One of
the biggest misconceptions about computers is that it takes a rocket scientist
to fix any problem that might show up on one. I'm here to tell you that fixing
your computer is something you can do.
Now, in
no way am I calling down your local computer repair person (I am one, remember) - they're by and large a very
smart bunch of people, usually with a lot of education and experience.
However,
the fact remains that a large portion of the problems that computer users
encounter can be easily solved by following freely available advice on this and
other sites online. Even more difficult problems can be solved if you're
willing to invest a little time to learn a few things about your computer along
the way.
Important: At very least, before you take
your computer in for service, see my List of Common PC Problems and How to
Fix Them. If you
don't see your problem there, be sure to search for it in the search box at the
top of any page.
Fixing Your Own PC Will Save You Money
Saving
money is probably an obvious advantage of fixing your own computer.
Getting
your computer serviced at a local shop will usually run you from $40 to $90 USD
per hour or more AND THAT IS FOR A ONE TIME FIX. Some are less expensive but
that's not the norm.
If you
fix your computer problem yourself, you can completely avoid what might end up
being a several hundred dollar bill. No matter what your financial situation,
free is a pretty good deal. That's a lot of money you can save by investing
some time in trying to fix it yourself.
You Don't Need Expensive Tools to Fix Your Own
Computer
Many
people think that they have to buy lots of expensive diagnostic hardware and
software to fix a computer. This is absolutely not the case. Expensive tools do
exist but they're usually used to help computer repair services test or solve
things quickly or in bulk.
Chances
are you already have 95% of the physical tools you would ever need to fix any
computer problem in your toolbox or garage.
Computer
repair services also use many software diagnostic tools to determine what might
be wrong with a computer but most of the very best ones they use are available
for free online!
Here are
a few of my favorite free, professional level diagnostic tools available for
download by anyone:
You'll Probably Be Back Up and Running Faster
You might
be thinking to yourself at this point that surely it'll take days or
weeks to learn enough to repair your own computer and that it won't be worth
the trouble. You need your computer working right now, right?
First of
all, unless you're lucky, after you drop your computer off at the repair shop
you'll likely be waiting at least a couple of days, usually longer, before
you'll be able to pick it back up.
Secondly,
you might be surprised to know that most common problems are solved by
relatively simple steps as long as a trained technician is handling them. The
more time you spend looking for solutions to computer problems online the more
you'll see that this is true.
Finally,
and I really want to stress this one, you don't need to learn to solve every
computer problem to solve this computer problem. A knowledgeable
computer repair person has a lot of experience and education and can solve a
multitude of problems with ease. You don't need to reach this level of
knowledge about repairing computers.
You need
to solve your single problem as quickly as possible. Well written, easy to
follow troubleshooting information online will get you that.
You Know More Than You Think
If you're
having trouble using the mouse, keyboard, or screw driver then you might have a
problem repairing your PC. Otherwise, you're only a step-by-step
troubleshooting guide away from solving pretty much any computer problem you
might see.
So much
great information is available to help people solve PC problems online, from
self-help troubleshooting guides and tutorials like you'll find on my site
here, to personal help on social networks and forums, something you can read
more about on my Get More Help page.
If you
can think logically, follow instructions in order, and ask questions when
you're not sure about something or don't understand, then you should feel
confident enough to try to fix your own computer problems before you even think
about paying someone else to.
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