System for remote internet consulting, servicing and repair

A system for providing consulting advice to network users from a server to a client in which said client has a computer coupled to said network, comprising:

• a computer program provided to said client for periodically detecting client infrastructure comprising a plurality of:
• computer type, login history, application types, peripheral types, CPU power, hard disk space, and network connection information;
• and
• a system for detecting a problem associated with said client computer which is caused by an incompatibility of said client infrastructure and for providing said consulting advice to said client over said network in response to said detected problem.

A system for providing consulting advice to network users from a server to a client in which said client has a computer coupled to said network, comprising:

• means for providing said client with software for automatically detecting said client infrastructure, wherein said software includes a serial number unique to said client;
• means at the client for automatically ascertaining said client infrastructure and for transmitting said client infrastructure to said server;
• means at said server for ascertaining, in response to said client infrastructure, any problem said client may be having with his computer, thus to remotely identify said problem;
• and,
• means at said server for contacting said client over said network for providing said consulting advice as to said problem.

A method for providing consulting advice to network users from a server to a client having a computer coupled to said network, wherein said client computer has an infrastructure associated therewith comprising at least one of:

• the computer type, the peripherals attached to the computer, CPU power, hard disk space, login history, application types, and network connection information, said method comprising the steps of:
• detecting said client infrastructure with a computer program provided by said server to said client and transmitting said detected infrastructure to said server;
• and
• ascertaining a problem associated with said client computer at said server, wherein said problem is caused by an incompatibility of said client infrastructure.