Tips on how to be a wise consumer when you have a broken PC
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Tip #1

DON'T Panic!

Rushing into a decision to have your Computer repaired at any cost is one of the most common mistakes that you can make when you are in this position.

Remember this ... the chances are very good that your computer can be repaired in a timely manner and depending on the issue, at a reasonable cost. If you need your system today to pay bills, register for college, finish the project that you put off until last night and is due this morning ... The chances are very good that if your computer is truly broken and beyond repair, your DATA may still available.

Times have changed, and so have we. Pictures, Music, spreadsheets for budgeting our lives, copies of invoices for payments to companies for online support (Symantec, AVG, and other online services), payment receipts made for mortgages, taxes, cars, ... just about everything we do, is saved on our Computer Hard Drive. In the 1990's, if there was a problem with your PC the common practice was to replace whatever part was bad, and if you lost all of your data in the process, it may have been inconvenient, but not earth shattering.

Today is very very different.

We keep a lot of our day to day lives on our PC's, and we don't realize just how much until we have a catastrophic failure that takes all of that away in the single flip of a switch.

The key point here is that of all the individual components that can go bad in your computer, the Hard Drive where all of your data is kept is one of the most damaging types of failures in your system. It contains EVERYTHING about you and your computer. Email, documents, music, photos (and there could be literally thousands of these).

Yes it is the most damaging failure as far as data loss goes, but even if the Hard Drive fails, there are companies that can get your data back ... at a cost, and usually a relatively high cost. Typical costs are in the $300-$1500 range and up. You determine how important your data is and price the recovery options that best suit your needs and your pocketbook. Affordable Computer can help you with this process. We use Nationally Recognized Data Retrieval Experts to retrieve as much of your data as possible.

So... don't panic, keep your cool, and call Affordable Computer Solutions to help you!

Tip #2

Get a Diagnostic quote for the repair...

Most professional Computer Repair facilities will not quote you a repair over the phone. Some will give you a flat repair cost and still others will attempt to work with you on the phone to determine if you need to bring your computer in for service or if it can be repaired on site or via the web. (We will look into this option in later tips)

If your broken PC has not been to a repair facility in quite some time, believe us when we say that it may be one of the best things you can do to provide yourself with the information you need to make the best decision for the repair or replacement of your PC. Typically, Computer Repair Facilities will ask you to bring in your computer and then charge you a Diagnostic Fee to cover the costs of determining what is wrong with your computer, and then let you know what needs to be done in order to repair it.

Some Shops charge a fee for this Diagnostic review of your PC and others do not. This fee is an ongoing marketing and advertisement battle with Computer Repair Facilities, and one that many will use in their advertisements to draw you into their repair facility.

Remember this above all else... Nothing is FREE

When you do not pay a diagnostic fee, someone is still spending their time looking at your PC or Laptop. They should be using professional tools, and making professional tests of all of the components in your PC or laptop so that you have a complete picture, a snapshot of the condition and functionality of your PC or Laptop at this particular point in time. If you are not paying for this professional service, who is? This Diagnostic is very important as it will help you determine the most cost effective and reasonable way to continue with the repair or replacement of your PC or Laptop.

What if ... you have a bad Motherboard or other component, it is verified, replaced, and you spend $ getting it repaired. Two weeks after that repair the Hard Drive with all of you data on it fails! The chances are good that if a Professional Diagnostic were done on all of the components during the initial Diagnostic checkout of your system, that issue may have been found. It could have helped you make a decision that might have steered you toward purchasing a new Computer instead of having the old one fixed (and now with the Bad Hard Drive ... this systems complete repair cost is approaching the cost of a new PC!). That is a frustrating experience to go through.

Affordable Computer Solutions prides itself on a full Diagnostic Checkout of your complete system, from hardware to Virii activity to space available on your Hard Drive. The cost of this Professional Diagnostic with Affordable Computer Solutions, LLC is currently $35 for Desktops and $54 for Laptops.

Remember, at Affordable Computer Solutions, this fee is applied to the repair cost of your equipment if you decide to have it repaired. Additionally we can work with you on applying this fee towards a new PC or Laptop purchase if possible.

So... Always get a proper Diagnostic and have a hard copy of the results available to review with your technician to determine the most cost effective approach to repairing or replacing your PC. Call Affordable Computer Solutions to help you make the best decision for your PC repair or Replacement!

Tip #3

Ask questions and get multiple options on parts for the repair...

Today technology is making many things in our lives less expensive, and the internet is one of the reasons for this. Competition for materials has moved from individuals and businesses in town to a global marketplace that is every bit as easy to shop from as the local computer store. Replacing a Motherboard, special memory (old technology or outdated memory), special parts for laptops and so on can now be as easy as getting on eBay, finding the part and ordering it. The item ships to your door in 5-10 days and you probably saved a bunch of money in the process.

Even the shop that you have your system repaired at may have a basic inventory of used yet very functional parts available to pull your replacement parts from. Many computer shops can be basically mini Auto-Wrecking lots. They have pieces and parts from years of repairs that they can usually use to supply basic functional parts to you, for your repair, at a good cost. This can sometimes be the most affordable and time saving repair albeit not usually one that most folks will be lucky enough to hit on due to the special nature of some computer parts. Switches, plastic parts, lights, screws and other similar parts are typical. But do not rule out major components such as Hard Drives,Motherboards, and Processors.

If your computer repair facility does not have at least a basic supply of NEW parts in stock ready for various types of repairs, be concerned. Many low end shops carry NO NEW PARTS. They will either have to order all parts or will substitute used computer parts with those removed from left over machines that someone else did not want repaired. At the least, if you are not asked for your input on the parts sourcing, request that you are informed where the parts for your repair are coming from (used, refurbished or new!).

There are many ways to deliver a completed repair to you for a broken computer, and the parts used for a repair is only one facet of delivering the best solution for your requirements. Below we spell out the options available to you for replacement parts. There are 3 basic options, and at Affordable Computer Solutions, we strive to give you as many of these options as are available for your repair.

Parts can be replaced by OEM parts direct from the Manufacture of your Computer

(DELL, HP, Compaq, Toshiba and others). These companies support the purchaser in many ways, and are generally very professional and extremely customer oriented. If a purchased part is defective upon install, the parts are usually SUPER guaranteed as replaceable by cross shipping (a new replacement item is shipped out before the bad part is returned) and the company usually takes a very quick approach toward getting the part into your hands ASAP. Overnight shipping is usually available on most orders. By far this is the best choice for a repair, but cost is usually 100% ... there are usually NO bargains here on parts replacements for LCD screens, Power Supplies, motherboards, or other specialty parts like keyboards (laptop) and other base components and board level parts. Usually ANY part necessary for a repair is available from these suppliers. These parts are always new.

Parts can be replaced by OEM parts from 2nd Tier Suppliers

They can be provided by aftermarket 2nd tier providers like Tiger Direct, NewEGG, Cyberguys and others. These are usually, but not necessarily original parts from the Manufacture. There are cost savings in this tier of possibly 10% to 30%, and this could be positive for high cost parts or LCD's and Keyboards for laptops and special Motherboards for desktops. The downside to 2nd tier suppliers are that not ALL parts are available, usually only those that have a high sales volume (power supplies for desktops and laptops are a perfect example). Additionally, sometimes shipping can lag by a day or two and returns or exchanges for parts that arrive defective can take a week or more to negotiate. The vendor usually needs to get the part back in order to get another out to you but not always. These parts are most always new or refurbed.

Parts can be replaced by non-OEM Bulk or commodity parts from 3rd Tier Suppliers

Here we are basically talking about eBay, or other online sources that provide parts for just about anything. The price for these parts are extremely competitive. They will save you anywhere from 30% to 60% and more! Be careful however when looking at saving more than seems possible, or the parts price with shipping seems too good to be true.

There are many companies selling parts via eBay... many are respectable, and we have been doing business with a number of them for years. Still others are not. It is extremely hard to negotiate a straight deal on eBay that will give you the same mix of professionalism and support that you can get from Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies.

Shipping costs, time delays getting the part to you, parts that are shipped from offshore businesses in China, Japan or Korea (and their resulting time delays with customs and other issues), parts that are close to but off slightly from what the manufacture specifies... (power supplies for laptops, keyboards and motherboards) ...DOA (or Dead On Arrival) parts that are new but that do not function, parts that say they are "refurbished" when actually they were just pulled from a broken laptop and sold as "refurbished".

Parts that never worked before they were shipped to you, parts that are not even close to what they are supposed to be, parts delivered that are for a totally different application or PC/Laptop... there are many many ways that a consumer can get stung via eBay, and not all of them are on purpose. There are many legitimate businesses that just make mistakes, and unfortunately on eBay it is typical that this will happen 5%-10% of the time.

Still, for those folks that need to find an economical way of repairing their PC or Laptop, eBay and online businesses selling 3rd Tier components can still be a viable and cost effective option, and the difference between spending $50 or $200 to repair a computer. As long as folks can deal with the possibility of the wrong part on the first round, possible parts that come in DOA, and parts that will generally work in the way that they should, then this option is viable.

Parts can be replaced by on hand used parts removed from PC's that may have been turned in for scrap

Used parts that are tested and have some life expectancy can be an extremely cost effective solution to an otherwise costly repair, especially for an older PC where the lack of new parts in the open market and high demand/cost for new replacement parts might make the PC not worth the $ to repair. Ask your local PC Repair facility if they have any used parts in stock that can possibly solve your problem. Many times this is a hit or miss option, but one that should not be overlooked for a basic repair.


So... Always get multiple options for parts, some may be available right in stock, and don't be afraid to use used parts in a repair especially if you can save up to %75 on the cost of the part and you can deal with the possibility of failure at some point down the road in lieu of spending big $ up front.

If you are using your system for important work or business, shop wisely for parts that will last the lifetime of your system, but do not overspend on parts that will outlast most of the other components. Call Affordable Computer Solutions to help you make the best decision for your parts/repair needs.

Tip #4

Bring as much Documentation material as you can to the repair facility...

Making sure that you have the original CD's that came with your computer can save you lots of cash if your system needs to have the operating system reinstalled. Without these CD's, the technicians need to go online and download all of the drivers for your system. Inevitably, some drivers are not found or are no longer available for download. At this point it is basically a time and materials process of finding the correct drivers, or a driver that can be substituted to take the place of the original driver and that functions normally without any concerns./

Having your original CD's will prevent the online time and both speed up your repair and minimize your overall costs of repair.

So ... please have as much documentation as you can to bring in with your repair.,

Tip #5

Make sure you are running an Authorized copy of your Operating System and that you have a Valid COA attached to your computer...

Licensing security of Software products is moving at an extremely fast pace. All PC's should have a valid COA (Certificate of Authentication) from the manufacturer of the Operating System Software (Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows Vista).

Your system should have a copy of this COA either attached to the Case or the booklet of Documentation that came with your computer. In many cases your computer may require that this software be reloaded. If you do not have the appropriate COA with your computer, a purchase of the appropriate Operating System Software would need to be made in order to complete the repair (and be legal with respect to the Licensing requirements of the software).

These Licenses can be costly for replacement, from $69 to $200 plus, so it is extremely important that you have the COA and proper documentation to support the validity of your operating system in order to minimize your repair costs.

So ... please do not ask Affordable Computer Solutions technicians to attempt to circumvent any licensing restrictions set forth by software manufacturers.

Tip #6

Should you just buy a new Computer instead of having the old one repaired?

Everything has to be looked at when replacing a computer.
How old is it?
What repairs have been made to it recently?
How much of the Data that you need access to is still on it?
What is the cost to repair the old Computer?
How much is the cost of the new Computer?

This is a very broad question, and the best way to answer it is to have a diagnostic run on the PC to determine the viability of the old system as compared to that of a new system. As is always true, there are benefits to a new system that cannot be matched by repairing an older system... Increased speed and performance, freedom from repairs (at least for the near future), minimizing possible data loss, newer operating system and new hardware technology that make the computer more friendly and easier to use. All are very big benefits, but they do come at a cost.

If you can buy a $268 computer from a large local retailer, and the cost of repair is $100, then for an additional $168 you can get a new PC. What you don't get is your existing data transfered to the new computer, and you will not get a new monitor which still leaves you in somewhat of a quagmire. A new Monitor will cost about $90. Your investment has grown from $268 to $418 ($100 for a new monitor and if you include a cost of about $50 of removing and transferring your existing data to the new PC).

Generally, if you can afford the cost, a new PC is a great way to go, and they are getting less and less expensive (entry level) as time goes on.

So ... make an informed decision on whether to repair or replace your PC. Sometimes we are just stretched too thin to make the commitment to a new PC. If that is the case, shoot for a limited repair that will get you through the tough times until you can move on a new PC. Let your technician know that you need a cost effective repair that will last you 6, 12, or 18 months and see if he can offer you a cost effective solution to get you there!

At Affordable Computer, we want to be your repair experts, we want you to come back and see us whenever you have an issue with your Computer Systems. We hope you value our integrity as much as we value yours!

Tip #7

Should you have your computer repaired by one of the Online companies?

A couple of things to review here.

First, it is a very cost effective and many times affordable means of repairing or more closely "Tuning" your PC. We do this for folks that still have internet access and we can connect to their PC with special software tools that allow this. Once into your system, these types of services can do a wonderful job of removing virii and tuning up your system. This is an excellent way to minimize downtime and prevent having to take your PC out in the rain to the closest PC repair facility.

Second, and sadly, for almost 50% or more of broken computers, this system does not work. Hardware issues that prevent Internet connectivity or prevent the PC from booting into the operating system would preclude this type of repair. Generally, if you can get onto the internet and would like your system tuned up give this option a try. It is smart, convenient, and cost effective for minor or major nuisance types of repairs.

Affordable Computer offers remote virus removal when applicable, and tune up services via remote access to your computer, Call for Details!

MORE TIPS Coming soon!