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Do you have an office location where
I can drop my computer off? No. A
Friendly Geek is a mobile business. This is one way we keep our
prices low.
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Does A Friendly Geek have a minimum
charge? Our minimum charge is
$65. This includes the first hour of labor at your home or
office within our normal service area.
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What if the repair turns out to be
something really simple and only takes 5 minutes? Does the
minimum charge still apply? When
you call A Friendly Geek, we will ask you to describe the
problem and may ask you to perform a few basic troubleshooting
steps to minimize the chance that we travel to your location for
something that you could easily fix yourself. There is no charge
for this "over the phone" service. Once we arrive on-site, our
minimum charge does apply. The minimum charge covers the first
hour of service. If your repair only takes 5 minutes, we will
gladly provide 55 minutes of additional computer optimization or
training, at your request, to fully utilize the minimum charge.
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Is my computer worth fixing?
The answer depends on many factors. Some things to consider are:
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How
old is it?
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What
do you use the computer for?
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Does
it meet your current needs?
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How
much will it cost to repair?
While
we would love the opportunity to repair every computer,
sometimes it is smarter to replace rather than repair. Call us
and we will help you make an intelligent decision for free.
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Can you give me an estimate
over the phone? We can give
estimates for upgrades provided that you supply accurate information
about your computer configuration and the desired upgrade. Estimates for undiagnosed problems are
obviously more difficult. However, we can usually provide a best and
worst case scenario price.
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My computer stopped working
and I have decided to replace it. However, I have data on the hard drive
that I really need. Can A Friendly Geek recover this data?
It depends on why your computer stopped working. If the hard drive
suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure, probably not. If your computer stopped
working due to other reasons, we can usually recover data. (If a
catastrophic failure occurred, there are
companies that can disassemble your drive and possibly recover data. This can
cost up to several 1000 dollars! They work in a "dust-free clean room" and wear
space suits).
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Will I have to pay if A
Friendly Geek cannot determine the problem with my computer?
This is unlikely. However, if we cannot
determine the problem, there is no charge.
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Do you service Apple
computers? We do not service Apple
products at this time.
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Do you service notebook
computers? A Friendly Geek repairs
all software problems on notebook computers. However, we
normally do not repair notebook hardware related issues due to
the uniqueness of each manufacturer's hardware and the difficulty of
obtaining parts. If your are not sure if you have a hardware or software
problem, give us a call and we will be happy to provide a free phone
consultation.
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My operating system is
Windows 98 (or Windows Me). Should I upgrade to a newer operating
system? Microsoft ended support for
Windows 98 and Windows Me on July 11 2006. One of the results of this
action is that Microsoft will no longer provide security updates for
these operating systems. If you access the Internet through a Windows 98
or Me based machine, A Friendly Geek recommends upgrading to Windows XP.
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Should I upgrade to
Windows Vista? Unless you lay awake at
night thinking about what it would be like to have Microsoft's newest
operating system, or better yet, dreaming about it, we recommend not
upgrading until you purchase a new computer. Windows XP is still a great
operating system.
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Will my computer run
Windows Vista? Run Microsoft's
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. This program will scan your system
and create a report of any compatibility issues.
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Do you sell computers?
We do not sell computers. However we can provide assistance
in helping you choose
a new computer based upon your specific needs. We also provide onsite
setup and software installation for your new computer.
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I have more than one
computer. Is it possible for these computers to share a printer and
Internet access? Yes. A Friendly Geek can
install a wireless network that will allow your computers to share
Internet
service and devices such as a printer.
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Are
wireless networks safe? Will someone outside my home or office be able
to access my network? While nothing in
this world is 100% safe, a wireless network provides a reasonable level
of security if it is properly setup.
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What brands of personal
computers do you service? We service
all brands of PCs. We do not service Apple at this time.
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Do you service printers
and monitors? We only address software
related issues concerning printers and monitors.
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I have another question that is not answered here.
Email or call us. Contact information is below.
