PC-Doctor Service Center 6

Introduction:

   How many of you out there are, at this very moment, reading this review using a friend's computer or your PC at work because your own PC... ummm... is fubar? In today's review, we've laid our hands on something very unique that may just be the cure for your computer's failure: the PC-Doctor Service Center 6. This PC toolkit includes the most widely used PC diagnostics on the planet. According to PC-Doctor, Inc.:

"PC-Doctor Service Center 6 is a complete toolkit used by service professionals to troubleshoot problems accurately, to implement repairs quickly, and to ensure that PCs are working properly before returning them to service. The software is widely used by independent repair technicians, computer retailers, regional and national repair depots, and IT groups in large and small companies." In fact, "four of the world's top five PC manufacturers ship PC-Doctor diagnostics on their PCs."

    So, what is it that makes one professional diagnostic better than the others? Well, one thing is whether or not it can support the OS used most widely, which right now is Windows Vista. PC-Doctor 6 claims to already be able to support Vista, along with several other Windows versions. PC-Doctor also names 4 critical criteria that are essential to creating a satisfying experience for PC diagnostic users... and states how PC-Doctor meets these criteria.

    First of all, there's Accuracy. That's a given, right? I mean, who would even consider trying to diagnose PC problems by inaccurate means? PC-Doctor claims its software can bypass inaccuracies in Windows OS to identify information directly from the PC's hardware components. The PC-Doctor Windows and self-booting diagnostic testing is stated to be able to diagnose just about any PC, even if Windows won't boot.

    Second, there's Speed. PC-Doctor software takes less than 10 seconds to load, while the components polled by Direct System Information during boot-up only need to enumerate once. This fast performance will obviously contribute to shorter troubleshooting sessions and faster repairs.

    Next, there's Ease of Use. PC-Doctor uses icons that can be understood, simple instructions, more than one way to monitor test progress, and clear results that can be used by both the professional service technician and the novice (meaning all the rest of us.) Tests can also be run from several different ways: from the CD, the Multipurpose USB Device, and the hard drive. Easy script building is also supported to simplify and standardize test processes.

    Last, but certainly not least, is Currency. No... they aren't giving away money, so don't ask. Currency here refers to the fact that PC-Doctor updates its Service Center at least annually to make sure everyone using their product is able to keep pace with important technological advances in the PC marketplace. PC-Doctor is able to do this through its close relationships with major component manufacturers who make their new components available for early testing.

    OK, OK.... Enough mumbo-jumbo. Time for the ultimate question: Does PC-Doctor Service Center 6 do all it is claimed to be able to do? That is, after all, what we really want to know. So, let's get on with the review and find out the answer.

About the Company:

    PC-Doctor, Inc. is the worldwide industry leader in PC hardware diagnostic software. The PC-Doctor product suite is the most comprehensive set of diagnostic software tools available. Our products optimize product quality, support, and service for the computer user. Every major PC manufacturer is our client. No other diagnostic software company can make that claim.

Company

    At PC-Doctor, we enjoy a small-company environment combined with an international orientation. Our employees are competent professionals and we treat them accordingly. As an employee, you will receive all the guidance and support you need, but will never be micro-managed. PC-Doctor is a cooperative team environment. We appreciate and reward individual contributions and integrity.

    PC-Doctor was established in 1993, and has offices in Reno, Beijing, and Tokyo. Our worldwide presence allows us to provide service and support to all of our customers at any time, wherever they are located in the world. We are a privately owned, closely held company with no debt and no outside capital. Unlike many companies in this industry, we emphasize stability and reliability. You won’t find venture capital or risky business transactions. You will find a company focused on engineering, heroic customer support, and long-term agreements with the largest manufacturers in the industry. We are a profitable company, driven not by profits, but by our core values.

Specifications:

Target Users

• Retailers

• Enterprise PC service organizations

• PC repair centers

• Mobile PC technicians

• Low-volume PC manufacturers

• Low-volume warranty repair centers

• System designers

• Hobbyists

Product Includes

• Diagnostic CD for both Windows and low-level hardware testing in the offline diagnostic OS

• CD and DVD test media

• Five loopback devices for RJ45 ports, game, serial, audio, and parallel ports

• PCI POST card

• Power supply tester

• Multipurpose USB Device bootable to the offline OS for low-level testing

• Quick Start Guide

• Comprehensive documentation for advanced product usage

Key Benefits

• Shorten your service delivery times — fast, accurate diagnostics reduce time to troubleshoot and repair systems

• Reduce your service delivery costs — accurate tests help reduce out-of-box-failure (OOBF) rates in manufacturing and no-trouble-found (NTF) rates for components in service organizations

• Eliminate guesswork — comprehensive testing with the same industry-standard diagnostics used by the world's largest PC manufacturers quickly finds the real problem

• Intermittent problems and unbootable systems can be diagnosed accurately using the offline, bootable OS included on the CD and Multipurpose USB Device

• Deliver service into the field — the kit includes hardware test devices, test media, and software diagnostics in a compact satchel

• Increase customer satisfaction with your service — reporting features help you explain your troubleshooting conclusions to end-users and provide them with a record of the action taken

For a complete list of all the possible tests, click here.

Features:

Key Features

• More than 300 current, up-to-date diagnostics

• Hardware test devices — power supply tester, POST card, network tester, and loopbacks

• Bootable Multipurpose USB Device indicates test status

• Easy-to-use, intuitive graphical user interface

• Fast, 10-second start-up with no installation requirements

• Direct System Information™ architecture gathers information directly from devices

• Runs under Windows Vista, XP, Server 2003, 2000 and the included offline OS (contact sales@pc-doctor.com for legacy support of Windows 98/ME or NT)

• Multiple boot options:

  • Hard drive

  • CD

  • New Multipurpose USB Device

• Updated script editor to create custom test scripts for your specific systems or recurring problems

• Test results can be saved and printed

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