What to bring with your computer

Five minutes of preparation can save a day of back-and-forth. Here is what actually helps.

At a glance

Always: The machine and its charger
If you have it: The sign-in password
Very useful: When the fault happens
Beforehand: Back up anything irreplaceable

The charger, every time

Bring the charger even when charging is not the problem. A machine that arrives with no way to power it cannot be tested, and laptop chargers are far from interchangeable. If the fault is intermittent, the charger is also a suspect worth ruling out.

How you sign in

A technician frequently needs to start the machine to reproduce a fault. Without the sign-in password, testing stops at the login screen and the job stalls until we can reach you.

If you would rather not share it, say so at the counter and we will explain what can and cannot be tested without it, so you can decide.

What the machine does, and when

The most valuable thing you can bring is not an object. Intermittent faults are found by reproducing them, and you already know how.

When it happens — starting up, under load, after an hour, when moved
What you were doing at the time
Any message on screen, photographed if you can
When it started, and anything that changed then
Anything already tried

Back up first if you can

If the machine still runs well enough to copy files off it, do that before bringing it in. Repairs are done carefully and most do not touch your data, but a drive that is already failing can deteriorate at any moment, including before it reaches us.

Asked at the counter

Do I need to bring the box or the receipt?

Not usually. The machine and the charger are what matter. If the fault is with something bought here recently, the order details help us look it up.

Should I bring the monitor, keyboard and mouse?

For a desktop, bring the tower alone unless the fault involves those. If the problem is a display or an input device, bring the item that is misbehaving so it can be tested with the machine.

What if I cannot back up because the machine will not start?

That is common and not a problem. Tell us at the counter that the data matters and has not been copied, and it will be treated accordingly during the diagnosis.

Ready to come in?

Book a slot so the counter is expecting you and the bench has time set aside.

Book an appointment