Determining Whether to Repair or Replace Your Business Computer

No matter your business industry, you likely use a computer to keep your company operational. Computer issues can seriously impede your workflow, meaning that you need to take care of them as quickly as possible.

That said, how do you know whether you should take your computer in for a repair and when it’s time to start looking for a new business computer? Here’s a quick guide to help you reach a decision.

Diagnose the Problem

The first thing you want to do when you encounter a computer problem is to try to narrow down exactly what’s going on. For instance, run a malware and virus scan to ensure your computer hasn’t picked up a bug. You can also open Task Manager on your PC (or Spotlight on a Mac) to see if you can spot the issue that way.

If you aren’t a tech expert, you’re likely better off taking your computer to a Calgary computer repair company. You can let the technicians know what you suspect may be the issue and the problems you’ve been experiencing and let them take it from there.

When to Repair

If the problem has to do with software, you may be able to uninstall and reinstall the particular program to see if that helps. If reinstalling doesn’t do the trick, the problem could be with your operating system.

Problems with disk drives, RAM, hard drives, and batteries can be repaired. This is a task you can tackle on your own if you feel up to it, or you can leave it to a computer repair expert.

Double-check your computer’s warranty to see if it covers the specific problem you’re having. If it does, reach out to the computer manufacturer or warranty provider and let them know what’s up. Hopefully, you’re covered for any parts and labor necessary for the repair.

With warranty repairs, you’ll be without your computer for a while, so go ahead and back up all vital information on your hard drive. That way, you’ll have access to that data, and you don’t risk it being wiped if the hard drive has to be reformatted or replaced.

Touching back on malware and viruses, you can usually have them wiped from your computer and it will be as good as new. A full system restore could do the trick. Again, it’s best to back up all your essential data in case it’s lost during the restore.

When to Replace

Broken screens or malfunctioning motherboards can be rather expensive to replace. When you combine that with a computer that’s several years old and no longer covered by its warranty, you’re likely much better off simply replacing it.

A replacement is also commonly the best bet when a computer sustains significant physical damage. The good news is that the hard drive (and all the information on it) could be salvaged and installed into a new computer body.

Issues with computer models more than five years old often call for a replacement, especially because the warranty has probably run its course after that length of time. If you don’t have the financial means to buy a business computer just yet, you could get by with a system restore or a minor hardware upgrade in the meantime.

The bottom line is that it’s not worth it to invest hundreds of dollars in a computer that’s that old. You’re better off spending that money on a brand-new computer with newer specs.

On a related note, if you take your computer in and discover that the repair will cost just as much as the price of a new computer (or at least 67% of the cost of a new model), it’s better to simply go ahead and buy a new computer. The repairs may save you money, but you have to bear in mind that computing power doubles every two years.

Computers power your business. Whenever you experience computer issues, use these tips to determine whether it’s time for an upgrade or a repair.

from Feedster https://www.feedster.com/computers/determining-whether-to-repair-or-replace-your-business-computer/