Over time, typically a personal computer (PC) will seem to slow down or even give warnings or make noise indicating a problem with it. Even with good virus protection (I prefer ESET), eventually there will be issues due to malware or some other form of computer software rascal. On the hardware side, there will be dust clogging the heatsink, power supply, and graphics card (if applicable) fans.
But this is no cause to buy a new PC! For less than $100, your used PC can be restored to tip top operating condition.
PC-Friends.com in Sunnyvale specializes in computer maintenance. With our $60 standard rehab service, the inside of the case is completely cleaned of dust, including the CPU fan / heatsink and power supply. All fans in the computer are subjectively evaluated for their condition. All in an upscale suburban setting with beautiful landscape, clean air, filtered electrical power, and supportive staff.
If necessary and for an added charge, the CPU fan and heat sink is removed from the CPU, the old thermal paste is removed, the fan is inspected for wear, fresh thermal paste is applied, and the heat sink is either reinstalled or replaced. Often times this degradation of the thermal link between the CPU and the CPU heatsink is the reason for a PC to overheat, causing the control system to throttle down the CPU, thus robbing the system of computing speed.
Also included with our rehab service is hard drive maintenance. The condition of the hard drive is evaluated for integrity and signs of failure. If the operating system is corrupted or compromised, any important files (documents, photos, and bookmarks) are saved on portable media, the drive is then reformatted / wiped clean, and a new operating system installed. Other user software can be reinstalled as per the owner’s request.
Finally, with the recent drop in the prices for solid state drives (SSDs), the effective speed of any older PC can be doubled by simply replacing the slow mechanical hard drive in most older PCs with an SSD. This involves transferring the operating system of the PC to an SSD, then installing the SSD as the boot device. Depending on your needs, a new SSD drive can cost from about $40 to above $100. The existing hard drive can continue to be used as additional data storage, if there is space in the computer case. Laptop PCs will not have space for two drives so with laptops the entire contents of the hard drive are transferred to the SSD. The service charge for the addition of an SSD is $50 plus the cost for the SSD drive itself.
If your laptop or desktop PC seems sluggish, slow, drunk, stoned, obnoxious, or degraded in any way, give me a call at 408-368-5385… for a free phone evaluation with no obligation. For a written evaluation, just bring your PC to our Sunnyvale facility, and for $30, I will tell you what I find and recommend.