Speed up my PC
For machines that take five minutes to think about opening a browser.
How it works.
Slow computers are usually one of a handful of things — a failing hard drive, too much starting up in the background, or a machine that has simply run out of memory for what it is being asked to do.
I work out which it is instead of just clearing temporary files and calling it done.
Where an SSD or a memory upgrade is the real answer, I will tell you what it costs first so you can decide.
What’s included.
- Finding out which of the three usual culprits it actually is: the drive, the startup load, or genuinely not enough memory
- Clearing what is starting up in the background that should not be
- A health check on the drive, because "slow" is often "failing"
- A straight recommendation on whether hardware would fix it, with the cost first
When you don’t need this
If the machine is slow because it is genuinely too old for what you are asking of it, this will not save you. I will tell you that rather than take the money and hand back something still slow.
What people ask.
Will this actually make a difference or is it snake oil?
It depends what is wrong, which is why I look first. If the problem is a mechanical hard drive, no amount of cleaning up will fix it and I will say so — the honest answer is an SSD. If it is startup clutter, the difference is immediate.
Is an SSD really worth it on an old machine?
On anything with a spinning hard drive it is usually the single best money you can spend, and it often makes a five-year-old machine feel new. It is a part plus fitting, quoted before I order.
Other things I do.
PC diagnostic & repair
Find out what is actually wrong, then fix it.
- A full look at what the machine is actually doing, not a guess from the symptoms
- A written price before any work starts, and no work without your say-so
Virus scan + total backup
Clean the machine, and get your files somewhere safe.
- A full clean of viruses, malware and the browser hijackers that reinstall themselves in every browser
- Your files backed up as part of the job, not offered as an extra
Been hacked?
Accounts recovered, machine cleaned, everything locked back down.
- Getting you back into the accounts you have lost access to
- The machine collected and cleaned properly at the workshop, then returned
Data recovery
Photos, documents and files off a drive that will not cooperate.
- An honest assessment of the odds before you commit to anything
- Recovery from failed and failing drives, deleted files, and machines that will not start
Screens, batteries & parts fitted
Cracked screens, dying batteries, worn-out parts replaced.
- Sourcing the right part for the machine you actually have, including older kit
- The part priced and agreed before I order anything
New PC home setup + teaching
New computer set up properly, and shown to you properly.
- Everything moved across: files, photos, email, printers, bookmarks and passwords
- The pre-installed rubbish removed and the machine set up the way you want it
No surprises on the bill.
Speed up my PC — £99, agreed before I start. Where parts are needed they're quoted before fitting, and if it isn't worth doing, I'll say so.
Call 07971 331814Or send me a message
I answer everything myself, usually the same day. Leave a phone number or an email — whichever suits you.