Tech Talk: STOP: Before Repairing Your PC
Imagine this. The computer you bought from that big box store seven months ago no longer works. No problem, it’s still under warranty. You call the manufacturer and get a return authorization from them. You pack and ship your computer to them. Today, two months later, you are finally getting it back from the manufacturer and cannot wait to get it up and running. You hit the switch and it boots right up. Seems to be running as fast as it did when you bought it. Wow! This booting speed reminds you of why you bought the computer in the first place. In almost no time your system is up and ready to go, however you notice that your desktop doesn’t quite look the same way you had it before you sent it for repair. Upon further investigation you realize that some of your newest programs are missing, you cannot access your printer, and most importantly, all your pictures, videos, music, and other data is nowhere to be found. Your computer works great, but all your personal stuff is gone. You call the manufacturer to ask about your missing pictures and documents and other data. Suddenly you find out that the only obligation the manufacturer had to you under the warranty was to repair or replace your computer to the way it was the day you brought it home from the store and took it out of the box. You learn the hard way that your missing programs, data, etc. are your problem. You were supposed to back all that stuff up before you sent your computer in for repair; but nobody tells you that. Many people find themselves in this predicament every day. Well, I’m telling you now, so after reading this, you’ll know what to do.
10 JULY 2021
Computers are viewed by some people as being no different than any other electronic appliance, like an electronic coffee maker. Electronic coffee makers use a combination of hardware and software to make them function. However, the software that runs your coffee maker is not as sophisticated as the software that runs your computer. People typically do not differentiate between the hardware and software aspects of a computer system. The truth is, where the software in your coffee maker never changes, the software in your computer is constantly changing. Especially your data files as you add and delete your music, pictures and other personal documents. All this information is stored on your computer’s hard disk drive (HDD). Your HDD stores all computer software information including your personal and unique computer information. This unique information is created over time as you use your computer system by adding programs, printers, data, etc. All these changes alter the contents of your HDD. When you send your computer to the manufacturer for repair, your HDD may be physically replaced by having a new HDD installed into your computer or logically replaced by having all the information on the HDD erased and then rewritten with the information the HDD had on it when your computer was new out of the box. Think of it this way. If you ever had the battery in your car replaced, the first thing you probably learned when you got back into your car is that all your radio preset stations have been wiped out due to the battery being disconnected. The auto repair shop’s responsibility is not to restore your radio presets but to replace your car’s battery with a working one. You’ll just have to reprogram those preset stations all over again. The same is true of your computer. Important information can be lost during your computer’s repair. Important personal data, like rare family photos, or that business proposal you’ve been working on all week, may be impossible to replace. It is always your responsibility to make sure you have what you need to
restore the programs and data you have added to your computer since you bought it. But most people do not figure this out until it’s too late. So how do you minimize your data loss when you need your computer system repaired? The first thing you do is make certain that all your personal data is backed up. This can be difficult if your computer will not turn on. Even if your computer will not turn on, it may still be possible that your data can be extracted from the HDD before you send your computer off for repair. If you are not familiar with how to get your data backed up, give us a call. We do stuff like this every day and can painlessly manage all of this for you. The next thing you will need are the installation disk and/or files for any software you added to the computer after you bought it. Make sure you have all your installation media and product keys so these items can be reinstalled with as little trouble as possible. A list of your email and
website user names and passwords are also going to need to be reentered the first time you try to access any of the secured websites you visit. If you are not sure if you have everything you need to recover all the additions you made to your computer since you bought it, contact a professional computer technician to help you get all your ducks in a row. A small investment in prevention will save you a lot of money, and grief, when your time comes to get your computer repaired. Cyber criminals will exploit the easy victims and unprotected systems. Protecting yourself online is your responsibility. Don’t go it alone. We have the best solutions already in place and we’re here to help. Are you certain your computer is safe? Have it looked over by our Professionally Certified IT Specialists by calling us now at 727-534-4000. We’ve been helping folks restore their peace of mind, and sanity, with their technology for decades. We Keep You Safer In Your Digital World!
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