Any Bigfix users?

[Jaws]

With all the flap about WGA and some recommendations by experts not to use Windows Update, does anybody use Bigfix Consumer Edition (free for non-commercial use) instead of windows update? It looks like a resident program but I'm assuming you can kill it's automatic startup and use on-demand? Any trust issues with Bigfix?

http://help.bigfix.com/

Is WGA a Windows XP issue only or does it affect W2k Pro too?

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "BigFix is a program that can intelligently detect and correct all kinds of problems on your computer, usually before they get a chance to mess up your computer." }-
Softwares are NOT intelligent, they work with IF-statements, nested IFs and other similar commands to check conditions of certain objects.
Programmers are sometimes so proud on what they accomplished, that they start calling their program intelligent and intuitive.
There are NO intelligent softwares, except in SF-movies.
That's why scanners have false positives, because they are NOT intelligent like users and that's why users have to report false positives to improve the scanner.

Besides that, I would also like to know if it is good or not. :)

[Rasheed187]

I don´t know if it´s just me, but I couldn´t find a download link at their site, but I found it on PC World, I will check it out. Oh wait, even better, found a review on Softpedia.com. This type of app might come in handy since I absolutely hate Win Update. ;)

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,7538-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html
http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/BigFix-Review-26504.shtml

[Jaws]

Hey Rasheed, yeah I'm with you on having to go the WU and forced to run three services just to get any updates. When BITS was an optional download I never downloaded it but was forced to when MS decided you couldn't get their updates without it.

I'd be interested in anybodies experiences with this program and if it could be run intermittently so as not being run resident all the time.

Erik, I could care less if the program was intelligent, so long as it grabs Win Updates without having to go to WU. I tend to agree with you though, but AI is getting better all the time and in the future, who knows?

Being a W2k Pro user, the reading I've done seems to suggest WGA is for Win XP only, though one site I've read suggests otherwise.

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "Being a W2k Pro user, the reading I've done seems to suggest WGA is for Win XP only, though one site I've read suggests otherwise." }-
I'm an ex-Win2000pro user and it was nothing but paying the bill to Bill, a long serial number and that was it. No activation, no wga.
In other words a simple OS without harrassements that could be installed completely without needing internet.

All that, changed when I bought winXPproSP2.
Each time I watch the movie "Kill Bill", I think of Bill Gates. >:(

[Woody777]

I got Big Fix when I Got a E Machine computer. It was a little confusing to make work. It doesn't work all that well if it doesn't work all the time. I'm not even sure it does work all that well anyway. But, I decided to give it a try. I never knew it to do anything but supply you with fixlets. No security concerns. Try it you might like it. I'm not really sure its a replacement for Windows update but it has some of the same functionality.

[Jaws]

OK, I went ahead and installed Bigfix and my first impressions are not very high on this product. First off, the installation went smooth and you can uncheck for Bigfix to automatically start at each boot, so far so good, just what I wanted.

Subscribing to fixlet message sites was no big deal since you're automatically subscribed to Fixlet Central and Bigfix Technical Support during to installation process. This is what it says about these two subscription items:

-{ Quote: "-- BigFix Technical Support

BigFix, Inc. uses this site to deliver tech support for BigFix products, and to notify you when new versions of the BigFix program are released. You are automatically subscribed to this site when you install the BigFix client application.

-- Fixlet Central

Fixlet Central is the premier site for learning about urgent computing problems on your computer. With Fixlet messages targeting recently discovered security and virus attacks, bugs and software conflicts, Fixlet Central will help keep your computer safe, secure and operational." }-

Below these you can subscribe to any version of Windows from 95 to XP. Naturally I chose Windows 2000:

-{ Quote: "-- Windows 2000

Windows 2000 is a complex operating system with thousands of issues that can affect the performance of your PC. The Windows 2000 site can keep you up-to-date on the updates, patches, and bug fixes that your PC needs, helping your computer achieve optimal performance every day." }-
Here is where Bigfix may be a Big-Flop. Since I've patch my W2K in Febuary but not yet in March, I figured this would be a good test for any updates I needed from the March release. I gathered the Bigfix updates from Fixlets Central and Windows 2000 and this is what I got:

Fixlet Central - UPDATE: MDAC 2.8 Available.

W2K - UPDATE: Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC 2.7) Update.
---- - Windows Media Player 7.1 Available.

Going to though the Windows Update web site instead of Bigfix, there was one high priority update: Malware Software Removal Tool March 2007 and five optional updates: WMP 9, Root Cert. update, .NET 1.1, .NET 2.0 and Smart Card Crypto Package.

The thing I did notice is that to get MDAC 2.8 though WU you need to go through the verification process whereas though Bigfix it started downloading as soon as I clicked on the link. I aborted the download before it finished though.

I think this type of program is a great idea but I don't know what to make of this software since it didn't retrieve the high priority update for me. I'm thinking this program is mainly for Enterprises to push through updates to many, many computers. Their forum is for enterprise BigFix customers. Of course I may be doing something wrong and YMMV.

[Woody777]

I think your impressions are exactly correct. It works I guess but if you didnt have it it might not make that big a difference.

[ErikAlbert]

If it skipped an important update, it made a BIGmistake, which is unforgivable for an intelligent software with a name like that.
Who knows what else it does behind the screen, even more BIGmistakes ? Bigfix

[innerpeace]

My e-machines also came with BigFix. I usually don't install ms updates unless right away unless it's an immediate problem. I go by www.askwoody.com advice as when and which updates to apply. If I remember right, BigFix seemed to alert me about a week after patch Tuesday that patches were available. I did get a message from e-machines about once a month about purchasing extended warranties too. Long story short, I couldn't figure a way to run in manually, so I uninstalled it. It was just another process that was continually running.