Prepare for the worst if sending PCs for repair

Have you ever packed up a PC carefully and sent it off for repair? It’s an act of faith. In the worst case for most people the computer cannot be repaired. Certainly, no-one expects their computer to be stolen or go missing. But, while a relatively rare occurrence, it can and does happen.

In this article, we will set out some practical steps to minimise the disruption should your PC disappear, with advice on protecting the hardware and software you have spent money on, keeping your personal details secure and getting a fair replacement from the retailer.

Let’s imagine a common scenario: the DVD drive in a laptop stops working. It’s under warranty, so the vendor agrees to fix it. It’s a major retailer but the repair is outsourced to a sub-contractor who calls to arrange a pick-up.

Everything is rushed, so the files and settings on the PC are not backed up. The owner carefully packs it up in the original box for collection. Calling a week later to check how things are going, you get an unpleasant surprise ­ the laptop was checked into the courier company’s warehouse but never checked out.

The company sends you an insurance claim form but you cannot find the original receipt and you don’t have a record of what paid-for software was installed on the computer. Then you remember that the PC holds files containing personal information.

Eventually the retailer steps up to take responsibility but does not sell that model anymore and wants you to settle for something slightly slower or with fewer features. It refuses to budge and in the end you bite the bullet and take what’s on offer. You are left with a sub-standard computer, having potentially left yourself and others open to identity theft.

Prepare for repair
Any file, document or setting stored on the computer that you don’t want to lose should be backed up. Most PCs sent for repair are reset to factory settings, which wipes out everything on the disk. There’s really no excuse for not protecting hard disk contents these days as there are so many ways to back up.

If you do not back up files and a fault becomes apparent, it’s time to begin an emergency backup. You should make an exact copy of everything including programs, Windows settings, emails, bookmarks, passwords, the lot, so it doesn’t matter if you can’t find the original program and system CD-Roms.

For an explanation of how to choose the right type of backup, see our guide. If there is a hard disk problem, copy what you can. Without backups the files may already be lost but there are other considerations before sending the PC for repair.

Make sure Windows is password-protected because this will encourage casual thieves to reformat the hard disk, which makes it very difficult for any information to be recovered.

To add or change a password in XP or Vista, select Control Panel from the Start menu and double-click User Accounts to access password options. If there is more than one user account for various family members, ensure each has a password.