Computer Repair & Setup

We excel at repairing every possible problem your PC may have, whether it's a desktop machine or laptop. From printer issues to user education, windows reinstallation to hardware diagnostics, we've got you covered. Here are some common repair and configuration scenarios that we encounter, and some details about them:

• Removing viruses or other malware - Typical removal procedures take from 1 to 2 hours. See below for more information.
• Hard Drive/Flash Card Recovery - If your computer won't turn on, or starts making unusual noises, shut it off immediately, and contact us about data recovery. See here for more information.
• Repair Laptop/Other Hardware - The meticulous process of diassembling your laptop requires experience and tools. See below for more information.
• Reinstall Operating System - If your PC is running slower and slower, or is heavily infected with viruses, reinstalling Windows can restore you back to a factory-fresh state. We are experts at saving your data and restoring it intact to the newly-installed operating system. Typical reinstallation and data preservation takes from 2-4 hours. Sometimes, reinstallation may not be worth the cost if the computer is either old enough or inexpensive enough, in which case replacement may be a better option.
• Complete Office Setup and Configuration - Businesses and homes rely on us to plan, purchase, install, and maintain PCs, peripherals, and networks of all sizes. Contact us for a free consultation!

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If you suspect that your PC is infected with a virus, spyware, or other malware, here are some steps you can follow to attempt to remove the infection. The process below assumes that you are comfortable with downloading, installing, and running software. Remember: the longer a virus runs on your machine, the more damage it can do. Begin this process as soon as you suspect an infection, or contact Corvallis Technical. See our disclaimer, as well.

1. Download Anti-Malware here. This program - by Malwarebytes - is the best malware removal software available at the moment, and it's 100% free.
2. Install and run Anti-Malware. Allow the software to "Update" itself to download current virus definitions.
3. Unplug your network cable, or otherwise disconnect from the internet. This is to prevent your computer possibly spreading its infection to other computers.
4. Run a "Full Scan". When it completes scanning, which may take up to 2 hours, remove any malware found by clicking the "Remove Selected Malware" button.
5. If malware was found, restart the computer, and then run another Full Scan. Continue rebooting and then performing a Full Scan until the Full Scan finds no malware.

Often, the viruses running on your Windows system will prevent you from either downloading the program, or from installing it once it's downloaded. If this occurs, try this :

1. Restart your computer.
2. As soon as your computer begins to start up, starting hitting the F8 key repeatedly. You'll know that you've missed the window of opportunity if you see Windows begin to start. In this case, simply reboot and try again.
3. If you've hit F8 early enough, then a special all-text menu will appear. This lets you start Windows in several different ways. Select the "Safe Mode with Networking" option with your arrow keys, and hit return.
4. Windows will start up, looking very different than normal. It may even ask you to confirm what you're doing. Once Windows has fully started, attempt to download, install, and run Anti-Malware, following the instructions above. Note that you might have to come back to "Safe Mode with Networking" repeatedly during each reboot until Anti-Malware removes enough of the viruses to permit normal Windows behavior.

Sometimes, even with all of the viruses removed from your system, your computer may still not be fully functional. This is usually because the virus has damaged key components of Windows. You'll usually need to reinstall Windows in this case. As mentioned above, typical reinstallation and data preservation tasks takes from 2-4 hours. Further, reinstallation may not be worth the cost if the computer is either old enough or inexpensive enough, in which case replacement may be a better option. Therefore, a simple virus infection may unfortunately make computer replacement the best choice!

To keep your system running virus-free, purchase a commercial grade Anti-virus (AV) solution. Our favorite AV software is AVG, for which we are a licensed reseller. A free version of this software - with some reduced functionality - can be downloaded from http://free.avg.com. You can also use our Managed Services to provide the best AV protection, remote management and security, and automatic backup available!

When your laptop has a hardware issue, such as a cracked screen, a broken keyboard, or needs a new CD-ROM drive, the actual disassembly of the machine requires many different tools and procedures. Protecting against accidental static discharge, we perform the work on a special conductive pads wired directly to electrical ground so that your PC is safe.

Often, the time required to perform hardware repair on laptops is prohibitive. For example, replacing the CPU on a standard home-class laptop can take 2 or 3 hours. If the laptop cost only $600 to begin with, it's hard to justify spending half of its original cost to restore it back to the factory state. Laptops, for better or worse, are consumable devices. Business or gaming laptops - costing upwards of $1500 - are often worth repairing rather than replacing. Contact Corvallis Technical for a consultation on whether the cost is worth the repair on your device.

Late at night, we were contacted by a desperate company owner who needed to do presentations tomorrow for several new clients. Unfortunately, his PC had become un-bootable - Windows simply wouldn't start.

We took the PC, saved all of his data off, and then began the process of reinstalling Windows. Once Windows was functional, we restored his data, installed the programs that he needed, configured it all to work in his office and home networks, and delivered it to him early the next morning. The end result was a factory-fresh machine, fast and stable, just in time for the day's sales presentations.

The entire process took five hours. Because of the sheer amount of software and data to restore and install, in addition to installing all necessary Windows Updats, rebuilding a PC in the middle of the night can be a long process. This project's final cost was $400. From what we heard the next day, the work was well worth the price.

The story involved a late-night college party, as we heard it. In the end, our client's laptop had been "stepped on, and then slid into a couch". When we received it, many of the screws had disengaged, and the hinges had popped out of the plastic: the laptop screen was hanging askew at an unnatural angle.

Upon disassembly, we discovered that the screws had simply popped out of their plastic channels, and that there wasn't much damage. After taking the laptop apart and reassembling it - with the addition of some new screws - the damage was entirely un-noticable. What looked like a screen replacement became merely a screen rebuild. This project took two hours, for a total cost of $165.