You are here: Home / Archives for pc repair tucson

Cracked or Broken Laptop LCD Screen Repair Prices Drop

January 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Need to fix a broken laptop screen but are afraid of the cost?  Fear not!  Prices for replacing laptop LCD screens have dropped dramatically over the past year.  With the proliferation of laptops, prices for screens have dropped below $100 for many models.  Even the larger, High Definition screens can be as low as $125.  Compare that to $250 plus, just a year or two ago.

That means it’s now worth fixing your laptop versus replacing it.  With labor, the total cost of most LCD replacement now averages around $230 – $250 at most Tucson computer repair stores, such as our shop.  If your laptop is less than 3 years old and is a mid-to-high-end model, it’s definitely worth fixing.

These prices are for refurbished screens.  New screen prices are about $50 – $100 more.  We usually recommend going with a new screen for higher end laptops less than 2 years old.  For all others, refurbished is your best bet.  We’ve been doing laptop LCD screen repair for several years, and have had very good luck with the refurbished screens.

Filed Under: Computer & Laptop Repair, Laptop Repair Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Free PC Diagnostics: Confusion and the Truth

December 10, 2011 By 1 Comment

You see free diagnostics advertised everywhere. This subject needs lots of clarifying. It’s a touchy subject that angers both customers and computer repair shops alike. I’m no exception.

First, lets address the confusion. What exactly is a diagnostic?

… Is it a quick look at your PC and an educated guess?
… Is it a thorough testing of all your hardware and software?
… Is it a thorough troubleshooting and testing service?

The answer is yes to all of these. Therefore the question becomes, what can you expect for free? Do you really expect a repair shop to spend hours working on your PC for free? Do you think they can survive if they do this? Let me ask you this… do you work for free? What would happen if you did? Could you survive?

Now that we’ve cleared this up, let’s ask “What is a Free Diagnostic?” It is one of two things:

1) A “Bait and Switch” scheme to get you into the store
2) A quick look at your PC to get a general idea of the problem, i.e. a quick consultation.

Any honest repair shop will take a quick 10 – 20 minute look at the problem, or even do a simple repair for free, but that is all. However, some computer problems are complex to the point that even an experienced technician will not know what the problem is unless he or she does some in depth troubleshooting. That is not free, nor should it be.

Honest shops will not charge for all their time in these more complex cases if you decide not to do the repair, but they will charge a small diagnostic fee, usually somewhere between $30 to $60 (more for laptops). They still lose money, but at least they get something for their time.

The dishonest shops will pretend they did a diagnostic and then make up a story to get you to do an expensive repair, like replacing a hard drive, motherboard, or reinstalling Windows. This is also what usually happens with Big Box stores (including Office Supply stores). They also use this method to sell you a whole new computer.

In closing, a Word of Caution:

Do not pressure a repair shop to do a free diagnostic. If you do, they’ll either turn down the job and send you away, or recommend a major repair. They can’t spend the time to do a thorough diagnosis unpaid, and will recommend a broad range (i.e. major) repair to cover all the bases, which will definitely fix your computer.

If you’re fair to them, you may get out with a $100 repair. If not, it may be $400. This is more survival behavior than dishonesty (yes, I know it’s a fine line). They have bills to pay, and a need for food, clothing and shelter, just like you.

Filed Under: Computer & Laptop Repair, Computer Hardware, Laptop Repair Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Laptop Repair: Overheating Issues

December 7, 2011 By 3 Comments

Does your laptop shut down on its own?  Does it get so hot you can’t keep it on your lap?  Does the fan scream or make grinding noises so loud it scares you?  If so, you could be having overheating issues.

What’s happening here?  First of all, if the processor (CPU) gets too hot, the laptop will shut itself down to protect it from burning out.  There are other reasons for unexpected shutdowns, but this is a major one.  This can also happen if the video (graphics) chip overheats.

This could happen for several reasons, but the major causes are as follows.

The fan is clogged or is going bad: 

It could be gunked up with dust or pet hair, preventing the air flow of the fan.  Sometimes the bearings on the fan go bad, resulting in grinding noises.  Dust and hair can either damage the bearings directly, or block the fan from rotating freely, which in turn can damage the bearings.

The Thermal Compound on the CPU has dried up and/or cracked:

In this case, the laptop will shut down on its own, or the fan will run really fast.  Why?  There is a thin film of heat conducting “grease” that sits between the CPU itself and the surface of a metal plate called the “Heat Sink”.  It’s like a radiator and has thin metal (usually copper) fins to help dissipate the heat from the CPU.

The thermal compound forms a seal that ensures full contact between the CPU and the heatsink, so that it efficiently pulls off the heat.  Over time, it can dry up and crack, breaking that seal.  Old, dried up compound also loses it’s ability to transfer (pull off) heat from the CPU.

Repair & Maintenance Options:

1. Get a can of air and blow it into the cooling vents of the laptop.  You’ll be surprised at what comes out.  If you wait too long however, there may be so much caked up in there, this won’t help.  The laptop may have to be opened up, so a technician can get in there and clean it up.

2. Broken fans have to be replaced.  This is not usually a big job, and the fans are cheap.  On some models however, the fan and heat sink are an integrated assembly and you have to replace the whole cooling system.  This is a bit more expensive, but still not too bad.

3. Remove the old thermal compound and put on a fresh layer.  This costs a little more, as you have to remove both the heat sink and fan, so you can get to the CPU.  When we do this, we use a higher quality compound than what the laptop came with.  We use a silver-impregnated compound that makes the laptop run up to 10 degrees cooler than standard ceramic compounds.

We can help you with these, or any other Computer and Laptop Repair issues.  If you’re reading this post from outside our website, click this link to our Tucson Laptop Repair website to learn more.

Thanks for reading, and check back for more helpful tips and information.

 

Filed Under: Computer & Laptop Repair, Laptop Repair Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Laptop Repair: Finding a Good Repair Shop is Not Easy

September 4, 2011 By

While general laptop repairs, like virus removal and software issues (Windows problems, etc.) are the same as for desktop computers, repairing laptop internal hardware components is a very difficult and specialized area.  Therefore, finding a good laptop repair shop is not so easy.

Why is this?  There are two reasons:

  1. Internal repairs require extreme precision and skill.  Soldering and electrical testing are also often required.
  2. Parts are very specific to each model, sometimes even varying among different revisions of the same model laptop.

See what a laptop motherboard replacement is like in this video.

Therefore a repair shop must have technicians with the appropriate skills.  Plus, the owner of the shop must have the knowledge and patience to deal with the often frustrating process of finding and ordering the correct parts for the job.  I personally went through hell learning this and often wondered if it was even worth bothering with laptop repairs.

For this reason, many of our competitors do not offer laptop hardware repair.  However, the reality of the computer business is that the desktop computer is fading away and laptops are taking over.  If a computer shop wants to survive, it must offer laptop repair services.  These days, over 75% of our business is laptops.  Of these jobs, roughly a third require internal component repair.  So I hung in there and have since learned the process of managing laptop repair work.  Its still tough and frustrating, but I’m used to it now.

So what should you do if your laptop’s LCD screen goes out, or your power jack breaks, or the machine just won’t turn on?

  • First, don’t try to fix it yourself.  You have no idea how many things can go wrong, or how easy it is to break something.
  • Don’t try to save money by ordering parts yourself.  Because parts are so specific and can even vary for the same model, you’ll probably order the wrong part.

On the second point, I can’t tell you how many customers have come in with their own parts, only to find it’s the wrong one.  Is it worth having to go through the hassle, pay for return shipping and restocking fees just to save $20?  I don’t think so.

So I suggest taking it to a reputable local repair shop, hopefully us here at Saguaro PC Tech.  Let our techs take a look at it and consult you on the repair.  If the machine is over 4 years old, we’ll let you know if it’s worth fixing or not.  We won’t steer you the wrong way just to make a quick buck.  We prefer you be happy with your experience and remain a long-term customer.

To learn more about us, please visit our Website or out Facebook page (don’t forget to “Like” us).  Even better, give us a call at (520) 250-5948.  Thanks!

Filed Under: Laptop Repair Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Turning Your PC Off – Good or Bad?

September 18, 2010 By

Well, it’s both.  This is one of those questions that seems to never get fully answered, as opinions vary.

One thing is certain.  You shouldn’t power your PC off every time you’re done with it.  Cycling the power can damage components because powering up a machine causes a lot of stress on the system.

However, you should turn it off every now and then to clear out the memory and let your components get some rest.  If you have an older (3 years plus) system, you can shut it down at night.  For newer systems, at lest once a week is good. We recommend twice a week if you use it heavily.

Newer systems have better power management and their sleep mode works pretty well, allowing your system components to power down fully or almost fully.  For Windows 7 machines, it works even better.  Still, you do need to shut it down occasionally to clear out the memory.  This will speed up your machine.

If you’re going out of town for a few days, it’s always a good idea to turn it off.  Another good time to shut down is during lightning storms.

For more information, tips and help with other computer issues, please visit our website at Saguaropc.com.

Filed Under: General Misc. Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Affordable, Quality Computer(PC) Service & Repair for Tucson

February 19, 2010 By

Hello Everyone,

My name is Steve and I’m the President of Saguaro PC Tech, LLC.  We are a locally owned and operated computer repair shop in Tucson, Arizona.

We’ve been in business for 6 years now, so we’re established in the community.  We are members of the Better Business Bureau where we proudly hold an A rating.  We’re also members of the Arizona Small Business Association(ASBA).

We provide a full range of computer, laptop and network repair, maintenance and configuration/setup services to both home and small business customers.  No matter what your problem, we can fix it, including:

  • Virus and Spyware removal.
  • Hardware repairs and upgrades.
  • Software repairs and upgrades.
  • Network installation and repair.
  • Data backup and recovery.
  • New PC system sales.

We can come to your home or office, or you can come to us.  We’re in the NE part of town, near the corner of Grant and Tanque Verde roads.  For more information, please visit our website or give us a call at (520) 250-5948.

Thanks.

Filed Under: Company Information Tagged With: , , , ,