Your Computer Is Trying to Tell You Something
I see it all the time at the shop here in Letchworth. Someone walks in with their laptop, sets it down on the counter, and says something like, "It's been getting slower and slower for months, but I kept putting it off." Sound familiar? You're not alone. Most people don't think about servicing their computer until it's practically unusable - and by then, a quick tune-up has turned into a much bigger job.
So here are five signs that your computer is crying out for a service. If you recognise even two or three of these, it's probably time to bring it in.
1. Your Computer Takes Ages to Start Up
This is the big one. If you're pressing the power button and then going off to make a cup of tea while you wait for Windows to load, something's not right. A healthy computer should boot up in under a minute - and if it's got an SSD, it should be ready in about 15-20 seconds.
Slow boot times are usually caused by too many startup programs, outdated drivers, or a hard drive that's on its last legs. I've had customers from Hitchin and Stevenage who genuinely thought their five-minute boot time was normal. It isn't. A proper service sorts this out quickly.
2. Programs Take Forever to Open
You double-click on Word, Chrome, or Outlook and then sit there watching the cursor spin for 30 seconds. Maybe longer. This is one of those things that creeps up on you gradually - you don't notice it getting worse because it happens a little bit at a time.
The usual culprits are a lack of free disk space, too many background processes eating up your RAM, or a fragmented hard drive. Sometimes it's malware running quietly in the background. Either way, it's not something you should just live with. A decent service will clear out the junk, optimise what's running, and get your programs opening the way they should.
3. The Fans Are Running Constantly
If your computer sounds like it's about to take off, that's a sign that something is making the processor work harder than it should. Dust buildup inside the machine is a common cause - especially if you've had the PC for a couple of years and never had it cleaned. That dust clogs up the fans and heatsinks, traps heat inside, and forces everything to work overtime to stay cool.
Our Platinum Service includes a full interior hardware clean - fans, heatsinks, thermal compound replacement, the lot. I've seen machines drop 15-20 degrees in temperature after a proper clean. One customer from Baldock brought in a desktop that was thermal throttling constantly, and it turned out the heatsink was basically a felt blanket of dust. Fifteen minutes with compressed air and fresh thermal paste, and it was like a new machine.
4. Your Browser Is Painfully Slow
You open Chrome or Edge and it just... crawls. Pages take ages to load, tabs freeze, and you keep getting "not responding" messages. Before you blame your broadband (although, let's be honest, that's a possibility in parts of North Herts), check whether the issue is actually your computer.
Browser slowness is often caused by too many extensions, a bloated cache, or malware injecting ads and redirects into your browsing. Sometimes it's a sign that your machine simply doesn't have enough RAM to handle modern web pages, which are far more demanding than people realise. We can diagnose exactly what's causing the issue and either fix it or advise you on a cost-effective upgrade.
5. Random Crashes and Freezes
This is the one that really worries people - and rightly so. If your computer is freezing up regularly, showing the dreaded blue screen, or just restarting itself without warning, something is genuinely wrong. It could be a software issue like corrupted system files or driver conflicts, or it could be a hardware problem like failing RAM or an overheating processor.
The important thing is not to ignore it. Crashes can lead to data loss, and a failing hard drive that's causing freezes today might be completely dead tomorrow. If your machine is doing this, get it looked at sooner rather than later.
Don't Wait Until It's Too Late
I always tell people the same thing: a computer service is like a car MOT. You don't wait until the engine catches fire before you take it to a mechanic. Regular servicing keeps things running smoothly, extends the life of your machine, and catches small problems before they turn into expensive ones.
If any of these signs sound familiar, bring your machine into our shop at 2 The Wynd in Letchworth Garden City. We offer three levels of servicing starting from just £39.99, and most services are done same-day or next-day.
Got questions or want to book in? Head over to our contact page or give us a call on 01462 339101. We're always happy to have a chat and give you honest advice - even if it turns out you don't need us.