tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39952336146596331772024-03-12T20:16:28.739-05:00Computer RoomService, Sales, & Support - Swansea, IL near SAFBSteven Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00716303018104544735noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-52773449406356745422020-10-27T11:18:00.000-05:002020-10-27T11:18:34.343-05:00<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ir0RaemjG6k/X5hHyKn28_I/AAAAAAAAvhs/oZU1gVqV5as_QtbyERWiXJKRJixVoT-OQCLcBGAsYHQ/s655/this-pc-windows-10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="655" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ir0RaemjG6k/X5hHyKn28_I/AAAAAAAAvhs/oZU1gVqV5as_QtbyERWiXJKRJixVoT-OQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/this-pc-windows-10.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <br /><span data-offset-key="dn2ph-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have retired your Windows Vista or Windows 7 computers, you may be wondering how to get to those files now. These computers (desktop or laptop) will have 2.5" or 3.5" SATA hard drives installed. You can use a SATA to USB adapter (or enclosure) like this one </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="background-color: white; color: var(--blue-link); white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2THebfT">https://amzn.to/2THebfT</a></span><span data-offset-key="dn2ph-2-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and connect it to your new computer. Laptop drives can use an even simpler one, but desktop drives need more power, so this adapter works for both.</span></span><p></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="f67ha" data-offset-key="s0i5-0-0" style="background-color: white;"><p style="color: #050505; direction: ltr; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="s0i5-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span><span data-offset-key="9io3a-0-0">When you have the old drive connected to your new Windows PC, click on "This Computer" in the file explorer and find the attached drive. It's probably D: but if you already have other drives (external, backup, or flash) connected, this drive will be the next "available" drive letter. For a Mac, open Finder and select the external drive. If the computer prompts you to "initialize" or "format" the drive, SAY NO and get a hold of your favorite computer geek for help (like me!).</span></span></p><p style="direction: ltr; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span data-offset-key="621eo-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br data-text="true" /></span><span data-offset-key="vj4l-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your personal data will typically be under "Users" and whatever your chosen username was. (Older versions of Windows put these files under "Documents and Settings.") The first time you open that folder, your computer will prompt you to get permission to access it. Say yes, and prepare to wait. It will take a while to grant permission to all your files. Then you will see all your directories. Can't find the "photos" you're looking for under photos? Or the homework under Documents? Check under the Desktop folder. Anything you saved to your "Desktop" will be there. At least 90% of customers that came in seem to do that ;-)</span><span data-offset-key="80blp-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br data-text="true" /></span><span data-offset-key="d368o-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some programs use nonstandard file locations, and some users save stuff in non-standard places, so these details may not help you find everything... but it may help you find those old recipes your Mom saved just in time for Thanksgiving!</span><span data-offset-key="amg06-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br data-text="true" /></span><span data-offset-key="2hh42-0-0" style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">(if you have really old IDE hard drives, check out this adapter instead, </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2JdcnsT">https://amzn.to/2JdcnsT</a></span><span data-offset-key="2hh42-2-0"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></span>
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<br /></span></span></span></span></p></div><br><br><iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=computerroom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B01NAUIA6G&asins=B01NAUIA6G&linkId=3f3daa374a606e0b22581f9afc859b00&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff"></iframe>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-66288071119528133672020-10-16T14:14:00.002-05:002020-10-16T14:14:38.087-05:00Now offering Priority Computer Services!<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hello all! I am currently beginning to offer Priority Service repair requests on a very limited basis. I am doing all of the work personally, including delivery/pickup/concierge services, and can often repair your system in only 1-2 days (not including part shipping time). I am giving business-grade service to all customers, no upcharges!</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div style="text-align: left;">I work on both PC and Mac hardware. </div></span></span><p></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Service packages are flat-rate $99 (per system) to cover labor and includes pickup/meetup delivery to Fairview Heights, O'Fallon, or Shiloh addresses. Parts are approved before ordering (and invoiced separately).</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you'd like to send me details of your problem, the model numbers of the computer, (or photos of the bottoms of the laptops with the model numbers), I can try to get a better estimate and verify your system(s) are worth having me look at. Sometimes I can even address your issue by simply sending you a referral link for what to order online. Feel free to message me at heycomputerlady@gmail.com, at <a href="http://facebook.com/computerroom">facebook.com/computerroom</a>, or text 618-624-4440. Please be advised I try to respond to messages on weekdays in mid-late afternoon. </span></div></div>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-18785278479357741242020-10-12T12:40:00.000-05:002020-10-12T12:40:26.174-05:00Good Computer Parts In Stock Again<p>I'm pretty excited that it's getting easier to get good computer parts again. <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you're looking for a fun gaming system that can get some school work done too, I got to build this fun little system today. Here's a shopping list if you feel like a good DIY project: (please note, any purchases made via these links pays me a small referral fee)<span style="font-size: 15px;">
</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hbVDUnCNd_E/X4SUeH4LmgI/AAAAAAAAu_A/eXP-oCVDKEcNYUKSyY-g3ClmOJwvSv0lwCLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/IMG_1257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hbVDUnCNd_E/X4SUeH4LmgI/AAAAAAAAu_A/eXP-oCVDKEcNYUKSyY-g3ClmOJwvSv0lwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1257.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXYOtidTq74/X4SUdymYP_I/AAAAAAAAu-8/DrQsGJ_qyJoSzL2w58q9PjK9BND4FSABwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_1262.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PXYOtidTq74/X4SUdymYP_I/AAAAAAAAu-8/DrQsGJ_qyJoSzL2w58q9PjK9BND4FSABwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1262.HEIC" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br />
</span><p></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="ejvdk-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ejvdk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="ejvdk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="8mrv0-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8mrv0-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="8mrv0-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Case: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SLmjev">https://amzn.to/2SLmjev</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="777ae-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="777ae-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="777ae-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Motherboard: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/33TqdbT">https://amzn.to/33TqdbT</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="n7vj-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="n7vj-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="n7vj-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">CPU: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2Fq6FCs">https://amzn.to/2Fq6FCs</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="3ot24-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3ot24-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="3ot24-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">RAM: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2IdkGEr">https://amzn.to/2IdkGEr</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="a7m2l-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a7m2l-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="a7m2l-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">SSD: M.2 </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/311RDui">https://amzn.to/311RDui</a></span><span data-offset-key="a7m2l-2-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> OR SATA </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/33R1xR9">https://amzn.to/33R1xR9</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="fvs0c-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fvs0c-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="fvs0c-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Video Upgrade (this upgrade is optional, as this CPU/mobo combo supports onboard graphics) </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3755qDU">https://amzn.to/3755qDU</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="7oe9a-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7oe9a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="7oe9a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">PSU: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3lEVu8e">https://amzn.to/3lEVu8e</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="41uj-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="41uj-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="41uj-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">OS: </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SN7dVZ">https://amzn.to/2SN7dVZ</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="685kr" data-offset-key="a0jh8-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="a0jh8-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="a0jh8-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">SATA HDD (this is optional if you need extra/cheaper additional storage space): </span><span class="py34i1dx" style="color: var(--blue-link); font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SMkiiv">https://amzn.to/2SMkiiv</a></span></div></div>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-46251812978901696072020-08-24T15:31:00.003-05:002020-08-24T15:32:45.499-05:00Closing Retail<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Hi everyone. <span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">After 16 years, the retail side of my business, doing business as the Computer Room, is closed. I am temporarily not taking requests for services. If I have your computer in-store for repair already, please text me at 618-624-4440 (during weekday/daytime business hours please). I will follow up with those messages on weekdays mid to late afternoon.
Follow me here or at <a href="http://facebook.com/computerroom">http://facebook.com/computerroom</a> for updates when I start accepting repair requests again. I expect to start scheduling on-site and pick-up services in early October.
In the meantime, if you are down and cannot wait for me here are some resources:
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">iPhone and iPads: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FieldMedicPhoneRepair/">https://www.facebook.com/FieldMedicPhoneRepair/</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Other mobile devices, broken/lost power adapters or bad batteries for laptops: </span><a href="https://www.batteriesplus.com/store-locator/il/fairviewheights/phone-repair-378" style="font-family: arial;">https://www.batteriesplus.com/store-locator/il/fairviewheights/phone-repair-378</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">MacBook / Mac Repair: (text 618-624-4440 with details and I'll try to refer you). FYI, Best Buy is now partnered with Apple and will have the same services/options as an Apple store.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">PC Laptop Repair : If in (or within 6 months after expired) warranty, contact the manufacturer who made your device. Examples:</span></li></ul></span></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Acer: <a href="https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support">https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Asus: <a href="https://www.asus.com/us/support/">https://www.asus.com/us/support/</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Dell: <a href="https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us">https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">HP: <a href="https://support.hp.com/us-en">https://support.hp.com/us-en<br /></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Lenovo: <a href="https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/">https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/<br /></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Toshiba: <a href="https://support.dynabook.com/">https://support.dynabook.com/</a></span></li></ul></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I do not currently work with any other local repair places. You can search for repair places near you with this link, though your results may vary based on your ISP's network location settings: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+repair+near+me&oq=computer+repair+near+me">https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+repair+near+me&oq=computer+repair+near+me</a><br /><br />Thank you for 16 years of support and loyalty!<br /><br />-Kara Pritchard</span></div><p><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></span></p>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-57570125401503709972020-07-30T12:41:00.001-05:002020-07-30T12:41:40.035-05:00Upgrading Computers to Windows 10<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="7o1gk-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7o1gk-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="7o1gk-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">By far, the most popular service I am doing right now is upgrading old computers to Windows 10 and making them run WELL. Here are some of the guidelines I use to decide if a computer is a good candidate or not, and what I recommend doing about it.</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="14d9a-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="14d9a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="14d9a-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="ec0bl-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ec0bl-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="ec0bl-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">I want to see a computer have:</span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="4jp4l-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4jp4l-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="4jp4l-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="5ogug-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5ogug-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="5ogug-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">8GB (min) of DDR3 or DDR4 RAM. This is a cheap upgrade if you don't already have 8gb. I even have a decent stock of used RAM for this service, but I only sell it when I'm doing the upgrades for customers. If your system has DDR2 in it, I'd recommend it for <a href="https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text" target="_blank">CloudReady</a> to become a Chromebook or Chromedesktop rather than upgrading it to Windows 10. If you're doing this upgrade yourself (I make a referral fee if you buy from here) I like Crucial or Kingston branded RAM (the standard speeds, nothing crazy). If you really want some of the higher speed, try out the Corsair Vengeance line, like this DDR4 set <a href="https://amzn.to/3hP1zx4">https://amzn.to/3hP1zx4</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="344rv-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="344rv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="344rv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="coic2-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="coic2-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="coic2-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">SSD Hard Drive. Spinning disks are fine for bulk data storage, but it just doesn't keep up with Windows 10 and its daily background update processes. This includes ones sold right now with spinning disks! The 1TB drive laptops are the most guilty of this. This upgrade by itself will make those almost 10-year-old computers feel as fast as an $800 one you buy today (for office and internet use). If you feel so inclined to do this kind of work yourself, I only recommend using the Samsung EVO series of SSD and you can get them online here (I make a few pennies off this referral if you buy something). Samsung warranties them for 5 years. <a href="https://amzn.to/39H13hH" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/39H13hH</a></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="cqme4-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cqme4-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="cqme4-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="bbfa9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bbfa9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="bbfa9-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Graphics. If you don't meet Microsoft's minimum graphics supported, you may have odd behavior (like video that doesn't wake up when the computer has been asleep or resolution will be wrong). It's an easy upgrade to add one to a desktop, but laptops are integrated only without options. I have to look up each one on a case by case basis to see how compatible the graphics are. More often than not it will work! For desktops, unless someone is going to be gaming, I like the (little older) 1030 series, like this <a href="https://amzn.to/3jX5GJe">https://amzn.to/3jX5GJe</a> . Make sure you've opened your desktop and verified you have a place for a PCIe video card before ordering something. That's still a gotcha in a lot of pre-built systems.
Again, if your computer fails to be able to meet these minimum guidelines, your system could be a great candidate</span> for <a href="https://www.neverware.com/freedownload#intro-text" target="_blank">CloudReady</a> to become a Chromebook or Chromedesktop rather than upgrading it to Windows 10. You can run it from a flash drive or install it locally. (make sure you've saved your personal data somewhere before you reload it locally though)</div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="7g04q-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7g04q-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="7g04q-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="5f1p0-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="5f1p0-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="5f1p0-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The Windows 10 upgrade service from me tends to run from $99 to $350 depending on how much upgrade storage/speed/etc you want (or need). This upgrade can gain you a lot of years on your existing hardware without having to go out and spend $1000 on something new. If you're in the STL Metro East (Fairview Heights, Shiloh, O'Fallon, Swansea, and Belleville and surrounding area) and want to book an appointment with me for a service like this, text me at 618-624-4440.</span></div><div><span data-offset-key="5f1p0-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="avrkr" data-offset-key="2lui7-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></div>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-57557555991973957762020-04-29T10:54:00.000-05:002020-04-29T11:04:39.429-05:00New Hours : By Appt OnlyThank you for visiting us today. I have been making a lot of changes recently to adapt as an essential business. Supply chains have been disrupted and cost of goods has been on the rise. Shipping is being done with warnings for delay, but so far that hasn't been too bad. Customer traffic has been difficult to anticipate, however. We are no longer open for walk-in customers and I am going to continue to work By Appointment Only. The upside to my scheduling changes is most jobs are being completed within a business day or two of their scheduled drop-off (plus time waiting for parts when applicable).<br />
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I am now taking calls and appointments for drop-offs from 10-4PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.<br />
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Please feel free to text me a message at 618-624-4440 or send me a message on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ComputerRoom/">https://www.facebook.com/ComputerRoom/</a>. I will follow up with you as soon as I can, but please understand I may not respond until daytime business hours.<br />
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Thank you for your support and understanding! - Kara PritchardKara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-21059760234184335402020-03-20T17:23:00.002-05:002020-03-20T17:23:21.380-05:00By Appointment Only<div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
IL government has invoked a "stay at home" order and is asking all non-essential businesses to close. IL has not published an official "essential business" list yet, but NY and CA have for this situation. Every news source I've found for IL has been pointing to those lists.</div>
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IT Support has been on the "essential" business list as we a) provide equipment and support services to those who need to work from home, and b) provide business to business support services for other <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">essential businesses.</span></div>
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So, for now, I am going to close our walk-in and free diagnostic services and move to by appointment only. This will allow me to control when people arrive and still follow social distancing and other sanitation practices in our small customer space.</div>
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Please text 618-624-4440 to inquire about making an appointment. If it is determined you have a qualifying service request, all appointments will be charged a minimum $39 deposit. This fee will be treated just like our current deposits and will be credited toward repair or consultation. It is not refundable. Invoices can be sent via email for electronic and "no contact" payments.</div>
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For now, I ask that you please do not bring children or extra people with you in the store during appointments or pickups. My customer space is very small.</div>
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I don't know how busy this service will be, so please be patient. I may not be able to answer all text messages quickly.</div>
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Thank you!<br />Kara J Pritchard</div>
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Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-23755301642228219012020-03-19T18:10:00.003-05:002020-03-19T18:10:40.253-05:00March NewsYes, I know you have all wondered why on earth we're the ONLY business you love who hasn't emailed you yet...
<br /><br />So here's the deal. We said we've never stored your email addresses to spam you, and we meant it. Sure, it's bad "marketing" practices, but it's always been our motto.. Service More, Sell Less... Ok, I just made that up, but we have always sworn to not bug you unless you needed us, so we've never collected customer data for permanent storage or marketing use.
That said, we are still open. Erik and I have our own work spaces and we're practicing all sanitation methods possible. <br /><br />We have seen some new customers this week, all of whom got sent home to work (or school) and their home computers didn't work, so we've been here to help them out.
We'll stay that way as long as we can, spraying down everything we can behind us.
<br /><br />Thank you for 15.5 years of being amazing customers!Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-74509285021433787782018-11-12T15:41:00.000-06:002018-11-12T16:08:58.579-06:00Sale Bill Summaries - Week of Nov. 11<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="deg4q" data-offset-key="18sb6-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
It's been a while since I've talked to you all about shopping for laptops (aka notebooks, aka thing that catches your beverage when your cat knocks over your drink)!
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There is a strong market for people who want to spend their money on used laptops and ask us (almost) every day to sell them. Honestly, we would make a lot more money if we did. Margins for new laptops (even at the box stores) are only about enough to break even after paying credit card fees. Box stores negotiate additional margins (or rebates) when sold in volume. Independents (like us) can get some rebates in special cases, but often it still doesn't even make OUR cost the same as when the manufacturer sells the same items for less on their own websites. This means we can't be competitive and we simply don't do the volume to make up for it. Side note: the manufacturers make a lot of items exclusive for one chain so independents can't sell the same item even if we wanted to.
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Independent stores can make a lot more money on used items, as they generally mark up those items 150%-500%. Unfortunately, when you start looking harder at them, most of the places that sell used hardware are charging as much as you'd have spent new anyway and usually don't offer a warranty to protect your investment. If they do, it'll be only with them so if you move, get deployed, the seller's store closes, or if you decide you're just unhappy with their service, you lose the benefit.
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We aren't wholly anti-used. We (as geeky people by nature) buy and repair some used stuff for our own projects. Once you've paid people like us to do those things for you, however, you could have had something newer with a manufacturer's warranty. We want to make sure you're still happy with what we've sold you down the road and let you have the choice to return to us for future service.
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In all honestly, due to the low margins we actually make more profit if you buy a cheaper laptop from a chain store and pay us to help you set it up or migrate data. Heck, bring in your sale bills (or list of what you're looking at) for our input for a $39 "while you wait" consultation and we'll happily tell you if it's a good deal (or where to go for a better one).
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That said, the laptop you buy still has to be worth investing your money in. So I've spent some time checking out <b style="font-family: inherit;">this week's</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> sale bills. Not a big surprise, the sale bills are light on great deals this week. They're all preparing for Black Friday and all that hoopla.
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Before you start shopping online, I've got to make a plug for my favorite browser add-on for shopping. Even if you order online then pick up, there's an add-on called Ebates that mails you rebates (up to 4 times a year) for a lot of the popular online vendors. If you aren't already using it, sign up via my <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/KARAJP6?eeid=29041&utm_source=extension&utm_medium=raf_link" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">link</a> and I get a bonus once you use the app. If you shop on <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, you have to start using </span><a href="https://smile.amazon.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Amazon Smile</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. A percentage of your purchase goes toward the non-profit of your choice. If you don't have one, can I ask you to select the Belleville East Marching Lancers Band Parents Association for your designee? </div>
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Target and Walmart don't have any computers in their sale flyers this week. That said, I still repeat this advice often, be careful about the "biggest bargain" laptops at these stores. If you really have to have a <b>Windows</b>-based laptop, do NOT buy one with less than 4GB of RAM (and more importantly) <b>do NOT buy one with less than 128GB of storage</b>. It will be a waste of your money, even for "just a young student". In fact, a pretty good rule of thumb is to look at what you spent (if you bought it outright) for your cell phone. If you spend less on your computer than your phone, you need to expect it to do less than your phone... Might as well just save up until you can comfortably invest in something better... or better yet.. get a Chromebook. 4GB and 32GB of storage is PERFECT for a Chromebook! </div>
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Best Buy is advertising trade-ins gift cards this week when you bring in working iPads, iPhones, and Macbook hardware, but I have no idea if they're offering fair deals compared to selling them outright. If I had to recommend a general laptop from there this week, it would either be this Dell <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-2-in-1-13-3-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-256gb-solid-state-drive-silver/6295914.p?skuId=6295914">Windows</a> laptop, or this Lenovo <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-2-in-1-15-6-touch-screen-chromebook-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-128gb-emmc-flash-memory-midnight-blue/6295998.p?skuId=6295998" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Chromebook</a>. Not surprisingly, both of these are in the $600-$700 price point (if you want to think about my "compare it to your cell phone cost" recommendation).</div>
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I think the coolest thing I see in Office Max/Depot’s ad isn’t a computer! They’re advertising a 27” <a href="https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/210401/HP-Curved-27-Monitor-Z4N74AAABA/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Monitors-_-210401&ds_rl=1256068&gclid=CjwKCAiA5qTfBRAoEiwAwQy-6QZo7f6ShbdH4JF-f37miiaEL7eFMhMnZzO-h7N_oDUsnY0krFUt8xoC8_MQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">HP Curved Monitor</a> for $199 and that’s cheaper than the used prices I can find on Amazon. When I searched for the item in store, they list them in-stock in St Louis at $179, even cheaper!
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Office Max/Depot does have a decent deal ($929.99) on a 15.6” <a href="https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/9790825/Dell-G3-15-3579-Laptop-156/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Laptops-_-9790825&ds_rl=1256068&gclid=CjwKCAiA5qTfBRAoEiwAwQy-6RstDZh4Zr25yKLlqNLQxIRF1YRIOL2f3PEGvRl-g9q0qGoWAJoRkhoCd2cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Dell</a> that can handle a fair bit of gaming (why I don’t like gaming laptops is a discussion for another day) too, but if you are in the market for that, make sure you take in this <a href="https://officedepot.shoplocal.com/officedepotsd/weeklyad?SiteID=145&PretailerID=-99860&CityStateZip=62220&sid=tadBA5QhtUDDOieeMOdzNJk&odserver=www.officedepot.com&storeid=2671070#!/promotion?storeid=2671070&languageid=1&promotioncode=OfficeDepot-181111&pagenumber=1&mode=single" target="_blank">sale bill</a> as they’re showing an online price that’s $40 higher than the sale bill price… just in case there is a price difference in-store. That said, you get an extra 2.5% back in <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/KARAJP6?eeid=29041&utm_source=extension&utm_medium=raf_link" target="_blank">Ebates</a> if you order online, even if you pick-up afterwards in-store. Remember, please use my link to <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/KARAJP6?eeid=29041&utm_source=extension&utm_medium=raf_link" target="_blank">sign up</a> :)
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and it looks like they've got a decent deal on a </span><a href="https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/5287818/Lenovo-Flex-14-Laptop-14-Touch/?cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-Laptops-_-5287818&ds_rl=1256068&gclid=CjwKCAiA5qTfBRAoEiwAwQy-6Yxtd09a-ATPAJ93ZZL-SVztlhMTD6Qsut1hVtyL1tfjNpaEFXLKCBoC_UQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Lenovo Flex 2 in 1</a>, but their online price is $50 cheaper than the sale bill on that one. </div>
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Microcenter in St Louis is pretty much the cat’s meow when it comes to finding things in a retail store for any level of gadget geek. They’ve got a nice deal on an <a href="https://www.microcenter.com/product/507694/pavilion-15-cs0059nr-156-laptop-computer---silver" target="_blank">HP 15.6” that would be good for a photo geek</a>, digital artist, or multimedia creator. . Again for that person who wants to do some gaming, they have a good deal on this <a href="https://www.microcenter.com/product/510721/gf63-156-gaming-laptop-computer---black" target="_blank">MSI</a> too.
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<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="deg4q" data-offset-key="18sb6-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This advice is just my personal opinion. I only get paid for this if you sign up (and use) my <a href="https://www.ebates.com/r/KARAJP6?eeid=29041&utm_source=extension&utm_medium=raf_link">ebates link</a> or if you stop by and pay us for transferring your data and setting up your laptop.</div>
Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-71784509957854010092018-06-27T18:20:00.001-05:002018-06-27T18:20:58.099-05:00July 4th Holiday<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CP4Ili41HK0/WzQbnV9Q2uI/AAAAAAAAUGI/Zk3_rreYXEYVPcw4OE5yogmVlZ0hXhuRACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-06-27%2Bat%2B6.19.32%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1036" height="160" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CP4Ili41HK0/WzQbnV9Q2uI/AAAAAAAAUGI/Zk3_rreYXEYVPcw4OE5yogmVlZ0hXhuRACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-06-27%2Bat%2B6.19.32%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Thank you for visiting! Computer Room will be closing for a vacation the week of July 2-7 2018. We will re-open normal hours on July 9th. Thank you and have a safe holiday!</span></div>
Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-11943195453496976972018-04-18T12:59:00.000-05:002018-04-18T12:59:33.938-05:00Need an Org Chart?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I found a neat tool inside Google Docs last night. If you ever find yourself needing to make an organizational flow chart but not having the patience to draw it yourself there's a pretty neat feature in Google Sheets that does it for you.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBx9Lo9D6Mw/WteDdQG9TJI/AAAAAAAATGY/vZL76QNNsEofwGzwe50omgOSPC08gpT8gCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B11.09.26%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="1523" height="119" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CBx9Lo9D6Mw/WteDdQG9TJI/AAAAAAAATGY/vZL76QNNsEofwGzwe50omgOSPC08gpT8gCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B11.09.26%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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All you have to do is create a new spreadsheet in Google Docs. Make two columns in your spreadsheet. In the first, make a list of names, titles (or whatever you're trying to organize). In the second column, list who the first name reports to. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xndeAQyJN0w/WteFSDWe8nI/AAAAAAAATGw/dJ9IfTI8fH03cQEfs8jZZjZcQ44jWd1AACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B11.07.54%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="235" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xndeAQyJN0w/WteFSDWe8nI/AAAAAAAATGw/dJ9IfTI8fH03cQEfs8jZZjZcQ44jWd1AACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B11.07.54%2BAM.png" width="208" /></a></div>
Highlight your columns (you don't need the titles, I made those for the example) and select Insert -> Chart from the menu. In the chart menu, click the dropdown under "Chart Type" and select "Organizational Chart". You will have to scroll to the bottom as it's under "Other".<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DXduUOaYH-E/WteGEvuiEyI/AAAAAAAATG4/uNIPdHpQJR0gGRb54XiSSknD_CNEnSE0gCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B12.52.35%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="286" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DXduUOaYH-E/WteGEvuiEyI/AAAAAAAATG4/uNIPdHpQJR0gGRb54XiSSknD_CNEnSE0gCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B12.52.35%2BPM.png" /></a></div>
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Any changes you make to the cells you selected will automatically update in your chart.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b-oSByxFMPk/WteGRSaU-WI/AAAAAAAATG8/b2BeA9rIM6U-W2-N3dMbVz7CGnPXa3LVACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B12.53.51%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="605" height="107" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b-oSByxFMPk/WteGRSaU-WI/AAAAAAAATG8/b2BeA9rIM6U-W2-N3dMbVz7CGnPXa3LVACLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-18%2Bat%2B12.53.51%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><br />Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-73721995263100401562017-12-06T11:36:00.000-06:002017-12-06T11:36:00.415-06:00Hey Mac Users! Did your SSD Upgrade let you down?<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.12px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did you install a 3rd party SSD in your Mac and it didn't seem to improve things as much as you thought it would or do you have an after-market SSD upgrade and you noticed your system slow down after an upgrade to Sierra or High Sierra? You may not have TRIM enabled. <span style="letter-spacing: -0.12px;">Holding the option key, click the apple in the upper left corner and select <i>system information</i>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2129; letter-spacing: -0.12px;">Select the <i>SATA/SATA Express</i> option in the left column and look for <i>Trim Support</i> on</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline; letter-spacing: -0.12px;"> the right. If it says "Yes" you're good to go.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: -0.12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it says "No" open a terminal and execute </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>sudo trimforce enable</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Let it do its thing and reboot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.12px; text-align: center;">If you aren't sure, feel free to stop by and let us check for you. This is a super easy while you wait service!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TnBNYGIzNew/WigmdQG5AQI/AAAAAAAAQT4/RXV8cZo22wQ-9zRA9xGMfW6unOHD-kEAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-12-06%2Bat%2B11.01.23%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="553" height="119" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TnBNYGIzNew/WigmdQG5AQI/AAAAAAAAQT4/RXV8cZo22wQ-9zRA9xGMfW6unOHD-kEAgCEwYBhgL/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-12-06%2Bat%2B11.01.23%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-13878351575354002232016-01-12T09:06:00.000-06:002016-01-12T09:06:08.175-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-d5nV7XExk/VpUVf3f7h8I/AAAAAAAAClo/a9hEKzeja-s/s1600/12400932_10153261268033062_3852948577977097655_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a-d5nV7XExk/VpUVf3f7h8I/AAAAAAAAClo/a9hEKzeja-s/s320/12400932_10153261268033062_3852948577977097655_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
We talk a lot about the random things we repair, but we do custom build computers and servers too. Here's our latest gaming rig build. Check out the newest <a href="http://www.coolermaster.com/case/mid-tower/mastercase5-series/">MasterCase</a> series from Coolermaster. We're also now carrying the new Thermaltake <a href="http://www.thermaltake.com/products-model.aspx?id=C_00002640">Riing</a> fans.Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-44506647776061185402016-01-12T09:01:00.000-06:002016-01-12T09:01:19.206-06:00<span font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">A camera drone with broken charging port, an iPad with broken home button, a laptop with corrupt BIOS, a Beats wireless headphone set that wouldn't connect anymore, an All In One computer desktop with broken power button, an exercise machine control with corroded batteries and a 3DS with dead B button made up the list of weird things successfully fixed on ONE tech's bench yesterday. Yup, we fix that.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fRdoASOjQuU/VpUU4ceb4BI/AAAAAAAAClg/4LYAx1htFig/s1600/10382002_10153273048438062_5948619065568746778_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fRdoASOjQuU/VpUU4ceb4BI/AAAAAAAAClg/4LYAx1htFig/s320/10382002_10153273048438062_5948619065568746778_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-61471059657611429632015-11-18T11:02:00.002-06:002015-11-18T11:04:39.095-06:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzjxUMdp3XU/Vkyvj0HnQUI/AAAAAAAAChM/osN27eeqhMs/s1600/12234866_10153176658483062_4975725599238412560_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LzjxUMdp3XU/Vkyvj0HnQUI/AAAAAAAAChM/osN27eeqhMs/s320/12234866_10153176658483062_4975725599238412560_n.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010726894109&fref=jewel">Today's repair of the day : 3DS XL</a>Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-64266671912775659342015-11-10T09:32:00.001-06:002015-11-10T09:32:47.553-06:00<div font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="color: white;">Hey regional customers and friends. We've been hearing a lot about how bad Wednesday's (tomorrow's) weather is going to be. That means increased risk of lightning damage to our electronics.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZywSEEVdvA/VkINWfUuRMI/AAAAAAAACgw/bJJc_fsVB_g/s1600/1934784_1116018619008_5977800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="279" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZywSEEVdvA/VkINWfUuRMI/AAAAAAAACgw/bJJc_fsVB_g/s320/1934784_1116018619008_5977800_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: white;">Most lightning damage does NOT come from the power outlets in your walls. Your surge protectors do NOT protect you from it. It actually most frequently comes from lightning that hit lines, possibly miles from your home and travels into your home in through phone and cable lines.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">If you<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"> actually have any phone lines still connected to your computer's fax modem, please disconnect those.</span></span></div>
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Get an in-line surge protector for the phone lines going into your DSL modems (or if they're already built-in to the end of your surge protector - actually use them!) or for the RJ-45 network connections coming out of your cable modem. You may just want to play it safe and unplug the network cables. Unplugging your power cables does not help, it has to be the network cables. They pass power even while your devices are unplugged.</div>
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If you are affected, you may simply have to replace the ethernet controller in your computer. Larger surges will damage all the electronics in the path from your phones to your TV control boxes, the switches, routers, and even connected game consoles.</div>
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Stay safe tomorrow!</div>
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Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-76733880784557624742015-11-06T09:41:00.001-06:002015-11-06T09:41:13.819-06:00See our repairs of the day on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ComputerRoom/<br />
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Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-61760778829154859752015-05-21T11:32:00.001-05:002015-05-21T11:32:53.976-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-enjqM6V0UAo/VV4IL8H7O2I/AAAAAAAAB3M/JeHQtT3qD5I/s1600/lenovo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-enjqM6V0UAo/VV4IL8H7O2I/AAAAAAAAB3M/JeHQtT3qD5I/s320/lenovo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Thinking about a new laptop? Buy one from Kara by June 1, 2015 for only 5% over cost! We can still get some laptops with Windows 7 too. Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-80439128918426464292015-02-12T15:35:00.000-06:002015-02-12T15:35:06.776-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omKKs55ysdg/VN0a0Yr7WZI/AAAAAAAAByg/5ED9BO8O9tY/s1600/10527576_10152624530918062_7341342172973587821_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omKKs55ysdg/VN0a0Yr7WZI/AAAAAAAAByg/5ED9BO8O9tY/s1600/10527576_10152624530918062_7341342172973587821_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Why are Samsung Galaxy USB ports special? Instead of being soldered on with 5 leads plus 2-4 supports, your Samsung devices have 11 leads and 7 supports in the same size jack! Here you can see a damaged one (removed on the left) compared to the good one we repaired (installed on the right). Two of them will fit on a dime! The added support does make the jacks stronger, but if you plug in your cable upside down, or drop your device you will damage them just as easily as other USB-charged devices.<br /><br />We do fix a lot of random USB devices though from tablets to phones and even USB charged bluetooth speakers. Small device repairs start at $39 plus parts but we don't charge to look at your device before you decide to see if it's worth a repair attempt.<br /><br />Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-64208496481148504372015-01-29T09:54:00.000-06:002015-01-29T09:54:09.435-06:00Waiting on building your new desktop PC until Windows 10 is released? The upgrade from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 is going to be free for a year after it is released. If you buy a PC from us in 2015 with Windows 7 or 8 (we can still offer both), we'll complete your upgrade to 10 when it is released later this year free of charge.<br />
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<a href="http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/">http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/ </a><br />
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If you buy a laptop, or bought a system from us prior to 2015 with a qualifying version of Windows 7 or 8, we will offer a 50% discount from our normal labor rates.Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-59361930454702512652013-09-26T13:12:00.000-05:002013-09-26T13:12:16.073-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1r6rN8YipRc/UkR1lzhg3RI/AAAAAAAABm8/O8lGvlYglwA/s1600/kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1r6rN8YipRc/UkR1lzhg3RI/AAAAAAAABm8/O8lGvlYglwA/s320/kindle.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
Every Kindle Fire HD USB charging jack repair I've done so far (to fix broken or not charging kindle) could have been prevented with some additional supporting solder. I do not know if this is by design or simply defective ones that made it through quality control inspections. I will look at yours for FREE and if it needs the additional solder, I can do it while you wait (as long as Kara is here). Regular fee is $39, but I'll discount this preventative repair to $25. Discount is for prevention repair only, not if your port is already damaged. Please let any friends you know who have Kindle Fire HDs about this offer for me. THANKS!<br />Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-45208747275469859402013-08-08T07:07:00.000-05:002013-08-08T07:07:37.585-05:00XYZ - eXamine Your Zip filesWe're seeing an increasing number of folks getting into trouble by opening very realistic scam emails. They come in a variety of stories.<br />
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<li>You missed a package from [UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc] click here for your [tracking, release signature form, shipping label].</li>
<li>The Better Business Bureau (BBB) received a complaint about your business, open the attachment for details. Sometimes similar goes around for Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).</li>
<li>There was a problem with your recent tax payment (from the IRS). Open attachment for report.</li>
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I'm sure there are a lot more varieties, but they all have 2 things in common. 1) They aren't really from UPS, FedEx, the BBB, or the IRS. 2) They all have .zip attachments.</div>
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The problem isn't the file type. Folks have been "zipping" files and folders for years to compress them and make them smaller. It was extremely important in the days of 56K modem dial-up connections and 160MB hard drives (yes, I said Megabyte). It's convenient if you want to send someone multiple folders/files too to make a single attachment to an email. The problem is that the bad folks are creating self-extracting zip files with executable files inside that will run and infect your computer as soon as you open the zip archive.</div>
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Everyone is getting some form of spam like this. Just because you do a lot of Ebay business or run a business, don't be fooled by the relevant subject of the email. Watch your attachment types. Depending on your email client, it will show you the full filename (e.g. label.zip). If you aren't already expecting a zip file from the recipient, don't open it. When you see these messages, flag them as spam. If you've downloaded one of these already, but haven't opened it, delete it from your downloads folders. </div>
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Make sure to tell your family members and co-workers to XYZ! eXamine Your Zip files! </div>
Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-4201023145851193512013-07-02T15:46:00.000-05:002013-07-02T15:46:15.775-05:00The Kindle Wiggle - USB Jack RepairAre you having to do the Kindle Wiggle to get your Kindle Fire HD to charge? Each time you do that you risk shorting your Kindle's motherboard (and having to buy a new Kindle). If your Kindle HD's USB jack is
salvageable, a successful repair is $39. If the jack requires
replacement, your repair will be $69. No success? No charge!<br />
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<br /> Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-85322181482453650672013-06-22T06:54:00.000-05:002013-06-22T06:54:35.941-05:00We can fix your Nintendo DS, DSi and 3DSWhether it's your kid's favorite entertainment or your own, handheld gaming consoles like your DS Lite or 3DS get a lot of abuse. These units are just cheap enough you may be tempted to just buy a new one rather than have yours fixed, but repair is an option! We don't charge for looking at your unit and repairs are $39 plus parts (if applicable). Here's some (partial list) of the stuff we can fix:<br />
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* L and R (trigger) buttons don't work anymore<br />
* Screen is cracked<br />
* Touch Screen doesn't respond<br />
* Orange light blinks but it gets no power or doesn't turn on<br />
* Game slot doesn't read anymore<br />
* battery won't charge<br />
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If you want to give it a shot yourself, visit http://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nintendo_Handheld_Console for a lot of the repair guides, but it can be harder for us to fix if you aren't very careful and used to delicate electronics. We see more cables and parts damaged from good intentions than when it was dropped to begin with. This is why we don't charge to look at your devices :-)<br />
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Feel free to bring your own parts (we aren't responsible if they're wrong or DOA). Labor rates are the same. If you need assistance choosing the right parts, please let us order them for you.Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995233614659633177.post-47706912688240374922013-02-10T15:01:00.002-06:002013-02-10T15:01:11.738-06:00Heat Damage to Computers and Gaming ConsolesHeat is a common enemy of your electronics. Dust, poor cooling design, and improper handling kills more electronics than old age or electronic defects. Many devices suffer from the same kind of heat damage that requires a reflow service. We offer these services in-store. It happens to laptops (laptop gets power but nothing shows up on screen); Xbox and Playstation (video gets weird or locks up after playing for a while, or gets red rings, yellow light, and other error codes); Desktop Computers (same symptoms); and even appliances like the Roku Player. Apple Desktops and Laptops suffer from the same thing, so no brand or design is immune. Successful repair service is $79 (plus parts, if needed). A non-refundable deposit is collected toward laptop/desktop repairs, but not for gaming consoles.Kara Pritchardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02210200771815354059noreply@blogger.com