Category Archives: tips and tricks

25 Aug

Is Your Computer Overheating? – Computer Repairs Southampton

tips and tricks

Overheating Image - Computer Repairs Southampton

 

Does your computer turn off randomly? A likely cause is overheating. When the computer gets too hot it will turn itself off to prevent damage to the components within the computer. There are a few reasons why a computer can get too hot, for example, the fans may be covered and therefore heat cannot escape or it could be clogged up with dust. The most common cause is dust. Over time the laptop will gather dust between the fan and the vent and therefore the heat escapes at a much slower rate. In turn, this causes the inner components of the laptop to heat up and therefore once at a certain temperature the laptop will turn off. If this is happening to you then you need to clean out the fans. The easiest way to do this is to take it apart completely and clear the dust from the fan, this will allow the heat to escape through the vent as it should. For computer repairs Southampton this is something we can do for you. It costs between £50-£60 depending on the laptop and the time it takes.

In order to prevent your computer from gathering dust make sure that your computer is kept in a dust free environment, especially when stored away. It will gather dust over time anyway and without taking it apart there isn’t much you can do. What this will do is give you more time before the dust becomes a problem.  One of the easiest ways you can tell if your computer has a lot of dust in it is by seeing how hot the air is coming out of the computer when it is running. If it is very hot then you should clean anyway because this could prove to be a safety hazard depending on your surroundings.

To summarise if your computer is turning off randomly and is getting hot then it is very likely you will need to clean out the dust from the fan in the laptop.

Contact us for Computer Repairs Southampton:     info@ifixcomputers.eu   |   07805 513320

We specialise in Computer Repairs Southampton. Our address is: 272-274 Shirley Road, SO15 3HP




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09 Aug

Windows 10 Q + A

tips and tricks

Windows 10 logo

Q – Why Should I Upgrade To Windows 10?

A – There are a number of reasons why you should upgrade your computer to Windows 10. Microsoft plans this to be last version of Windows and therefore will receive continuous updates; this includes security, ease of use and new features. Once you have purchased it you wouldn’t need to buy Windows again, unless Microsoft makes another. Another reason why you should buy it is because it can be used over multiple different devices, the main two being the Xbox One and Windows Phone. What this means is that you can access your files on your phone from your PC whilst you are away from your computer. Windows 10 also takes the best features of Windows 7 and 8 and combines them, for example it uses and improves on Windows 7 start menu and user interface. It also uses some features from Windows 8, for example the apps return in Windows 10.  Finally if something goes wrong with Windows it is very easy to restore it, this means to reinstall Windows 10 and start again. Hopefully you won’t need to do this but if you ever need it’s the most straightforward and easy it’s ever been.

Q – How Much Is Windows 10?

A – There are two versions of Windows 10, Home and Pro. To buy these from the Microsoft Store Home costs £99.99 and Pro costs £189.99. There are cheaper ways to purchase Windows 10, for example on Amazon you can purchase the Home version for £84 and the Pro version for £150. There are also many other websites you can purchase Windows 10.

Q – What Are The Requirements For Windows 10?

A – There are a few requirements to be able to run Windows 10:Windows 10 System Requirements

  • Processor – 1GHz Processor or faster
  • Memory – 1 GB RAM for 32 bit, 2GB for 64 bit
  • Hard Disk Space – Up to 20GB

 

The requirements for Windows 10 are fairly low and almost all modern computers should be able run it. For older computers you will need to check carefully as these are the minimum requirements and therefore if you only just meet these requirements then you may find your computer runs very slow. Personally if your computer is running Windows Vista and lower you may have a hard time running Windows 10 and therefore I personally recommend only getting Windows 10 for computers that are either running Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1.

Q – What If My Computer Doesn’t Meet the Requirements?

A – If your computer doesn’t meet the requirements then the best idea would be to purchase a new PC. These days you can buy a very good PC for around £300 that comes with Windows 10 already installed, all you need to do is enter some details and you will be ready to go.

Q – Can We Install Windows 10 For You?

On-Site HelpA – Yes. This is something we can do; all you need to do is purchase Windows 10 and then bring in your computer with the Windows 10 you bought. Doing this will involve two services: System Reset & Restore and Data Backup & Transfer (Optional). The System Reset & Restore costs £49, what this will do it wipe the data off of your hard drive and then installs Windows 10. Now this will mean you will lose all data stored on the computer and therefore we provide another service called Data Backup & Transfer where we backup all of your data before and then copy it back over once the installation is complete, this costs an additional £35. So in total it will either cost you £49/£84 plus the price you paid for Windows 10.

Q – Is It Worth Getting?

A – Windows 10 is definitely worth getting, particularly for those using Windows Vista or lower. If you are one of these people then make sure to check your computer against the requirements as it may be worthwhile purchasing a new computer with Windows 10 installed already. I personally think Windows 10 is great. It may take some getting used to for inexperienced users but once you have used it for a week or so you should be able to use it with ease.

Any further questions please phone 07805 513320 or email: info@ifixcomputers.eu

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We are computer repair business based in Southampton. Our address is: 272-274 Shirley Road, SO15 3HP




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25 May

Case Study – DC (Power) Jack Repair

tips and tricks

computer repair southampton

In the picture is a DC Jack from a Tesco Hudl 2. It is completely broken and indefinitely needs replacing. All of the connections inside of the jack are completely destroyed. It now does not turn on as the battery has been completely drained.

laptop repair southamptonDamage like this is often caused by forcing the charger in or removing it incorrectly. If your charger is not going in then it is likely that you are simply putting it in at an angle. In this situation you should remove it slowly and try again, if you were to rip it out you could also cause this damage. One thing you should never do is touch this connection or try to plug it in when it is like this as this can cause damage to the motherboard and potentially other components.

As you can see in the images the DC Jack is connected directly to the motherboard (the connection goes under the battery) and the speakers. So these two components could also be damaged but showed no signs. Therefore we went ahead and replaced the DC Jack.

With the DC Jack now replaced we needed it to charge for roughly one hour so that the tablet would turn on and return to its original working condition. Luckily the DC Jack didn’t affect any other parts and it switched on without any errors. The main point of this is to show what can happen if you aren’t being careful when plugging in and removing  your charger.

laptop repair southampton

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