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It does not matter how something on a person's computer broke. It could be the result of a malware infection, a conflict with a third-party application, or self-help that backfired. Regardless of the source of the problem, we all want Microsoft to Fix it and to Fix it Now.

Although Microsoft has long provided Knowledge Base articles with detailed instructions for repairing problems such as those mentioned above, the instructions generally involve registry edits -- which is understandably something the average home user generally will shy away from doing.

Along comes Microsoft Fix it, a tool to automate those fixes that you want now, relieving you from worrying about messing up a registry edit that could result in your computer in worse condition than before you attempted the fix.

The Fix it Team has created a wide range of fixes covering problems in Windows, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office programs such as Excel and Word, Outlook, Windows Media Player, Zune and a whole lot more. Many of those fixes are a result of Windows Error Reporting (WER) where people like you and I allow the submission of crash reports to Microsoft. By submitting those reports, Microsoft Product Support Reports (MPSReports) is able to analyze the results and fixes for repeated problems are added.

To check that Windows Error Reporting (WER) is enabled, do the following:

Windows Vista:

    Click Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Problem Reports and Solutions > Change settings > Advanced settings > Select "Automatically check for solutions".

Windows XP:

    Click Start > Right-click My Computer > Properties > Advanced Tab > Error Reporting.

If you are not sure where to start, you can try Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services (Microsoft ATS) to detect problems on your machine and automatically fix any common problems.

The Fix it Team has provided multiple resources to assist you in locating a Fix it solution:

   1. Fix it for me blog
   2. Fix it Gadget (Download link)
   3. Fix it Solutions Page
   4. Microsoft Fix it Solutions Center

The next time you need a solution for a problem, let Microsoft Fix it for you.

Yes, Temmu, Microsoft Fix it works.  You have the knowledge and confidence to edit the registry.  You also understand the dangers of doing so.  The majority of computer users do not have the same credentials.  What Microsoft Fix it does is to automate the repairs in the respective Knowledge Base Articles.

Temmu, you just spend too much time under Bruno's influence in ATL. 

Reminder: It is not advisable to run beta software on a production computer.

Microsoft is testing a new "Fix it Center"--an online and PC-based tool for helping users solve their Windows technical problems.

While a fair amount of diagnostics are built into Windows 7, the free Fix it Center aims to expand on these and also bring similar capabilities to Windows XP and Windows Vista.

The service, which went into beta on Thursday, consists of both a Windows download and an online service.

"Fix it Center finds and fixes many common PC and device problems automatically," Microsoft said on its Web site. "It also helps prevent new problems by proactively checking for known issues and installing updates. Fix it Center helps to consolidate the many steps of diagnosing and repairing a problem into an automated tool that does the work for you."

Complete report at Microsoft adds repair shop to Windows | Beyond Binary - CNET News

Just so everyone is aware, the FixWin Utility is not the same as Microsoft Fix it solutions. The FixWIn Utility was developed by Microsoft MVP Ramesh Kumar.  Microsoft provides various Fix it solutions for many areas, including Windows Media Player, Zune, X-box, Office, etc. 

http://support.microsoft.com/fixit/

In addition, when there is an outstanding Security Advisory, where possible, Microsoft will find a Fix it solution until a Security update has been provided.  Note, in such situations, there is also a disable fix to be applied when the update is released.

Two recent Fix it solutions:

Microsoft Fix it Available for Security Advisory 2488013
Microsoft Fix it Available for Security Advisory 2490606

Hi, Temmu. 

Forgive my late reply.  Somehow, I missed your comment. 

Releasing security updates is a complex process, involving testing processes in all supported languages and as many environments as possible.   Thus, a Fix it solution is issued as a temporary work-around when there has been a public disclosure of a vulnerability.