Services and pricing
Pick what's going on below to see what we do and what it costs. Not sure which you need? Start with a service call. The diagnosis is free, and we'll tell you what your computer needs. You always approve the price before we start. Windows PCs only.
Troubleshooting and repair
Won't turn on, won't start, keeps restarting, blue screens (BSODs), freezing, pop-ups or malware (viruses). The diagnosis is free, and if we can't fix it, there's no repair charge. You only pay the service call (free in Greenfield, $45 elsewhere in Franklin County; see the towns).
What we don't do
No board-level or soldering repairs, and no Macs. If a job is outside what we do, we'll tell you right away instead of guessing.
Overheating and loud fans
Loud fans, slowing down when hot, or shutting off during heavy use. Heat isn't always the cause, so we start with the free diagnosis. Thermal work is done at our bench and includes a dust-out.
| Machine | Priceat our bench |
|---|---|
| Desktop processor (CPU)We take off the cooler, clean it and put fresh thermal paste on the processor | $60 |
| Desktop graphics card (GPU)A long-lasting thermal pad on the main chip, plus fresh thermal putty on the smaller memory and power chips that share its cooler | $125 |
| LaptopA long-lasting thermal pad on the processor and graphics chip, plus fresh thermal putty on the smaller memory and power chips where your model has them | $125 |
Why graphics cards and laptops get thermal pads and putty
Ordinary thermal paste dries out over time. On graphics cards and laptops we use a long-lasting thermal pad that melts into place when it warms up and lasts much longer than paste. On graphics cards and most gaming laptops, smaller memory and power chips sit under the same cooler on soft pads or putty. Those tear or lose contact when the cooler comes off, so we replace them with fresh thermal putty. Laptops that came with liquid metal are cleaned and switched to a thermal pad at no extra charge. We warm every one up a few times so it settles before your machine comes back. We check your model first. Cards with a warranty seal or unusual pads get a quote.
PC optimization
More speed from the PC you already own. Basic cleans up Windows on desktops and laptops. Advanced adjusts a desktop's hardware settings for more speed, then tests that it's stable before your machine comes back. New builds already come with the startup settings (BIOS) and memory speed (XMP or EXPO) set up.
| What we do | $99Basic desktops and laptops | $199Advanced desktops |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer programs running at startup and in the background | ||
| Windows settings, updates and drivers | ||
| Unneeded software removed, with your OK | ||
| Power and performance settings | ||
| Temperature and drive health check | ||
| BIOS (built-in startup settings) updated and set up, including a graphics speed setting (Resizable BAR) where supported | ||
| Memory (RAM) set to its rated speed (XMP or EXPO), then fine-tuned by hand | ||
| Processor tuning for more speed or less heat, where your hardware allows it (PBO and Curve Optimizer on AMD, power limits and undervolting on Intel) | ||
| Graphics card tuned to run cooler or faster (undervolt or overclock) | ||
| Fan speeds set for a cooler, quieter PC | ||
| Stress testing to make sure it's stable, with temperatures before and after |
Laptops and results
Advanced tuning is for desktops only, since most laptops lock these settings. Laptops get Basic. Results depend on your hardware, so no specific gain is guaranteed. We'll go over what to expect first.
Custom PCs and buying help
A custom build for your budget, or help choosing and setting up a laptop or ready-made PC.
Custom build
Buying help and setup
Business and office IT
Work machines, offices and multi-computer jobs for businesses without someone already handling their IT, whether an employee or an outside company. Billed hourly, because business work varies. You get the same careful work.
Home or business pricing?
Most people get home pricing. If the work is for a business, or it's an open-ended or multi-machine job, we'll use the business rate. We'll confirm which one applies before any work starts.
Service call and payment
Every visit has one service call, based on your town. It's free in Greenfield and $45 everywhere else in Franklin County, paid at the visit by cash or card tap. It covers the trip out, and if your computer goes to our bench, the trip back, fixed or not.
What "free diagnosis" means: advice by phone or text is always free, and finding what's wrong and giving you a price costs nothing. The service call is only for our trip, and in Greenfield there isn't one.
Greenfield.
Montague (including Turners Falls and Millers Falls), Gill, Deerfield (including South Deerfield), Bernardston, Leyden, Shelburne (including Shelburne Falls), Buckland, Whately, Erving, Conway, Colrain, Sunderland, Northfield, Leverett, Orange, Ashfield, Charlemont, Hawley, Heath, Rowe, Monroe, Wendell, Shutesbury, New Salem, Warwick.
Outside Franklin County, it's quoted by distance, from $65. Trips we need to finish the job, or to fix a repair under our 30-day coverage, are included. A new problem, an extra trip you ask for, or a missed appointment is a new service call. You can pay by cash, card tap or bank transfer. Bench work is paid when you get your machine back. Bank transfers clear in up to 4 business days, so pay cash or tap for same-day return. How payment works