Oh, your computer or laptop is working again. If you’re checking for software issues, you may have a hardware problem. Looks like it’s time to head to the gas station – but before you go, there are some preparations you need to do. Here are five things to consider before taking your computer in for repair.
Be selective about who you entrust your device to.
Unfortunately, not all services are created equal. An established business with a history of satisfied customers is a much better choice than someone living a few blocks away who is “very computer savvy” and fixes it in their basement. Also, don’t be any less picky when it comes to which store you want to use. Does the one you consider have a privacy policy? After all, you’re giving them most of your property, so you want to make sure they’re doing their best to protect your information. You also need to know what action the service will take if sensitive information is made public. This information will help you make the best service choice.
Make a Data backup
Even though the risk of the service somehow burdening you with your data is very small, there is still the possibility of some data loss. To make sure your data is safe when your device is repaired, you should keep a copy of its contents. This is actually a good practice that should be followed in general. Data loss can be caused by more than just hardware damage, but good backup and disaster recovery strategies can help minimize this impact.
Before repairing, delete all personal data or make sure it is encrypted.
No matter how reliable a company is, there is always a chance that there will be bad eggs among its employees. To ensure that your data is completely safe from loss or theft, you need to make sure that it is no longer on the machine. As an alternative or an addition, there is nothing wrong with encrypting the information stored on the machine. So if someone manages to get hold of your data, all they get is an inexplicable mess.
Save your software key.
This is especially important if you rely on certain software solutions to stay productive. There is always the possibility that some part of the repair process will lead to an unfavorable outcome from the removal of your main program. If so, you should have the key because you will have to reinstall your solution later.
Make your device as simple as possible.
Of course, we don’t give this advice very often, but to be able to make the necessary repairs, a technician should be able to come to service and check that everything is back to normal. You can make it easier by disabling the need for a password before logging into Windows, allowing the repair technician to do what is needed. It’s also a good idea to write a detailed problem description and post it on the outside of the machine to help technicians identify the problem. If you can, we recommend keeping a copy of your description and configuring your computer to display the file when the computer starts up. To do this, save a copy of your files in the start menu AutoStart folder, which can be found here: %appdata%\microsoft\windows\start menu\programs\startup\