When Should I Ask For Help?

Obviously, you probably think about calling up a computer professional when you have major issues, like you can’t turn on your computer.

But you shouldn’t always wait until you have big issues. Like your home’s heating system and vehicles, some routine maintenance and checkups are good. They can help prevent disasters, or at least help reduce some annoyances and stress.

So here are some reasons you should think about calling up an independent computer expert.

• If you think you’ve been scammed on the computer: If you think you let a scammer onto your computer, I highly suggest turning off the computer right away and calling a computer tech. Scammers can put monitoring and remote tools on your computer, which a computer tech can look for before you start using the computer again.
• If your computer hasn’t had a checkup in the past year: I strongly encourage getting a full computer checkup each year. A computer tech can check many security, safety and reliability aspects. Checkups like these can catch issues before they cause problems, and even before the issues might be evident. Techs can also perform cleanup tasks to help increase computer performance and address any annoyances you might experiencing.
• If you still have Windows 8 or older: Microsoft stopped all updates and support for Windows 8 earlier in the year, and support for Windows 7, XP and Vista ended long ago.
• It’s highly suggested to stop using these old and less-secure operating systems. If you’re concerned about cost, consider buying a good refurbished machine from a local independent business like ours. If you’re concerned about getting used to Windows 10 or 11, a computer tech can usually setup a new computer very similar to your old one so you’re comfortable.
• If you’re getting popups or ads: If you have pop-ups bombarding you or aggressive ads, it could be a virus, adware or could just be annoying ads. It’s best to get it checked out. Even if it’s just annoying ads, a computer tech should be able to stop them. However, if you get a pop-up or voice on your computer saying that you need to call someone for help, don’t call them as they are scams. Call a local independent, reputable computer repair company for their advice or help.
• If your computer is too slow: There are many reasons a computer can be slow, such as age, computer specs and even viruses. If you feel your computer is too slow for you, I suggest getting advice from a computer tech. They can take many things into consideration to give you good advice. This might include a computer cleanup, upgrade or a whole new system altogether.
• If you’re thinking about getting a new computer: I highly suggest getting help from a computer tech when you’re getting a new computer. They can suggest a good system and transfer your files and programs over so you’re comfortable. They might be able to help you save costs on software and the headache in figuring out how to setup the new computer.
• If you’re having issues with your smartphone, tablet or TV: Most computer techs can also help with other tech gadgets. They can usually set them up and help with issues you might have. For instance, on smartphones or tablets, disabling annoying pop-ups or notifications or configuring your email on them. On smart TVs, they might be able to help setup streaming services like Roku and Netflix.