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Computer repair service based out of central florida.
THE LAST COMPUTER REPAIR SERVICE YOU'LL EVER, EVER, EVER NEED. NO, TRULY - EVER NEED. And here's why...
How does a typical computer system become unusable? Usually, after a period of weeks or, if you're lucky, months, the machine's bootup time becomes slower and slower. And when the desktop finally appears, you still can't do anything as a multitude of unnecessary, resource-hogging services and other background tasks are being loaded. And then you're confronted with the ever-present, "Software X has EXPIRED! You need to pay $13,999.95 for the newest update! Do it now before cute and loveable baby seals get hacked to shreds. HUUURRRRRYYYY!!!!". For about 20 different applications, none of which you needed to begin with.
Once you've clicked through all that garbage, you're finally staring at a calm and serene desktop. You click on Internet Exploder and WHAM! BAM! POW! CRUNCH! All of a sudden, you've become a primary player in a Batman serial getting hammered by popup after popup after popup. When you think you've closed one, two more appear in their dead comrade's place. Within a few seconds, your entire screen contains 1,534,749 ads all trying to sell you the same junk over and over. The only way to rescue this situation is to hit good ole [CTRL]-[ALT]-[DEL], bring up the tasklist, and kill those runaway processes like the cockroaches they are.
Unfortunately, this is not a solution, just a Band-Aid, for they'll be back and they'll want BLOOOOOOOOOOOD.
What you need is a complete, utter, and absolute system baselining. It's the equivalent of the tactical advice Ripley gave to the marines in Aliens - "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.".
Here is what I do and don't do. My services are genuine. I have repaired many computers in the manner I'm about to describe and am wishing to expand my service base.
It is VITALLY important that you read this post thoroughly, as I do not provide the typical service that other outfits do (like Geek Squad). My goals are more focused and long-term while my fees are FAR lower.
If you have a computer that you suspect is infected with the aforementioned virii, keyloggers, trojans, or some other pieces of malware, then you've come to the right person. Whether it be a machine running Windows 95, 98, Millennium, XP, Vista, or even Windows 7, I can handle them all. Even OEM branded machines are not a problem.
This is the important part and one that MUST be understood before considering my services. I do NOT perform user data preservation. What this means is that any Word documents, torrent/P2P files, Outlook emails, Internet Explorer favorites, or anything else that's considered "user generated content" will be gone when I am finished servicing the computer. This is because I reset, or "baseline", machines to their original state, but enhanced with the most current OS service pack, latest drivers that are available, and completely clear of unwanted code. I also perform motherboard BIOS upgrades when newer versions have been released.
Please note that this is NOT the same thing as simply inserting the restore disc that typically comes with your Dell, HP, or Sony Vaio, as the drivers on those discs are frequently outdated. Said discs also install unnecessary bloatware that only slows the machine down and, in some cases, makes them outright unstable. I use 100% Windows disc images straight from Microsoft by virtue of my Technet subscription.
You MUST provide me with a genuine Windows product license key that can be activated online or by using Microsoft's automated telephone authentication system. Keys already in use on another running machine will NOT activate and if I discover that I've been given one that doesn't authenticate (for whatever reason), all work will immediately stop and the machine returned. When I return the machine to you after having activating it with a LEGITIMATE key, for Vista and 7 you'll see this in Control Panel -> System:
If you do not own Windows, I will still work on the machine and install the OS version of your choice (e.g., Home, Professional, Ultimate), but without a license code. However, you only have a limited amount of time to use the machine before Windows will demand you input a legitimate key. OEM versions can only be used on that one machine and hardware configuration while retail editions can be moved to another, different machine and successfully activated. Because of this, OEM versions are far less expensive than their retail counterparts and are generally recommended over the retail version, but cannot be transferred to another machine later down the line.
If you choose to purchase Windows while I have the machine, I can make this purchase for you after being remitted the commensurate amount or you can do it yourself. Be aware that, to my knowledge, no version of Windows prior to XP can be purchased and XP sales will be suspended soon. If the hardware supports it, I STRONGLY encourage picking up Windows 7, but you'll probably have to steer clear of "upgrade" versions.
To give you some insight as to what I do, a typical repair process goes like so:
1. Clean out the machine using compressed air and gentle wiping with a non-static cloth.
2. Boot the computer, enter the BIOS, and make changes as necessary. Also make note of the BIOS version to see if a newer version is available.
3. Write down the Windows license key that is either stickied onto the computer case or one that is otherwise provided (remember, this key MUST be legitimate).
4. Partition and install whichever version of Windows is appropriate based on the provided license.
5. Activate the installation via Microsoft using either the online or phone method.
6. "Image" the system at that point in the process (using Acronis).
7. Download and install all critical and some non-critical updates from the Windows Update service.
8. Obtain and install the latest drivers applicable to the system.
9. Install a few unobtrusive third-party applications that will be extremely handy to have as the machine sees use.
10. Take a second system image.
I realize I'm probably being pedantic, but PLEASE note that in none of the above steps do I mention saving any user data. This is SOLELY up to you to do. I recommend getting ahold of at least a 4 gig thumbdrive and transferring anything that you want saved onto it. These drives are fairly cheap and decent ones can be purchased for less than $20 online.
I do not need anything other than the box and wireless NIC USB dongle (if you have one). You keep everything else - keyboard, mouse, cables, printers, etc. If you have peripherals that require additional software, like webcams or scanners, then you will need to install the appropriate drivers and utilities after I return the box to you.
I also perform this service on laptops. However, laptops can be extremely tricky when trying to find drivers and software to program their unique control buttons. You may lose some functionality in that regard, particularly with older laptops that have long gone unsupported from their respective manufacturers. I like to think of myself as a miracle worker, but I do have my limits. ;)
Here are some pictures of machines I've either repaired for others or built for myself.
(Click on each for full-sized images - opens in new browser window or tab.)
I do not confer any warranties or guarantees. I will do some stress testing for as long as I have the machine in my possession, but if I return it to you and it suffers a catastrophic failure a month later, I cannot be held responsible. I can try to help you pinpoint the problem, but due to their interrelated nature, computers are almost impossible to easily fix on a hardware level. Some motherboards have diagnostic beep codes that help isolate problems, but many do not. Computers are not like cars in that, when the brakes squeal, there's about a 95% probability that all you need are new pads. Computer slowdowns and crashes can be the result of marginal power supplies, bad RAM, overheating processors, leaking/blown capacitors, etc. or a combination thereof. About the only thing you can do is run some basic diagnostics (presuming the machine will even boot) and start swapping-out parts.
