.


Click this option to have Norton WinDoctor perform all available problem scans.


Click this option if you want to select which Norton WinDoctor problem scans to run, or select which Analysis Agents to enable.


Click this option to immediately display the Repair History pane where you can Undo previous repairs. No tests are run with this option.


Choose what you want Norton WinDoctor to do: run all scans, run specific scans, or display the Repair History without running any scans.


Displays a list of the activities Norton WinDoctor is performing. The arrow points to the current activity. A check precedes finished activities.


Indicates the progress of the scan currently being performed.


Displays the name of  the scan currently being performed.


Cancel WinDoctor testing. To check which scans were performed before you stopped the process, look in the Results column.


Norton WinDoctor progress during the scan process displays on this window.


Indicates the progress of the scan currently being performed.


Norton WinDoctor did not find any problems on your computer.


A summary of the problems Norton WinDoctor found diplays on this window.


Click to repair the selected problem.


Select the solution method to be used to correct the currently selected problem.


Displays the name of the currently selected problem.


A list of the available Analysis Agents displays here. Each prevents Norton WinDoctor from displaying information about one type of irrelevant problem. Uncheck any that you want to disable.

To see information about each agent, place your cursor over it and read the tooltip that displays.


Select the repair solution you want Norton WinDoctor to use to correct the currently selected problem.


Click to repair the selected problem.


Displays the name of the currently selected problem.


Click the box to apply this repair solution to the rest of the problems in this group.


Click this option to choose the solution method for each selected problem.


Click this option to let Norton WinDoctor automatically repair all selected problems using its recommended method.


Norton WinDoctor keeps a list of all problems you marked as Ignore in the Details pane of Problems Found.   To redisplay these problems in that pane, and clear the Ignore list, click the button.


Norton WinDoctor keeps a list of all problems you marked as Ignore in the Details pane of Problems Found.   To redisplay these problems in that pane, and clear the Ignore list, click the button.


Lets you select Library options for Norton WinDoctor.


Lets you get context sensitive help by right-clicking in dialog boxes.


Provides more detailed version and registration information for Norton Utilities programs.


Provides introductory information about Norton Utilities programs.


Displays the Norton Utilities graphic while Norton Utilities programs are loading.


Checks for a live connection to the internet on your computer.


Allows you to undo repairs made by Norton WinDoctor.