Frequently Asked Questions

This is all of the questions that people ask us all the time. I've compiled this, a list of the most frequent ones, that hopefully will leave you better informed.


  1. Q. What do you need to repair my PC?
    A. Just the PC, generally. If it's a laptop, you'll need to bring the power supply as well. We cannot work on your PC if it's running a bootleg OS, unless you want to purchase a license.
  2. Q. What is an "OS Reload"?
    A. We usually recommend these to clean out virus infections, and if your system is beyond normal repair. This is the quickest way to get a system up and going. What this involves is completely erasing the partition that holds your Operating System. In plain english, we usually have to erase all your files in order to do this. This is why we can't stress enough, keep your data backed up! We'll reinstall a fresh copy of the Operating System, and set it back up so you should be able to take your PC home, plug it in, and be ready to go! It should open all your music, movies, and documents, and be able to connect to the internet as soon as you boot it up.
  3. Q. What will happen to my personal files and settings?
    A. You should always keep backups of your files and settings. We can't take responsibility for saving them for you, because you'll likely have a lot of settings that we won't be able to set back the way you'd like. If you need your data saved for you, you can tell us specifically what files you want, and we can save them for you for an additional fee; but we cannot save personal settings or programs for you.
  4. Q. Will I need to use my Comcast/AT&T CD to setup my internet again?
    A. No, and we wouldn't recommend you use them. These are only necessary the first time you setup your internet connection in order to "activate" the service with your modem. After that, they aren't necessary. In fact, we've had some problems with people using older versions of these install CDs. They can sometimes break Windows XP after the SP2 update.
  5. Q. Will I need to update any of my software?
    A. Nope. We do it all for you before the PC leaves the shop. Generally, most of the software on your PC will be configured
  6. Q. What about Anti-virus or Anti-spyware software? Will my PC be protected?
    A. Yes! We protect your system with Spybot Search and Destroy (also called Spybot S&D), AdAware 2007, and CA Anti-Virus. Most anti-virus software operates as a subscription service, which means you have to buy a subscription to the software once a year or so. This is because Anti-virus makers have to respond to all the new threats that develop all the time, and this requires the software to be updated regularly. So think of it as you're funding the computer police who protect your system.
  7. Q. What about Microsoft Office? Will that be installed on my machine?
    A. Only if you have a valid license for the software. If you do, we can reinstall it for you. Otherwise, we will load OpenOffice.org on your system, which is Microsoft Office compatible, and can open all your documents as well. Please note, most of the major PC manufacturers will install a trial copy of Microsoft Office on your PC. This may be why you had it before, but since it's not a full copy, we're not able to reinstall it for you.
  8. Q. What is a software license key?
    A. Most Windows software requires a license key to operate. This is usually in the form of a string of letters and numbers seperated by hyphens. All microsoft software uses these; they usually look like this: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX Where the X's are letters and numbers. You'll usually find these with the manual, CD case, or on a sticker that came with the software. Most Windows PCs have a sticker attached to the case that has this number as well. We have to have these in order to legally work on your Windows OS.
  9. Q. What about privacy? Do you guys look at any of my personal files?
    A. Short answer, no. If you ask us to save your data, we may view it to verify the data integrity. We'll keep an archival copy for no more than 30 days to make sure you have all the files you need. All data remains confidential. We're like doctors, we've seen it all. :)

That's it for now! We'll add more as we think of them. If you have any questions you'd like answered, why don't you get a hold of us?