What are we working on?

Takes about two minutes. No phone call needed.

What kind of machine is it?

Gaming desktop / tower Gaming laptop Regular desktop or tower Regular laptop All-in-one (iMac, Surface Studio) Not sure / something else

Where did it come from?

I built it myself Someone else built it Bought it prebuilt Not sure

Brand

Which brand?

Model Optional

Usually on a sticker underneath a laptop, or on the back of a tower. "ROG Strix G15", "MacBook Pro 14", "XPS 8960".

Graphics card and CPU, if you know them Optional

"RTX 4070, Ryzen 7 5800X" — helps me know what I'm dealing with before I show up.

Roughly how old is it?

How do I reach you?

I'll text you back. No sales calls, ever.

Your name

Phone number

Email Optional

How do you prefer to hear back?

Text Call Email

In a hurry or not sure how to describe it? Skip the rest and I'll get the details when I contact you. The next few questions just help me quote faster.

What's it doing?

Where's it at right now?

It works — I want an upgrade or tune-up It works, but it's slow or acting up Turns on, but won't load Windows/macOS Turns on, but the screen stays black Nothing at all — totally dead Not sure how to describe it

How long has this been going on?

Started today A few days A few weeks Months, and getting worse It's always been like this Nothing's wrong — it's an upgrade

Did anything change right before it started?

This is usually the biggest clue.

A Windows or macOS update I installed new hardware I installed new software or a driver It got dropped, bumped, or moved Power outage or surge Nothing I can think of

Describe it in your own words Optional

Even one line helps. Exact error messages are gold — type them out or note what they say.

A few follow-ups

Based on what you picked.

Important: don't turn it on or plug it in to test it. Powering up a wet board is what turns a cleanable spill into a dead machine. If it's a laptop, unplug it and leave it closed until I see it.

What was spilled, and how long ago?

Are your files locked with a ransom demand on screen?

Yes No Not sure

Disconnect it from your network and Wi-Fi now, and leave it off. Don't pay anything yet — let's talk first.

Which games, and at what resolution?

"Warzone at 1440p" or "Fortnite, not sure of the settings" — both are fine.

Did it used to run better?

Yes — it ran fine before and got worse No — it's always run like this Only the new game I just got

When was it last opened up and cleaned out?

Within the last year A few years ago Never No idea

What does the error say? Optional

Something like "KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE" or a code starting 0x. Snap a picture of the screen for yourself so you have it.

Any sign of life at all?

Lights come on Fans spin It beeps I tried a different outlet or cable Nothing — completely dead

What's wrong with the screen?

Physically cracked Lines, spots, or dead pixels Very dim — I can barely see it Completely black

How's the battery behaving?

Charges, but dies fast Won't charge at all Dies the second I unplug it It's swollen or the case is bulging

Stop using it and don't charge it. A swollen battery is a fire risk — keep it somewhere cool and away from anything flammable until I can swap it out.

Rough budget for parts?

Ballpark is fine — it tells me what to spec out.

What's it for, and what do you want to hit?

"1440p high refresh for competitive shooters" or "video editing plus some gaming."

Do you already have the parts?

Yes No Some

Which parts?

Is it still under AppleCare or warranty?

Yes No Not sure

If it's covered, Apple may fix it free. I'll tell you straight if that's the better move — no sense paying me for something you're already owed.

Your data and access

The two questions that change how I handle the job.

Is there anything on it you can't replace?

Photos, documents, work files, saves.

Yes — and I'd be devastated to lose it Some things I'd rather keep Nothing important — wipe it if you need to Not sure

Is any of it backed up somewhere else?

Yes — cloud (iCloud, OneDrive, Google Drive) Yes — an external drive Some of it No backup at all Not sure

Noted — I'll treat the drive as the priority and pull a copy of your files before touching anything else. If the machine still boots, copying your important stuff to a USB drive now isn't a bad idea either.

Can you give me the login password?

Without it I usually can't get past the lock screen to test anything.

Yes, no problem I'd rather type it in myself while you're there There's no password on it I don't know it

Has anyone else already worked on this?

No Yes I tried myself

What was done? Optional

No judgment — knowing what's already been tried saves me repeating it.

Dropping it off

Everything's worked on in the shop — bring it by and I'll text you once I've had a look.

What are you bringing?

Check everything you'll have with you.

The computer itself Power cable or charger Monitor Keyboard and mouse Parts I already bought Not sure what I should bring

Bring the machine and its power cable or charger at minimum — without the charger I can't test a laptop properly. Leave the monitor and peripherals home unless the problem involves them.

How are you getting it here?

Driving it over Transit or on foot Car service or rideshare Not sure — it's heavy and I may need a hand

If it's a full tower, lay it flat in the box it came in if you still have it, or keep it upright and padded. Message me first if you're worried about moving it — I'd rather talk it through than have a GPU shake loose on the way.

What ZIP are you coming from? Optional

Just helps me know how far people are traveling.

When works for you?

How soon do you need it?

Today if possible In the next couple of days Sometime this week Flexible, whenever works

When could you drop it off?

Check all that work.

Aiming for a specific day to bring it by? Optional

How did you hear about me? Optional

Anything else I should know? Optional

It's OK to text me about this request

Got it.

I'll text you within a few hours with a quote or a couple of follow-up questions.

When I text back, send a photo of any error message on screen, and of the machine itself if there's physical damage. Seeing it usually means a tighter quote and a better chance I show up with the right part.