FAQ

CPU Onsite offers a full-service Data Transfer for only $127.50. Services including:

Transfer of your documents, pictures, music, email, internet favorites or bookmarks, desktop files, Quicken, Quickbooks, all other Financial software data, Geneology data, and more.

Installation of proper security software and browser tools to offer the best protection at minimal cost (many are free services).

Installation of your printer/scanner.

Installation of all software you provide us via disk or download.

Download of all necessary Microsoft Updates (typically, the unit was assembled at the factory 3 to 9 months ago and lacks many of the recent Microsoft updates).

Plus any other configuration service needed within reason.

Far too often a person will purchase a new computer without first getting an evaluation of why their computer is malfunctioning. Quite often the problem is within the software, not the computer hardware. Software issues can typically be resolved for between $85 to $190. Occasionally, the maximum labor charge of $195 is needed to perform a backup of your valued data, then a clean reinstall of the Windows software, and restore of your data.

However, there are times when a new computer purchase just makes sense. If your current computer is over 5 years old and is running Windows 7, you are wise to purchase a new system which has been designed specifically for Windows 10.

Microsoft Windows 10 is here to stay. Windows 7 is slated to be abanded by end of 2018. Windows 8 is expected to be abandoned by end of 2019.

In summary, if your unit is less than 5 years old, but is experiencing technical difficulty, it is best to have CPU Onsite perform a diagnostic service to determine if the issues can be resolved for less than the cost of a new computer. Call 209-296-0660 to schedule an appointment. Drop-ins also welcome.

Most importantly, if you want to know the best brands to buy, don’t ask a sales person. Ask a computer repair company such as CPU Onsite. Our 20+ years of repairing computers have enabled us to determine which brands are most durable and easy to replace parts if ever needed.

Our top recommended brands for both laptop and desktop units are Dell, Lenovo, and  ASUS. You are wise to spend at least $350 on any unit, as units below this price range are likely to last you less than 3 years. A decent desktop (tower) computer should be in the price range of $450 to $750. A decent laptop should be between $350 to $550.

The second most important factor, besides brand, is the internal components. Our recommendations are:

CPU Chip – Intel I5 or Intel I7
RAM – 8 GB minimum, recommend 12 GB to 16 GB
Hard Drive – 1 to 2 TB 7200 RMP SATA III Hard drive.  Optional SSD (solid state drive) is considerably smaller and is still prone to damage even though it has no moving parts. It is also typically more expensive. If you purchase a unit with only a 250 GB Solid State Hard Drive, you will likely need to also purchase an external hard drive to store pictures and music.

You can always call us at 209-296-0660 to discuss your next purchase. We are happy to offer advise.

The most basic approach is to install professional and reliable security software and be sure to update it regularly and perform monthly scans with the software on the entire hard drive. But honestly, our business assists over a thousand customers each year from Amador County that routinely do this basic step, and still get infected. So what is the solution?

Knowledge is power! Learning what to avoid on the web is your best protection in today’s hacker world. Even the most robust protection software cannot stop certain types of infections if you are unknowingly putting yourself in harm’s way. Your best defense is to attend our Internet Safety training seminar and learn how to detect a risky site or link BEFORE you click on it. Our seminars are in-depth and offer solutions that will greatly reduce your risk of infections.

Visit our Class Calendar Page to reserve your seat in our next Internet Safety Seminar.

We can always remove a virus, repair a Windows OS or backup your information and reinstall the software to make the computer like new. NO problem. The computer hardware is not damaged by a virus or spyware infection. There is no need to replace the computer (hardware). After all, the software on a new computer can become infected also. The best advice is to have the virus removed by our trained professional technician.

Several situations can result in lost pictures: virus infections, hard drive failure, and accidental deletion. We can confidently state that in most situations we are able to recover precious pictures, music and data files using our tools-of-the-trade. However, NO company can guarantee that your lost pictures can be recovered. To ensure you never lose your pictures, be sure to save them to an external source such as CD, DVD, external hard drive, memory key, or cloud storage.

If your hard drive had been mechanically damaged due to a drop, water, or heat and thereby no longer readable, and thereby requires a forensic lab to attempt data recovery, we can coordinate this third-party service and assist in negotiation a fair price.

Turn-around time varies depending upon the service to be performed, but most services are completed within 1-3 days.

Most repair parts can be ordered and received at our shop within 1 day. If repair parts need to be ordered from the original equipment manufacturer, an additional 1-2 days may be needed for shipping of your proprietary part.

Appointments can be scheduled for on-site repair to be performed at your home or office.

You will receive a phone call from our courteous staff within minutes of completion of your service order. So be sure to provide us with a number where you can be reached during the day. It is our goal to return your system to you as fast as humanly possible, while still ensuring a thorough servicing.

YES! All parts and labor carry a guarantee.

Parts: All parts are guaranteed to be free from manufacturer defect and to be of current technology. We do not stock parts on our shelves. This is intentional to assure you that all parts installed are ordered specifically for your computer. Today’s parts for today’s needs!

• New computers build by us – One year parts and labor – any part found to be defective will be replaced with a brand new part.
• Individual part replacement for a system built by another company – Parts manufacturer’s warranty will apply. We will handle the return of the defective part to the manufacturer and install the replacement part for you as soon as it arrives.

All labor has a 10 day warranty and is guaranteed to be have been performed correctly and to the customer’s satisfaction, or we will service it again for FREE within the 10 days.

The following information is courtesy of https://www.tomsguide.com/features/should-i-upgrade-to-windows-11-what-you-need-to-know

Windows 11 is Microsoft’s vision for the future of PC operating systems, and in general, it’s a simpler, more streamlined and more secure spin on Windows 10. If you don’t meet the minimum hardware requirements or have tuned your PC to excel at one specific application (say, gaming or video editing), you might want to steer clear for a while longer.

Before we dig into whether you should upgrade to Windows 11, it’s important to verify whether you can. Microsoft has some pretty steep system requirements (opens in new tab) for this version of Windows, most notably the demand that your PC have a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 installed.

You can read our guide to What is a TPM? And here’s why you need it for Windows 11 for an in-depth rundown of what these modules do and how to find out if you have one, but in a nutshell: TPM 2.0 support is required by Windows 11, and though many laptops and PCs sold in the past few years already have it, it may be disabled by default. Consult your laptop or motherboard manufacturer to see if your PC has TPM 2.0 support that can be enabled via the BIOS.

• CPU: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor (opens in new tab)or System on a Chip (SoC)
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB of larger
• System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
• Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
• Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel
• Internet: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account (opens in new tab)to complete device setup on first use.

(And yes, you can actually upgrade to Windows 11 without a TPM 2.0 if you really want to, but the hassle and risk are rarely worth it given how minor the difference is between Windows 10 vs 11.)

How to check if your PC is compatible with Windows 11

If you’re unsure about what hardware your PC has, or you want to be doubly sure that you’ll be able to upgrade to Windows 11 when the time comes, there is a way to check. Just download the Windows PC Health Check app from the official Windows 11(opens in new tab) page.

CPU  offers a full-service Windows 11 upgrade to ensure success without data loss. Call for a quote – 209-296-0660