Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services fix a CD drive

A friend of mine named John had good luck using Microsoft's free online troubleshooting service for Vista:

"I am elated with the results of the Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services' Fix it. Have you ever run across this service? After 8+ months without a CD/DVD player—and weekly efforts to remedy the situation—I googled my problem once again and this time came up with a link to MATS.

"After several tries (not compatible with Firefox, open Internet Explorer, won't download, try again later) finally it loaded onto my computer and gave me some options to check off. Within 5 minutes, my CD/DVD was humming again."

Microsoft announced MATS last month. The service requires the PowerShell utility and uses an ActiveX control that it downloads to your system, so as my friend John noted, it works only with Internet Explorer. On the Operations Manager Support Team blog, Microsoft Manageability Knowledge Engineer J.C. Hornbeck outlines the troubleshooting steps MATS takes.

At present, there are only six automatic fixes offered by the service in three categories: "Appearance and personalization," "Hardware and sound," and "Print." You might think that's pretty slim pickings when you consider the range of PC problems, but if your PC's malady has been as thorny as my friend John's balky CD/DVD drive, MATS is worth a try.

Recently, my Vista notebook has been popping up an error message about not finding a Bluetooth driver when it boots. I don't use any Bluetooth devices, so I haven't worried about it. But I thought that was a good enough excuse to take MATS out for a test drive.

It took several minutes for the PowerShell and ActiveX control to download and install, after which I was presented with two options: identify and fix problems automatically, or detect them and let me decide what to fix.

The Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services' Fix it feature lets you find and repair Vista problems.

(Credit: Microsoft)

I chose to detect but don't fix because I wasn't convinced there was really a problem. The only thing the scan came up with was the possibility that recent hardware changes hadn't been detected.

Review fixes MATS detects before beginning the repair.

(Credit: Microsoft)

The resulting "Troubleshooting is complete" screen was ambiguous in this instance. It indicated that the issue of hardware changes not being detected was "Detected," according to the "Fix status." I assume that means the issue was detected, not the hardware changes themselves, but I'm not sure.

The result shown in the "Troubleshooting is complete" screen is ambiguous for this test.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Before the troubleshooter closed, it offered three resources for further research into my problem: search Microsoft Answers communities, search Microsoft Help and Support, or open a Microsoft support request, which would send the test results to a "support professional." I chose to leave well enough alone.

MATS gives you three options for further research into your problem before closing.

(Credit: Microsoft)

I wouldn't hazard a guess at the odds of your particular Vista problem being addressed by one of MATS' automatic fixes, but running MATS beats a call to a "support professional" by a country mile.

[inachu1]

This will be a great service if expanded and will compete with the services like pctools and iolo.

I sure hope it is out of any beta mode and I expect this service to stick around a for avery long time!

:-)

[nevlady]

Well at last I was able to find a fix for my CD/RW/DVD trouble after a bad update for my CD/RW/DVD since March of this year. It was so simple to enter the info, and my Driver fix was in and my CD was reading once more. We take our CD/RW/DVD for granted...until it is not working, and new one is not the answer. We need them sometimes need it everyday. And want it working when you pop in that CD.

I really do hope they keep this service for all of us who use Microsoft, it is of great help, and fast as well.

Thank you, thank you...Thank you.