* We have no store-front or public parking. Ignore lazy data-miners who say we do.
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Before you email or call ...
You can help us to help you by compiling the following items before you contact us. Don't let this list scare you, just do the best you can.
— The Machine —
First, take a couple of slow deep breaths (breathe all the way out). Sure, that smart gizmo is your baby, and it's loaded with irreplaceable images and data (that you haven't bothered to back up), but methodical rationality beats panic any day of the week.
Computer make and model (examples: HP Pavilion, Toshiba Satellite) 1
Operating system (Windows 7, 8.x, 10, 11) and version (Home, Professional) 2
Size of memory (RAM) 2
Size of system partition (normally drive "C:") and free space 3
Vendor and product name(s) of security software (suite, or separate anti-virus, firewall, etc) 4
— The Problem —
Summarize what happened and when (date & time).
Before the problem occurred: What hardware or software was added or removed? What changes were made to system settings or your procedures?
What steps, if any, will reproduce the problem?
What steps have you already taken to resolve or work around the problem?
Note: Anything related to "Bitlocker" is between you and Microsoft. Enough said.
— Towards Solutions —
Send us a simple introductory message and we will write back to request your notes and potentially make initial recommendations. This prevents playing phone-tag.
Why don't we simply connect to your computer and fix it remotely (like the "professionals" do)? 5
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| 1 | Look for identification on the computer chassis, not the monitor. |
| 2 | Operating System & RAM: |
| Pre Windows 7 (Vista, XP, ME, 2000, 98, 95): Stop. Windows 7 is already risky because it's no longer supported. Vista and prior are open invitations to malware and botnets. Any survivors are likely bogged down with Windows Updates, hideously bloated applications that have corrupted the OS, and bizarre tweaks attempting to squeeze out any performance at all. Sorry, but you can buy a far better machine for less than it would cost to resurrect one of these dinosaurs. Before you recycle it, make sure to retrieve your sensitive data, and destroy that data on the old media - or remove and keep it if it's your hard drive. | |
| Windows 7: Right-click This PC (or My Computer) and select Properties. | |
| Windows 8.x, 10, 11: Click Start (the Windows icon at the left end of the taskbar) > click Settings (the gear ⚙ icon in the Start menu) > click System > then scroll to the bottom of the left menu and click About. | |
| 3 | System partition hard drive space: |
| Windows 7: Open This PC (or My Computer), click View, and select Details. | |
| Windows 8.x, 10, 11: Click Start > Settings > System > Storage > wait for it to scan your system partition. (Note: Great storage management options on this page should be used judiciously - we can discuss them later.) > You can also scroll down and click View storage usage on other drives. | |
| 4 | Start the program, open it's Help menu, and look for About and/or License. Take note if it mentions anything expired or pending. |
| 5 | Remote Control:
If RC is disabled on your device, you may not know how to enable it.
Even the safest RC software itself is a hack, and hackable.
GeekSquad and other major fixers don't use it, for good reason ...
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