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Geeky stuff

Computer won't boot up. Any recommedations for repair shops in SW London?

17 replies

ChelseaDagger · 19/05/2007 18:33

It just goes 'woowoowoo' when I start it up. I've been told it's probably the motherboard, but I need someone to look at it to really. I've taken the side off, looked at it and put the side back on again. I was hoping that an obvious cable was unplugged, but it's not quite as simple as that inside a PC is it?

I'm considering this company but I'm not too keen on handing my computer over to a courier (don't think they say which courier company they use). What if I never see it again? Not that it's much good to me at the moment. Has anyone used the company or heard any reviews on them? Or has anybody used a repair shop in SW London, North Surrey area that they would recommend?

TIA

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mamazon · 20/05/2007 01:29

there used to be a great bloke who had a shop next door to wollies in Morden.
my pc was broken, i took it to PC worlkd who told me it was not worth fixing as it would cost more than a new pc.

took it to him and he fixed it in less than 2 hours and charged me £40.

dont know if he is still there but if he is i would deffo recommend him.

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Tortington · 20/05/2007 01:30

i've always thought " motherboard was such a strange word. akin to mothership and aliens.

no i haven't dropped a tab - am just saying!

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ChelseaDagger · 20/05/2007 15:59

Thanks

I've been looking into it and I think it is the motherboard. I'm pretty gutted about that as I've just seen what a motherboard is and it's a BIG job IMO (not that I'm going to attempt to do it).

Ex-p works in Morden so I'll ask him to go in and ask the bloke what he thinks. I'd LOVE it if I could get it repaired for £40. I'm on a borrowed PC at the moment and it's a proper dinosaur. I keep looking at the broken one longingly.

Anyone have any idea how much a new motherboard would cost, parts and labour?

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DominiConnor · 20/05/2007 16:28

It's called a motherboard for exactly the same reason they are called motherships. The main part that little bits come out of.

If it is a dead motherboard, then I'd be rather surprised if it got repaired for 40 quid.
Actually, I'm not sure their advertising is really all that honest.

Fixed labour price is fine, and realistic, since for more than 95% of problems a competent fixer can sort it in less than an hour.

Their economy with the truth is in new parts.

A MB varies in price a lot, for a home PC I guess that's 20-60 quid.
But it might be the hard disk, power supply, or if you're unlucky they may say it's more than one part. Happens but is very unlikely.

If it requires a part, they will want to charge you for it, and may want extra dosh for labour.
You will have to pay their price for the part. They are very coy about this, indeed I looked about and couldn't find that at all.

You may think they play the averages, but given that the MB on my PC cost >200 quid, and they offer to fix it, for much less, it's not plausible.

MBs in modern PCs die quite rarely, my guess is something coming loose, since that's the most common sort of problem, and pretty easy to fix, so you get decent odds that it will only cost the stated price.

I find a few other things make me trust them less. They don't talk about charges for shipping the PC back (or it's not obvious at first glance).

They use a premium rate line.

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ChelseaDagger · 20/05/2007 18:12

DC thanks. I?ve shown the website to a few people and have just got responses. I can?t see how they can charge £19.99 for an online/telephone repair (whatever that means) and only £24.99 + parts to collect your PC, transport it, repair it and ship it back. If they really do that then your theory about parts is probably correct.

Is a fixed labour price realistic? That was what drew me to the site in the first place. I?ve never had a PC breakdown out of warranty before and I?m really worried that I?m going to get slammed with a massive bill for labour. I?m not in a position to argue about how long a repair would take as it?s obvious that I know nothing about computers. I don?t want to be ?seen coming? IYKNIM.

Can anyone recommend a company that they know offer fixed labour costs? Or would I be better offering an enthusiastic mate a few quid to look at it? DC you could be right about screws (?) needing tightening up rather than anything needing replacing. It might not even be the motherboard.

Sorry, I know it?s a really boring topic.

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DominiConnor · 21/05/2007 12:01

From the few facts I see, odds are it can be fixed by simply pushing all the loose bits in.
Thus 20 quid is entirely realistic for that.

What part of the country are you in ?
Most towns have a "corner shop" PC place, where they'd do the pushing for you.
If it's a desktop, most probable two things are graphics card and memory.
The cable from your PC to your monitor gets knocked and this can pull the card out of place.
Memory doesn't get much mechanical stress ,but the connections are bit more fussy about good contact.
When it tries to boot, does it tell you what key to enter to enter setup ?
If it doesn't, press DEL, F2, F8, and F12 in turn, and over and over during the boot process.

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ChelseaDagger · 21/05/2007 21:25

Thanks DC

Nothing happens at all when I turn the computer on. I know the monitor is working as I'm using it with another PC now, but nothing appears on the screen when I plug the broken PC in and turn it on.

Clock is still working on the broken PC if it's plugged in to a wall socket, so it's not an obvious power problem. You can just hear a fan whiring and faint clicking.

I'm in SW London. I called a repair shop in Wimbledon today who want £95 p/h (first hour/part hour and £55 p/h thereafter). There's no way I could afford that plus the possiblity of the cost of a new motherboard. DS's dad is going to have an ask round at work tomorrow for an enthusiast and ask in at the shop mamazon suggested.

Hopefully it's just a card (??) come loose like you think.

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mummylin2495 · 21/05/2007 21:43

i had this problem a few months ago and it turned out that i needed a new hard drive.I was in a panic because of all my photos etc on there but the shop transferred all from old hard drive onto the new.I think it was £98 and that included the labour.

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ChelseaDagger · 21/05/2007 22:58

Really mummylin?

A new harddrive would be good news compared to a new motherboard. All of my photos are on a a flash card/disks/ex-p's PC anyway and there's nothing else on here that would be devestating to lose.

I love my computer, it's like a car to me (non-driver). I'd have had a nervous breakdown if I hadn't have been able to borrow a PC while mine is out of action.

Where did you take it? Anywhere near SW London? I'll pay what's necessary (within reason) but £200 is my limit unless I wait a few months before sorting it out.

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mummylin2495 · 21/05/2007 23:05

sorry i dont live anywhere near you at all.I did manage to get it going a couple of times until it finally died on me.I too thought it would be the motherboard ,but as i said was the hard drive.good luck.

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mummylin2495 · 21/05/2007 23:06

i too dont drive and when my computer goes wrong i feel like my life is missing something and i am a real grouch until get it back( isnt it sad )

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ChelseaDagger · 22/05/2007 17:33

Yeah, it is sad. At least I feel sad, and like a saddo too

I've just spoken to a small local shop and I'm a bit happier now. They don't know whether it's the motherboard/harddive/etc, but did say that they will replace the motherboard for £65.00 + parts, and anything else would be cheaper labourwise to fix. So (fingers crossed that it's not more than 1 part that's had it) I should have it back by Thursday. Please God, let me have my computer back by Thursday.

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mummylin2495 · 22/05/2007 22:39

hope its nothing too expensive for you ,will be interested to hear what you have to have done. not long till thursday

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ChelseaDagger · 23/05/2007 12:27

Have to pay out for something else now which is more urgent (apparantly) . Won't be able to take the PC in for repair until next week at the earliest [saddo emoticon]

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mummylin2495 · 23/05/2007 22:53

oh no oh god what you gonna do now.? how bloody annoying.comp is vital !

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ChelseaDagger · 24/05/2007 11:18

I've been irresponsible mummylin and taken the computer in for repair anyway. It's the processor that's dead and it will cost £123 to repair - so not dreadful, but I'm a bit fed up because £65 of that is just labour. It took the tech about 5 minutes to remove the processor, test it and put it back in - so it will take her 5 minutes to repair it once she gets the part. Not bad money for 5 minutes work. I could probably order the part myself and get DS's dad to fit it for free but I don't know what to order and I'm worried that even if I order the right thing it still won't work. At least letting a professional do it should ensure that it's a proper fix.

I'm hoping that it will take her a few days to get the processor in as I'll have to borrow money from my mum if it's ready before Monday. (I sound like a nerdy, impatient teenager )

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mummylin2495 · 24/05/2007 22:07

umm i think i will have to become a computer tech.for those wages !!! oh well atleast as you say it wll be mended and back to you soon .we are very lucky here .Our repair shop charges us a standard fee of £35 pound ,then they will ring you and tell you what is wrong ,then all you have to pay for are any parts they need to put in ,and they never have it for longer than 3 days.So its bearable

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