This may not be new to some but I suspect many avoid the Microsoft site when having problems with Windows in fear of being charged or not being able to easily find an answer.

In so doing, you may be ignoring some valuable resources for problem solving. The Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services provides automated tools for scanning your system and suggesting fixes for a number of categories of "popular" problems for Windows.

At this time, these include...

• Common system maintenance tasks
• Problems with overall system speed and performance
• Problems with power usage and battery life
• Windows Search is not working or searches are slower
• Windows Vista Aero Glass visual effects are not working
• Printing problems and printing errors
• Your CD or DVD drive cannot read or write media
• Hardware devices not detected or not working
• Problems with sound and audio or no sound
• Windows Vista Aero Glass visual effects are not working
• Problems with sound and audio or no sound
• Hardware devices not detected or not working
• Your CD or DVD drive cannot read or write media
• Printing problems and printing errors
• Common system maintenance tasks
• Problems with overall system speed and performance
• Problems with power usage and battery life
• Windows Search is not working or searches are slower

When you select a topic you are taken to a page with a link to a download program that will do the testing and diagnosis.

Windows Powershell is required to run the diagnostics and it will be installed or enabled if necessary. (Windows PowerShell is a task-based command-line shell and scripting language that is designed specifically for system administration.)