Your computer is down, and you've worked hard on getting it back up for hours to no avail. What do you do next?
1. You can always bring your computer into our shop and have our staff diagnose and if appropriate, repair it. That is not the only option.
2. We can also come to you. If you are uncomfortable disconnecting your computer or the issue involves going inside the case we can come out and fix it on the spot or bring it back to the shop if needed.
3. And finally if you have an internet connection many times we can save the aggravation of disconnecting and reconnecting your computer by accessing your system remotely using s secure program. You can sit in your own chair and as we talk through the issues you get to watch everything we do and ask as many questions as you want. (We tend to avoid politics and religion but anything tech is welcome).
Certainly some services and computer conditions lend themselves to one more than another. Remote access is impossible without a working computer with internet access. Some repairs need to happen in the store so we can order parts and test the installations. An initial consolation about your issue will insure we go down the most effective path.
*Maintenance $50 - $130
Many computers which seem broken may just need maintenance. Without regular cleaning your computer’s efficiency will slowly erode, it will get slower to respond, it will take longer to save or retrieve files, music and movies may skip. We run between 7 and 10 different programs to clean, scan, update, remove spyware and viruses, and repair your files without damage to your data. The length of time it takes depends on the age of your computer, if it has been maintained, how many programs and files you have and how big your hard drive is. Once complete it will be like new (not newer).
*Virus and spyware removal $50 - $130
If you have a sudden pop-up and you can turn off the computer right away often we can surgically remove the offending programs and have you back up in no time. At the next level you will have accumulated a variety or spyware and malware programs such as search redirectors, extra toolbars and a general slowing of internet access. More dramatically you can be infected to the point where you cannot open any programs, you computer freezes just by looking at it. In the worst case the infection/virus has actually damaged programs and/or files and a complete reinstall of windows is necessary.
*Upgrades
Your computer may have slowed down over the years. Here is why. When you first bought your computer it was a matched set of hardware and software, like a car and trailer. Over the years you may have wanted a bigger trailer, added more stuff into it so now you are pulling a much larger trailer with the same small car. It is the same way with new programs and updates that have been installed over the years. A cleaning may help but many times additional memory or a larger hard drive may be needed just to run the programs you now have. Once determined based on what you have and what you use we can recommend upgrades that will keep your computer running to the best of its’ ability with an eye to your future needs.
*Repairs $30 and up
If your computer is broken, won’t turn on, overheats, shuts down unexpectedly, make unfamiliar noises it will not get better. Waiting to have it fixed can only cause additional damage to your precious data. We have a set of hardware diagnostic tools which help pinpoint the exact cause of the problem so we can recommend the best path to fix. It may be something as simple as a power supply which is a easy replacement from parts we have in stock. I may be the motherboard where the cost to fix may be close to the cost of a new computer. We will walk you through the decision making process to find the best answer for you today, next month and next year.
*Remote support $80/Hr or task specific.
There are times you may have a simple question which is specific to how YOU use your computer and your settings. Generic answers may not be detailed enough. As long as you have a working internet connection we have several levels of remote support available. We can come in on a single incident, look over your shoulder while you sit in your own seat, help you resolve the issue and do training. When you are complete the session is closed and all traces of our presence is removed from your computer and your security is tight again. For more ongoing support issues or if we do regular maintenance remotely there is a secure access which you can easily open and close which allows us to support you without always adding the incident applets. Either way it save travel time and money and is extremely convenient for both of us.
*Training
Training on the software you use, such as MS Office Word or Excel make you more efficient and your experience more fun. We can help with all the major software, email clients (Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Gmail) Music Players (ITunes, Windows Media Player, Media Monkey, Zune Player etc), and can teach you exactly what you want and leave off the rest. We can help setup and train you on QuickBooks, Quicken and a host of other Software that you may use.