The Complete Newbie’s Guide to Computer Hardware Repair

What do you do when you need a hardware repair made? Do you call a professional? Should you have a contract set up with an outsourced option so they can perform the service for you? Or should you just do it yourself?

DIY works out okay in some situations. For more complex repairs, though, you may need to contact the professionals.

Here are some simple things you can do if you encounter a problem:

1. Restart your computer. This works especially well if you’re running Windows XP (which you shouldn’t be since it is no longer supported – view our article from January regarding XP). Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 have gotten so much more stable that you rarely have to do this. However, if you are having a problem, many times it can be cleared up by simply restarting your computer. Sounds deceptively simple, doesn’t it? It does, but it works.
2. What if your computer won’t power up? Make sure the power cable is plugged into your computer and the power strip. Check the power strip to make sure it’s plugged into the wall. Make sure the power strip is turned on. If you have a switched outlet, ensure the switch is on. If that doesn’t work, try using a different power cable to see if that’s the problem. If you still haven’t identified the problem, try unplugging all other devices from your PC. Add them back one at a time to see if any of those devices are cause your computer to not boot up.
3. Your desktop computer turns on, but the monitor stays blank. Have you plugged the monitor into an outlet or power strip? Did you turn that power strip on? If yes to both, try plugging the monitor into a different power strip or electrical outlet. Make sure the video cable (usually blue at the end) is plugged firmly into the PC and the monitor. Unplug both ends, and look at the pins to see if any are missing or broken. If you can, get a working monitor and plug it in. If it works, get rid of the old monitor.
4. The computer and monitor work, but the computer still doesn’t boot. This may be a problem for the pros to handle. If you have any external devices or drives (like flash drives), remove them and restart your computer. If you hear a strange “clicking” sound coming from your PC, your hard drive has malfunctioned. Replace it if it’s under warranty, or buy a new one. Your computer may also beep or show error messages, which could indicate the true problem.

Remember, if you can’t handle the problem, you can always contact a computer service support vendor. They can quickly take care of the problem so you can focus on running your business.

Great Lakes Time and Material

Great Lakes provides on-site repair on a per incident basis. The same team of experienced service engineers that provide full service to our contracted customers, also perform time and material services. Labor rates are competitively priced and the labor “meter” begins only upon technicians arrival at your site.