Save Cash By Fixing Computer Yourself

NEW YORK – If your desktop or laptop is acting up, even if you’re not a certified geek, you might be able to cure the problem yourself. In the April issue of Kiplinger’s magazine, associate editor Thomas Andersons identifies four ways you can try to repair your PC before hiring professional help.

* First stop: Do it yourself. Before spending any money, look for help online to remedy your problem. If you have software difficulties, forums such as Annoyances.org for PCs and Mac- Forums.com for Apple users offer knowledgeable advice. If you believe your problem is hardware-related, call the manufacturer to see if it is covered under the warranty. (To help reach a customer service representative, get instructions at Gethuman.com.)

* Next stop: Ask for a referral. Training and credentials vary so much that your best bet is to get a recommendation from someone you trust. Then vet the business using records from the local Better Business Bureau, available online at www.bbb.org. Before agreeing to any service, ask how long the company will guarantee its work and what, if anything, follow-up visits will cost. The technician should give you a free price quote upfront. Some repairers charge by the hour (the average rate is $100), and others price by service, such as $200 to install or fix operating system software. House calls cost extra.

* Keep out unwanted intruders on the cheap. If your system has slowed to a crawl, the cause may be spyware – stealth software that, at a minimum, installs itself on your PC to track your Internet usage. Firedog, the repair arm of electronics retailer Circuit City, charges $99 for in-store spyware removal and $179 for a home visit. The Geek Squad, the repair outfit run by Best Buy, offers a one-year subscription for $30 to Web-based software that will remove spyware. If you’re running Windows XP or Vista, you can download Windows Defender at www.microsoft.com/downloads and click on “Windows Security & Updates.”

* If you buy a laptop, insure it. Consumer Reports estimates that there’s a 43 percent chance your laptop will need repair in the first three to four years. Among the top laptop wreckers: accidental damage and meltdown from a power surge. Those woes are not covered by most manufacturers’ extended warranties, including AppleCare.

Originally published by Marshall Loeb MarketWatch.

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