Having Your Computer Fixed
During the pandemic of 2020, a lot of people were told they would be working from home. And there are many of us that found jobs that allowed us to work from home independently. That, however, means we have become their own IT department and sometimes, we still need a professional to help us with our computer repairs.
And with that, a lot of us aren’t sure what we need to do before we have our computer repaired. Is it the same thought process of cleaning the house before the maid arrives? Are there steps to take before the technician arrives or before we take the unit into the computer shop? Should I wipe my computer before getting it repaired?
Things to Consider
Well, that will depend on where you’re taking the unit for computer repair. Is this somebody you know and trust or an authorized company by the manufacturer? Here are some things to consider either way on how to protect sensitive data on your computer when you have Windows OS:
1. Do Not Share Your Login Password
Unless the computer repair technician will be booting up your computer for repairs, they shouldn’t need your password. The technician should be able to boot your computer up till the Windows login screen comes on and that should be all they need.
If the computer repair technician insists on having the password, log out of your Microsoft Account and set up a Local Account, a Guest account, a Standard account, or disable the password requirement.
2. Formatting
Leave everything as it is, no need to do anything with the formatting, the OS, or the antivirus software.
3. Uninstall sensitive software
Uninstall your sensitive software, including the History, Settings, and User Data.
4. Log out of all online accounts
Back up your passwords and favorites, log out of all online accounts and delete the browsing history. There are privacy cleaner extensions or tools available to clear these out of your browser if you want to go one step further.
5. Back up your data
Do a manual backup to an external hard drive of all your data and files. There is free backup software available also, or create a System Image and save it to an external drive.
6. Erase or shred your deleted files
Once all your files, pictures, and data are backed up, use a software program to completely erase or shred the data files permanently. There are software programs that can help you do this which will make hard disk space unrecoverable.
7. Encrypt your files
If you have sensitive files that you don’t want to or can’t remove, use file encryption software that will encrypt the files, lock them, and set up password protection.
8. Delete your history and junk
There are several programs available that will walk you through deleting your Windows OS history completely.
9. Remove all accessories
Remove all attached accessories if they aren’t part of the computer repair needs. Most computer repair technicians will ask you to remove them before you arrive. They don’t want to be responsible for damaging your accessories.
How long does computer repair take?
Not including holidays and weekends, the average turnaround time for most computer repair services is 1 to 7. There are factors that can affect this time, such as if they must do a data recovery or if they must order components or parts.
How much does computer repair cost?
For a business owner or a person that freelances from home, their computer is often their lifeline to productivity. When the computer keeps shutting down or having other problems, it is frustrating and can be devastating in some cases.
Fortunately, there are countless computer repair service technicians that can come to you or are set up and ready for you to bring the unit to them. The average cost of computer repair is $75 per hour for the problem to be diagnosed and if you’re lucky, a quick fix right there.
If a computer repair technician comes to you, they will typically have a flat call-out or travel fee in addition to the hourly rate. If any components or parts are needed, those are an additional cost.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a computer, Is it worth repairing a laptop?
In most cases, a professional computer repair technician will provide you with a free quote and the computer repair will usually be less expensive than purchasing a new computer. The age of the computer will factor into this equation, but the computer repair is estimated to be more than 50% of a new computer, you’ll be better off going with the new unit.
Is a seven-year-old computer worth fixing?
If your 7-year-old computer has value to it and the computer repair cost is 20% or less than a new computer, have it fixed. For a computer that is 5 years old or older and the computer repair will be over 20%, consider replacing the unit, unless the computer is of more than a monetary value to you personally.
In Closing – Doing Your Own Computer Repair May Not Be Wise
How much is a computer screen repair?
A cracked display doesn’t mean your laptop can’t be saved. A broken laptop screen repair by a professional will cost you around $300.00. However, if you’re feeling confident that you can do your own screen replacement, a new screen is usually less than $100.00. Keep in mind that by not being an authorized computer repair center, you will void any warranty of the computer.
The same is to be said about a computer keyboard repair. Doing your own repair or replacement may not be that difficult, even if you know how to repair a computer keyboard, but, if you are not an authorized repair center, the warranty will be void if you do your own keyboard or screen replacement.
TotalTech Repair provides professional computer repair in Long Island, NY. Contact us at (631) 517-0021 for assistance.