Bideford Computers
     Mobile Computer Repairs

My PC or Laptop is running slow

This is by far the most common fault we deal with, and can be caused by multiple problems.

Most likely causes:

1. Your computer has not been properly serviced in a while (most common)
2. Your computer could be infected with spyware or viruses
3. Your computer may be clogged up with dust, and is overheating
4. Your computer's hardware may just be too slow to support what you are doing
5. Any combination of the above

If any of the above sounds likely, don't panic. All of these can be resolved with relative ease, and in many cases minimal expense.   Viruses, spyware or just software running in the background will all slow your PC down, and are normally easy to fix.

If you are worried about viruses, and want more information, then see "I think I have a virus", in most cases though, something else is at fault. Your computer could still be infected with a small virus or spyware bug, as it is very common, however the other problems described can have the same effect.

Many people do not service their computer at all, resulting in build-ups of temporary files, old outdated programs, expired antivirus/firewall software, clogged up internal components and more.

These problems can almost always be resolved with a thorough service of your system, which when performed will not only restore your PC or Laptop back to the speed it should be, but will also help it to last longer, saving you money in the future.


A full service of your computer would include the following:

1. Virus and Spyware removal
2. Cleanup of temporary files
3. Optimize start up list
4. Optimize Windows themes
5. Clean up Windows registry
6. Remove temporary files
7. Where necessary, clean internal components (off-site only)*
8. Recommend ways in which your computer could be upgraded **
9. Scan hard drive for errors (off-site only)
10. Fully defragment hard drive (off-site only)
11. Optimize hard drive (off-site only)

Estimated Cost to Repair:

• Best Solution: Full service of PC or Laptop £ 35.00
• Alternate Solution: Part service of PC or Laptop £ 30.00

* We regret that due to some laptop designs we are only able to clean internal components on some computers for the specified price. An extra fee may be incurred on some laptops, due to disassembly time required. We will always inform you of any additional costs before proceeding.

** Cost non-inclusive of any required parts. If your computer requires upgrading or parts require replacing, this will be priced seperately; we will always discuss pricing with you before we proceed with any modifications to your computer.

Please note that all costs are estimated only. We aim to keep within these targets at all times but in some cases where excessive labour or travel costs are incurred the fee may differ.

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I think I have a virus

Viruses are common, we all unfortunately suffer from them. Computer viruses originally existed as no more than harmless fun and practical jokes, but these days they can be much more sinister.

The first thing is, don't panic. There are over 100,000 types of computer virus currently spread throughout the internet, with hundreds more being created every day. This means that they are very common, although this does not make them any less annoying, it does mean that we are very used to curing them.

You may well wonder how you could have got one in the first place, if you have an up to date antivirus. The thing to remember, is that an antivirus is never 100% effective and different antivirus specialise in protecting against different things. Also, to a certain extent an antivirus assumes you know what you're doing. This means that when you download a file or visit a web page that may be infected, your antivirus trusts you and lets you open it; sometimes you get infected in this way.

Unfortunately, once you have any form of virus the very first thing they will try to do is disable your antivirus, which opens the door for hundreds of others. This is why you should not postpone getting your computer fixed if you suspect it is infected, get it sorted right away!

The good news: Most people worry that their bank details are at risk, and their computer may be broken because they are infected with a virus. This is in most cases not true. Almost all viruses exist to do one of two things; make you buy something, or simply be a nuisance.

A virus can certainly not break your computer after infecting it, at least not on the hardware level. This is where movies and TV shows have gone a little overboard and made them appear more dangerous than they actually are.

What to do: First, are you sure you have a virus? If your computer is just slowing down, then it could be another fault. See "My PC or Laptop is running slow".

Here are signs that you may have a virus:

1. Your computer is suddenly running slower
2. Your antivirus has stopped working or has disappeared
3. You are suddenly getting a lot of pop-up messages
4. A new antivirus you don't recognise has been installed, or is asking you to install it
5. Something is demanding you pay to have faults/errors removed, which should never happen
6. Your icons and/or programs have disappeared, with or without any of the above
7. Your computer suddenly stopped accepting your password, or one has been added

If any of the above sound familiar, then chances are, you have a virus. As before, don't panic, we're here to help. The important thing is you get it fixed ASAP to prevent further infection or loss of data. Most viruses will not delete your things or invade your privacy, but some will and you don't want that to happen.

Under no circumstances should you ever install or give away credit card details to an Antivirus program that just "appears". 9/10 antivirus programs available are actually fakes and are viruses themselves! They know that everybody wants their computer to run faster and everyone is worried about viruses, so they try and trick you into thinking they will help, whilst actually infecting your computer in the background.

Once infected with a virus, you will not be able to just download an Antivirus and remove it. They will prevent such a program from operating. If you give us a call or send us an email describing the symptoms, in most cases we will be able to remove it for you as part of a full service.

In some severe cases however a virus can be deeply embedded into your system, and will either take longer to remove, or reqiure a complete reinstallation of your operating system. This can incur additional costs. This will also be true in cases where data recovery is required.

Estimated Cost to Repair:

• Best Solution: Full Service with extended virus check £ 35.00 - £ 40.00 depending upon severity
• Alternate Solution: Full format of operating system, requires reinstallation of all programs and can cause potential loss of data £ 40.00 *

* Please note that where a full reinstallation of the operating system is required, you cannot backup any installed software such as Microsoft Office or Printer software. If your documents or pictures are not properly backed up then these may also be lost. Whilst we make every effort to recover your personal data, we cannot be held responsible for any losses or damages where data has not been backed up correctly.

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My computer won't turn on, or crashes whilst in use

This is another common problem we deal with. Normally, when a computer will not boot up whatsoever, although it may appear to turn on and make noise, it is normally a hardware problem. When a computer does boot up but crashes whilst in use, it is also normally a hardware problem, although it can occasionally be software related. In such cases, the cost to fix would be less.

Most likely causes:

1. Faulty Power Supply Unit or PSU (common)
2. Faulty Memory Module or Hard Drive (common)
3. Corrupted Windows Files (common)
4. Faulty Power Lead (common in laptops)
5. Overheating (common in laptops)
6. Faulty Motherboard (common in laptops, uncommon in PCs)
7. Electrical Surge (uncommon)
8. Virus Infection (uncommon)
9. Any combination of the above

There are two main peices of hardware that can cause these problems; the hard drive and the power supply. The hard disk drive is the part of your computer that stores all of your files, the programs you install and the operating system itself. It is normally the only mechanical moving part in your machine and can be heard spinning up when you turn on your computer.

When the hard drive starts to malfunction, it often slows down, causing the computer to take longer to start up and all your programs become slower to open. Eventually, it may either stop working entirely, which is the worst case scenario, or it can sporadically cause corrupted files, essentially deleting little bits of information by mistake. When one of the vital operating system files becomes corrupt, this can cause the computer to stop working correctly, either by crashing, or not starting up at all.

The other component that commonly fails, the power supply, is the part of your computer that you plug the mains lead into at the back and then gives out DC power in different voltages to all the different components of the computer. In a laptop, this is contained within the little black box on the power lead. Because computer components are very finely calibrated and require exact voltages to work, if the power supply begins to malfunction and gives out the wrong voltages or occasionally cuts out, the computer will inevitably crash or refuse to boot up.

There are many other things that can cause your computer to crash or not start up but these are the most common faults we experience. When your computer starts to crash, it is very important to get it fixed ASAP; do not wait for it to fail completely!

There is a very good reason for this. If your hard drive fails completely and you have not backed up all your information, you can (in most cases) lose all of that information. This includes word documents, emails, pictures, music or anything else you have on your computer. In the event this happens, there is a chance for recovery but it is slim and is likely to cost much more than getting it fixed before hand. If it is your power supply that fails, in some cases this can result in damage to other parts of the computer, which may incur extra cost when it comes to fixing it.

The exact price and parts required to fix will depend upon the situation. Before assuming the worst and expecting to spend out on a new hard drive, let our engineer take a look first. In some cases data corruption can occur through a virus infection or by a power cut or power surge, giving the same symptoms that a faulty hard drive would. In such cases, the cost to fix would be considerably less.

Every problem is unique, so it is hard to suggest the best solution. However, if the above is your problem, then here are the best solutions we can provide.

Estimated Cost to Repair:

• Best Solution for Power Supply failure (PC) - New power supply, from £30.00 *
• Best Solution for Power Supply failure (Laptop) - New power lead, from £25.00 *
• Best Solution for Hard Drive corruption only - Disk check and data recovery service, from £20.00
• Best Solution for Hard Drive failure - New hard drive, from £70.00 **
• Best Solution for Virus Infection - See I think I have a Virus
• Any other solution (e.g. Motherboard Replacement) dependant upon situation

Why are Hard Drives so expensive? It's a question you may well be wondering when reading this. Maybe you've had one replaced before or have had quotes in the past. Simply the reason is that at the moment the supply is short. Ever since the flooding in Thailand (see here) two out of three Hard Drive factories there have been shut down, severely cutting off supplies. This caused the prices of Hard Drives and other various components to sky-rocket in a very small amount of time. Hopefully in the near future the prices will come back down, but for the moment we are forced to charge more than we used to. The increase is only to cover our costs, however, and as soon as the supplier prices come back down again so will ours. They have already dropped significantly over the past few months, so hopefully you will not have to wait long.

* Prices are an estimate only. Actual price of part depends upon the PC/Laptop in question. Gaming PCs for example typically use much more power and require a larger power supply unit.

** Prices are an estimate only. Actual price of part depends upon the PC/Laptop in question and situation with regard to data recovery from old drive etc. Installation of Windows will be required on a new hard drive, this can be done as part of the service for an extra £30. Data recovery may be extra, please discuss with engineer for details.

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I can't access the internet or my emails

If you are unable to access your emails, then it is well worth checking to see if your normal internet is also not working. If this is the case, then your internet connection is malfunctioning. If not, then the settings on your email client (e.g. outlook express) may be wrong.

If your internet is indeed not working, then this can be caused by a number of things.

Most likely causes:

1. Your computer may be infected with a virus, see "I think I have a virus"
2. Your router may be faulty (the box that came with your broadband)
3. There may be a fault with your telephone line
4. Your internet service provider (ISP) may be at fault
5. Your computer's hardware is faulty
6. One of your network cables could be faulty

When your internet is not working, the very first thing to do is check that all cables are connected properly and are not loose. Failing this, try unplugging your router, wait for approximately 30 seconds and then plug it back in. After a minute or two when the router has finished starting back up, try your internet again.

Do not however push the reset button in the back of your router. This will wipe out your user settings such as your username and password that the router needs to access the broadband. These will then have to be programmed back into the router, which is not always easy to do for the novice user.

If your internet still does not work, before fearing the worst it is best to call up your internet service provider and check if there is any problem in your area. Quite often, due to the miles of electrical cable the telephone signals run through routine maintenance is performed which can interfere with broadband connections. If your ISP reports a problem, then simply waiting until it is resolved is the best option.

In the event that they are not able to help you, do not ask them to send out an engineer. All ISPs use BT Openreach engineers, which will charge you heavily should the problem turn out to be within your home, including a minimum callout fee, which normally starts from £100.

The best option at this stage would be to call and arrange a callout. Our engineer is capable of diagnosing exactly what the fault is, including testing your internal wiring, computer equipment and router and our callout fee is substantially less than that of BT Openreach.

Estimated Cost to Repair:

• Engineer visit to diagnose fault and fix where possible, from £ 20.00 *

* Standard callout fee is £20, which covers travel (within 5 miles) and the first 30 minutes. The normal charge of £30 per hour applies thereafter.

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I need an engineer to come out to my home or place of work

If you are experiencing any kind of problem with your home equipment, or you simply need help installing or setting something up, then we are able to help. Our friendly, local engineer will be more than happy to come out to you to help you with your problem.

You can arrange a callout, ask for help or enquire about pricing by either calling us between 9am and 9pm on 01237 520 620 or by sending us an email.  Click here to visit the contact us page and send us a message using the form provided.

Pricing for Home and Business callouts:

• Callouts to within 5 miles are £ 20.00 for the first 30 minutes
• After the first 30 minutes the standard charge of £ 30.00 per hour applies
• Callouts outside of the 5 mile radius will incur an extra charge of 50p per mile*

We aim to keep our pricing as fair as possible. If you have any queries with regards to pricing, or an estimate for a specific job, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We mainly deal with the Bideford and Barnstaple area, however we are happy to discuss jobs outside of this area, depending upon distance. Please note that where replacement parts are reqiured, these are not included in the callout fee.

* We do unfortunately have to charge for travel outside the local area, however we try to keep this to a minimum. We aim to keep our minimum callout fee below that of our competitors, therefore we must charge for longer distance callouts.

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I've forgotten my password and can't get in to my computer

If you have forgotten your password, or your computer is not accepting your password for any reason, don't worry. Whilst Windows is a very secure operating system (and the chances are you will be using it), there are thankfully ways to get past it.

We offer a password removal service that will delete the password from the computer, allowing you to log in without having to enter one. After this you can re-enter a password if you wish, although we recommend not setting one unless it is absolutely necessary.

This is because on newer versions of Windows, for example Windows Vista, once a password is set all of your documents, pictures and other personal information becomes encrypted, to stop it from being stolen if somebody takes your hard drive.

While this sounds like a great idea, it actually means that if your computer or laptop breaks and we or anyone else need to remove your hard drive to recover the information for you, we will not actually be able to do so and all of your data on that hard drive will be lost.

In most cases we can remove the password for you in only a few minutes in your home or place of work, so there's no need to be without your computer.

Estimated Cost to Repair:

• Best Solution: Engineer visit and password removal service, £ 20.00

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I need lessons on how to use my computer, laptop or internet

There's no denying that computers can be tricky to use at the best of times. Unfortunately these days they don't come with user manuals and although there are some books that promise to teach you how to use them, most only serve to confuse you more.

Our engineer Chris would be more than happy to come out to you and talk you through whatever it is you are having trouble with. Whether you are a complete beginner to computers, wish to further your knowledge, or are simply stuck on one difficult problem or task, we are able to help.

For more information, please contact us either by phone or by using the form provided on the contact us page. Try to give an idea of exactly what it is you are hoping to learn, or what it is you are struggling with. We will respond to you as soon as possible with advice concerning possible tuition and an estimated price.

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