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As a computer trainer I must be both show and tell and then watch and guide as the customer is doing, but I also reserve the right to be a constructivist teacher, helping the learner use active mental processes to do the learning themselves based upon the foundations of the basics skills and tools I have taught or to which I have directed.

If I decide to attempt to repair or reload a computer, I reserve the right to reject any machine due to infection by virus or pornography. I try to keep a blank, formatted drive on hand so that the backup of infected computers does not spread to my computers or others.

Your data is always your responsibility and there is no defacto transfer of responsibility for the loss or corruption of personal data. If you are calling to have your files backedup, please make certain you state that fact clearly, because, while the backup of data should be a genuine interest of a computer tech, you must say what you want done and you will be billed accordingly.

The washing machine repairman wants your clothes to come out clean, but is not responsible if someone pours ink in the water.. My job is to repair or reload, but the the risk of data loss is never mine. I do offer a simple copy service for a strict fee based archive of existing “clean” data, and that the customer acknowledges that the physical and software components of the complex computer are apt to fail at any time without warning.

Child porn and other filth may indeed be reasons to report hard drive content to appropriate authorities. Go online and get instruction on formatting any so infected drive.

Destroy drives by extreme physical force (struck with sledge hammer multiple times, or shredded by professional data destruction industries. Consumers can also disassemble drives and ruin internal data platters to assure data destruction.

If you suspect your computer is infected by virus or related male-ware, back up your data now. Most technicians will spend only a short period of time in research and potential “quick fix” on obviously infected machines. The direction of flow of labor should be toward backup onto isolated media and then format and reload, in my opinion. Your data is your data and I may suggest a backup of personal files be made in duplicate and then the machine be erased, often with the replacement of the hard drive if the original drive is more than three years old and then computer can be freshly loaded with all Operating System updates installed. A reinstallation of programs is then offered at additional cost.

Your computer may have a recovery partition. That recovery partition has all the files required to bring your computer back to out-of-the-box condition, making a reload easier. After the recovery, all available updates will need to be downloaded and installed. Then user purchased programs and data will have to be re-installed, activated, and transferred back onto the host drive.

On data backup: You can back up your data on your own external or internal media storage device but if you want me to do it an hourly rate applies to the data backup process. The customer is urged to be present during the backup process and assumes all responsibility for data loss due to the unforeseeable problems that come form mechanical devices, power outages and software unpredictability and the nature of viral and other system problems.

I prefer and suggest the fresh installation of the Operating System and all updates and then, at the customers expense and cooperation, the installation of productivity software.

The reloading process I follow, starting from the blank new hard drive is roughly as follows: Install OS, Install all updates for the OS. Install crucial software and print drivers, etc. Then I can also help you install the software you really want and leave out all the stuff you do not want.

Rough estimates

Hard Drive 80

Operating System 110

Installation 80

Home Instructions: $65 first hour + $30 additional hours. (Two hours 90 dollars.)

I support no games, no pornography or similar software or media, and reserve the right to refuse any customer or computer based on the content of the computer or history of previous use.

Repairs, Upgrades, Service:

Hard Drive upgrade or replacement.
Power Supplies, Fans, Disk Drives.
Data recovery (when possible) from defective hard drive.
Sound, Video, Modem, and Back-up systems installed.
Recordable CD and DVD drives installed and setup.
Memory, system upgrades, System reloads, Home Networking.
Reload the Windows Operating System that has been damaged by faulty software or corrupted system files.
Note: The Word Upgrade can be quite flexible. Many times a hard drive can be upgraded with the purchase and installation of a new larger, and faster hard drive. This leads to an additional issue: The new, faster, larger hard drive should be the main, not secondary drive. Therefore a hard drive image can often be done to clone the old hard drive onto the new one, the original is then erased and used for secondary storage. Or, the computer is completely reloaded and an upgrade to a newr version of the Operating System is preformed. Typical cost of a OEM copy of Windows XP/Vista/7 with the purchase of a new hard drive is about $100.00. Hard Drive is approximately $100.00 to $120.00.
So, in the aging time of this writing upgrading a computer from Windows 98 to Windows XP with Maxtor 80 GB hard drive @ 7200 RPM will cost about $100.00 + $98.00 + $65.00 installation fee + $21.00 Tax = $284.00. This task is usually a pick up, complete, and drop off task since the hard drive copy takes about 5 hours and the windows setup takes several billable hours.
I can teach you how to build or upgrade a computer and select parts if you want. I have learned to go slow and train in increments so students can gain more knowledge and proficiency.

Computer Upgrades vs. New is a fairly complicated issue.

The hobbyist or professional computer tech can rarely provide a cost VS features value that can be purchased by the savvy buyer purchasing dependable name brands. Also, warranty replacement and software bundles are frequently an advantage in mass produced computers VS custom made machines.

I prefer not to build new computers but may occasionally offer to scratch built new or provide fee-based guidance as you select a computer from the company of your choosing. Consulting fees will be charged, and I will make recommendations with pluses and minuses as I see them based on my appraisal of your needs and desires. The final decision is yours and yours alone.

Remember the common phrase, "Computers are obsolete out of the box" This is in no way always true, since computers several years old still give excellent service and perform well. However, computer prices tend to fall or system power and abilities continue to grow, so that after the purchase of a computer, buyer remorse is common. I stand by my work but make no guarantees as to the performance of any equipment past the printed specifications of the manufacturer, and I do not warranty any component part beyond the manufacturer's or retailers warranty.

I will do all I can to assure your satisfaction, but in all matters, may the buyer beware. This I have learned as we all do, the hard way. I am on your side, but I am not your guarantor unless our upgrade or build contract specifies same and includes an additional insurance fee. Usually, parts have free replacement warranties ranging from swap meet tail-light warranties to 90 days to one year or three years on many hard drives. Normally I do not offer to build computers from parts although this is frequently the best way to arrive at a good quality machine, and the cost of parts is certainly not under my control nor my decision when deciding what and when to buy. I offer my opinion and urge any potential or existing customer to carefully compare what I offer or suggest to the open market options.

Please phone or email for rates and availability.

Phone 716.393.1071

EMAIL
tom@tomroll.com

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