Services

PC and Laptop Supply

We are Dell partners and supply a lot of Dell Computers to our customers. Business customers benefit from the stability of Dell Optiplex computers which are manufactured from components guaranteed by Dell to be available as spares for years to come.

For homeworkers and those on a budget, we recommend the Dell Vostro range of computers. You get the latest fastest processors, generous amounts of RAM and a large hard disk drive.

Home users do not miss out with the sleekly designed and styled Dell Inspiron range of PC’s and laptops. With graphics performance in mind for photos, games, desktop publishing and office documents you will be impressed with the speed of a modern computer. There will also be plenty of storage space for music and video but make sure you talk to us about backing up your important data when you buy a new PC – don’t wait for disaster to strike.

We take the hassle out of purchasing a new PC or laptop. We don’t just supply you with a large cardboard box full of confusing parts and cables, we take care of everything, from initial advice to ordering and delivery. The computer is pre-configured at our workshop with all the latest security upgrades before delivery to you ready to go. We can transfer all the data from an old computer as an additional service, so all you need to do is switch it on and start working.

When we are asked to supply a laptop we tend to come back and ask you more questions than you ask us! The thing is that laptops now range from ultra portables at under 2kg with 12” screens right up to desktop replacements at well over double the weight and with desktop sized screens and keyboards – you certainly wouldn’t want to lug one of these beasts on the train to London! If it is a new laptop you are after, we have offerings from IBM/Lenovo, Sony, Dell and Hewlett Packard. Please speak to us for some sound advice before making a decision on your next laptop.

Upgrades

We are often asked what the most cost effective upgrade is for a computer. Whilst there is no single answer, a memory upgrade usually gives the best boost to a sluggish system.

Tech Note – Sometimes people get confused between memory and hard disk storage. Memory is the RAM that a computer uses to run programs. The memory is loaded up with programs and data when the computer starts but when the computer is shut down, the memory is cleared and contains nothing whilst the computer is switched off. The hard disk on the other hand holds static copies of program and file data whether the computer is on or off. Simply having a program installed on your hard disk does not slow your computer down; it is only the running programs that do this – that are loaded into memory/ RAM.

We can supply new base units without monitors, keyboards and mice as a cost effective upgrade. You effectively get a whole new computer for less money. Some people call this base unit the hard disk but again don’t get confused. The hard disk is just the storage drive inside the base unit. The base unit or mini tower or desktop chassis also contains the motherboard, Central Processing Unit (CPU such as Pentium Dual Core etc), graphics card, power supply, DVD drive, sound card etc.

Software

With our software partners, we are always happy to give you advice and a competitive quote on all your software requirements.

Since we are computer system builders, we can supply OEM software from operating systems to office solutions, antivirus to desktop publishing.

We are Microsoft Registered Partners and can provide advice and supply of fully licenced operating systems from Windows XP, Vista, Small Business Server, Home Server, and the entire suite of office products.

We are ESET Partners and not only supply their award winning antivirus, anti spyware, spam fighting and firewall products but also take care of your ongoing annual subscriptions, so your protection will never lapse and leave you exposed to viruses and hackers.

HealthCheck and TuneUp

Health check and Tune up – slow running PC, treat it to a Tune Up

We’d all like a fast starting, fast running computer but unfortunately we can’t go and buy a new computer every few months!

It’s a fact – just like humans, computers slow down with age and when they become overloaded with programs and data. Fortunately, help is at hand and we can speed your systems up again. We call it a HealthCheck and TuneUp and we recommend that you book in for one of these annually. If you subscribe to one of our competitive fixed price support packages, they all include this as part of the service.

Think of it as being a bit like an MoT for your PC when we check over 100 points on your computer or laptop – that’s twice as many as the PC World equivalent! Not only do we speed your machine up but we also check for things such as a failing hard disk drive. Computers suffer from being gummed up with dust as much as being gummed up with data and programs, and we sort this out for you too!

Virus Removal and Antivirus Software

If your computer becomes infected with a virus the first thing to do is disconnect it from the internet. To do this, you may need to unplug the network cable from the back of the PC, unplug your USB modem or switch off your wireless adapter.

Then you need to run your antivirus software such as ESET NOD32, Norton, McAfee, AVG, Sophos, Avast etc. on a full system scan to see if the virus can be automatically detected and removed. The instructions for a full antivirus scan vary from product to product so are not described here. If your antivirus software is not up to date or has expired or is simply not installed, then we strongly suggest you contact us for our professional virus removal service. The cost for virus removal varies depending on the seriousness of the infection but in any case is capped at a maximum charge because with serious infections, we may have to reload the entire Windows operating system on your computer.

As well as the core antivirus product on your computer which really is a necessity to have installed and kept up to date, there are ancilliary cleaning tools which you can install to help keep your system running smoothly. The main 2 we recommend are CCleaner and Ad-Aware

We do not recommend installing any products not listed here. If you are unsure about a product, please contact us and we can provide detailed advice. It is important to distinguish between Spyware and Antispyware products. The problem is that there are plenty of bad products out there that are trying to trick you to install them and then try to get money out of you in order to get rid of them again!

However, some products should be used with caution. It is not necessarily best to run loads of different registry cleaners and spyware sweepers since they could actually stop some programs from working or worse still stop your computer from booting.

Laptop Loan

Nothing ever fails at a good time but computers have a habit of letting you down just when you are in the middle of a particularly important piece of work. Don’t worry though, we have a selection of loan laptops which we can provide at a very reasonable weekly charge, should your computer be out of action just when you need it.

Training

We all have different areas of expertise in our company and can provide you with training in many common areas from basic computer courses to advanced server management. One of the most popular areas for training is in Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint and Publisher.