Hints and Tips on Computer Servicing
Computer
repairs and upgrades are usually best done by professionals, however
many of us like to get involved. Always use static protection. If
improvising be safe..... have fun!
Computer Repair
Horror Stories. I was saddened to read the horror stories your
readers submitted about computer repair jobs on The Tips Bank
The best tip I can give computer technicians and customers alike is to
accurately diagnose the computer's problem before rushing into swapping
parts or reinstalling Windows. To that end, I created an interactive
version of the published book "Computer Repair with Diagnostic
Flowcharts" which features eight hardware failure flowcharts with
clickable decision symbols (diamonds) which bring the reader to text
expansions on the particular decision. The site also includes a freely
printable 30"x30" poster for boot failure diagnosis that I created for
classroom use:
http://www.fonerbooks.com/pcrepair.htm
Morris Rosenthal
Not often we plug someone else's Web site for free -
after you have had a read of some of the stories here check out
Morris's Web Site - it is a very useful resource if you have a problem.
Another Computer Horror
Story Here is my story of my work experience. I am 16 and i
went for work experience for a week at a computer repair shop. I have
to say flat out, the disrespect they showed for computers and their
customers is absolutely astounding. I never want to take my computer to
a shop to get fixed ever again. They were throwing RAM chips, swearing
their heads off, leaving customers' motherboards in direct
sunlight (window sill) and just generally being absolute pigs. Swearing
was a major part of the workplace that i worked in, and although
i refrained from engaging in such activity, it was simply how
they talked about the customers. When someone bought in a
computer that required more than 5 minutes attention, they
were called a 'dickhead' when they left, and they would laugh at
people who didn't know computer parts so well. It was just such a
display of immaturity, it has made me wonder if IT is the industry that
I *really* wanna work in. I dont want to end up being like them.
I remember one specific time, we went
to an old mans house and his web browser had stopped working. We
uninstalled the firewall and then reinstalled it and things seemed to
be working. So we drove off to another house call. About 20 minutes
after we left his house, my supervisor got a call on his mobile phone
telling him that the man's internet had stopped working again. The
supervisor got in such a rage and slammed his mobile shut and started
swearing and saying 'That stupid old bastard. Now I've gotta drive all
the way back there to fix it again.' Let me tell you something... I was
in shock. This poor 80 year old man was having troubles with his
computer and obviously didn't know what was doing too well,
and all my boss could do was curse about it instead of
helping him. If that is the way that IT professionals conduct
themselves in their work environment, then I am one person
less that is going to be in "their" industry. - Alan
Rhymer 13 Jun 2004
Why are so many technicians
sloppy or just dishonest. I am continually getting customers who
have been ripped off by poor quality upgrades and repairs. Some
have been done by major outlets and organizations. Last week my
wife's friend brought me her machine which had been upgraded to a
higher specification processor. There was no silicone thermal compound
on the micro, half the screws were missing and her memory was
half the value it had been when she gave the computer in for the
upgrade. The second memory DIMM had was not, as I had suspected come
loose in the socket but had actually been stolen. The really bad people
usually do go out of business but crook repair outfits are giving the
computer service industry a bad name. -- Axel Klystron
Repairing computers is best
done by people who have the experience and do not need to make big
profits, chose someone who is recommended by a friend or acquaintance.
My repairs and upgrades are done by a guy who works from home and has
no expensive shop front to maintain, he is a retired IBM mainframe
engineer and I get his full and highly expert attention for almost half
the rate charged by the young poorly paid technicians at my main street
shop which has a big sign offering "low cost repairs and upgrades"
-- Wilson Carter
Prevent damage to portable and
notebook computers avoiding moving them while the hard drive is
running. This also applies - to a lesser degree - to desktops --
Axel Klystron.
Screws removed from equipment
can be stored and retained in sequence by poking them in to a piece of
blue-tack or beeswax -- Robert
If you have to keep using the
computers SETUP command in the BIOS (when you first switch on your
computer) each time you switch it on, check the date it gives you, if
the current date is reset to the earliest date (i.e. it says Tue, Jan
1, 1980, or something like that) then the computer's internal battery
has probably died and needs to be replaced. - - GK Howard
Keep your computer out of
direct sunlight if possible. -- Bill Carlton
Security: keep all of your
computer gear away from prying eyes. Keep it all away from the window
to deter burglars. -- R Holson
Never tackle a major computer
repair job or upgrade if you are tired -- Jimmy Stewart
Stanmore, England
If your hard drive is
over four years old pay particular attention to backing up your
data. Life expectancy of drives made four years ago means that
around 50% of them should have started to deteriorate - - Robin
Edmunds
Free
Spyware Removal - Free tutorials on how to rid your
computer of the spyware that infests it!
Tweaksforgeeks.com
-Tutorials on how to fix your Windows errors.
www.pctechbytes.com
Description: Free computer repair advice by PC
professionals. Tech forum and chat service available.
www.apexlaptops.co.uk
Another UK based repair service.
