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MacBooks MacBooks Everywhere!

A big run on MacBook repairs - July 2023

Apple MacBooks are known for their solid build and durable aluminum cases, but this month has been quite the challenge for us at Ver I.T., your local computer repair experts. We've seen a significant surge in MacBook repairs, keeping us busy with these sleek machines.
Interestingly, most of the MacBooks that came to us were 7-10 years old. While it's understandable to experience a few hiccups after several years of use, we were also faced with water-damaged units and ones with cracked screens. Despite the issues, we must give credit to the MacBook owners for taking care of their devices, making our repair process smoother.
Our dedicated team worked tirelessly to get these MacBooks back to their owners promptly. Some were lucky to have their devices repaired and ready for collection within 24 hours, while others required a bit more time, typically 2-3 days, as we sourced and waited for specific parts.
The repairs we handled ranged from common problems like smashed screens and failing hard drives to more complex tasks such as upgrades, liquid damage recovery, and fixing failed graphics chips. We take pride in being able to handle such a wide array of issues, ensuring that all our customers' needs are met.
And here's a little secret: we don't just specialize in Windows machines! If you're facing any Apple-related issues with your MacBook, whether it's an aging model or a newer one, our skilled technicians are here to help. Don't hesitate to reach out to us and let us tackle your MacBook woes.
At Ver I.T., we are committed to providing top-notch computer repair services for both Windows and Apple devices. Our team is passionate about technology and dedicated to giving our customers the best possible experience. So, if you find yourself in need of MacBook repair or any other computer-related assistance, GET IN TOUCH with us today!

Complex Motherboard Repair

ASUS Laptop - Failed to Power Up After Wrong Charger Used - Sep 2022

In a rush packing for a trip abroad our customer mistakenly packed the wrong charger for the laptop and upon trying the use it once abroad the laptop failed to power on, even when brought back to the UK and used with the correct charger.

Most companies that our client contacted advised his that the motherboard was likely "fried" and due to the value of the machine it would not be economical to replace the board. We agreed that that was most likely true but did have a couple of very low cost ideas to try first.

Initially we tried to replace the DC Jack where the power supply plugs in but this did not resolve the issue. Determined to resolve this issue, hours were spent testing hundreds of tiny components on the motherboard until at last the culprit was found (Pictures Right). A diode has been destroyed after fulfilling its job and protecting the laptop from an incorrect power supply which could have had much more expensive implications.

A working replacement diode was sourced from our collection of used parts, un-soldered from its old motherboard and soldered in place on the customer board. Success and at a mere total cost of £50 to the customer.

Super Speedy Motherboard Replacement!

HP Laptop - Failed GPU - March 2022

Our customer brought in an HP laptop that appeared to be powering on but would not display anything on the screen nor via the HDMI output.
We determined that the Graphics Chip had failed and unfortunately on modern laptops the GPU is integrated into the motherboard and therefor a replacement of the motherboard was required.
Within one hour of the replacement motherboard arriving, we had it installed, working and tested!

Certificate of Excellence

Bark’s top Computer Repair Services in St Albans for 2021 (September).

Ver I.T. has been named as one of Bark’s top Computer Repair Services in St Albans for 2021.

Based upon review scores, response time and company information, Ver I.T. was awarded the certificate of excellence!

OH, THAT TYPE OF KEYBOARD!

Yamaha Keyboard Power Issues - Mid April 2021

We made contact with a customer on the NextDoor app who had a problem with her keyboard. She had bought it second hand for very little but soon discovered it had an irritating problem.

It would only work on batteries and not from the power supply. 6 large D cell batteries every few weeks could get costly.

We opened up the unit and tested the DC jack as well as the power supply. The power supply was working fine but the DC jack was not conducting the power to the main control board.

Knowing that the customer did not want to spend a great deal of money on the repair we offered a solution that worked for her within the price range that she was comfortable with. Slightly unconventional repair, we ran the power supply into the battery compartment, soldered it to the battery terminals and celebrated our success to the sound of sweet music!

BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!

Toshiba Laptop Stuck During Boot - Early April 2021

This laptop was brought in to us as whenever booting it up was attempted it got stuck at the Windows 10 Start Up repair (blue) screen.

Initially we followed the recommended Microsoft repair options such as system restore and various disk scans, all to no avail.

At this point is was becoming clear that the issue was not software related but hardware.

We disassembled the laptop and began diagnosing the most likely components to have failed until the test of the hard drive revealed that it was not in prime condition. First thing we did was connect the drive to our storage machine and copy off all of the customer's data whilst the drive was still working.

A new hard drive installed, Windows installed and data restored = Working laptop and a happy customer!

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BOOT DEVICE NOT FOUND

HP Laptop Showing Boot Device Not Found - March 2021

Initial diagnostics revealed that the hard drive was in working order and that the Windows Operating System was present and in working order.
Further investigation showed that the laptop's BIOS was not seeing the hard drive at all!

Through a process of elimination, replacing various cables and parts in turn, we determined that the issue was being caused by a faulty Hard Disk Drive cable.

A replacement cable was ordered, arrived within 48 hours and was fitted the same day and the issue was solved!

STUCK PROGRESS BAR

MacBook not Booting Properly - February 2021

Our first attempt to repair the booting process via the built in Disk Utility "First Aid" utility did not resolve the issue.

Further testing revealed that the Hard Disk Drive, whilst working, was damaged and only worked intermittantly.

As the disk was working at the time, we first saved the data that was on the drive.

The customer was offered the choice of a new or 2nd hand disk drive replacement. The customer chose a 2nd hand drive which was installed, the operating system was then made operational followed by the saved data being copied back onto the now working laptop.

RANDOM SHUTDOWNS

MacBook Air Shutting Down - January 2021

The first look at this MacBook indicated that the Operating System was OK and not corrupted.

Hardware checks were next on the list. A little more difficult than usual to check on these particular laptops as most of the components are integrated into the Logic Board but nonetheless it was determined that there were no faulty components causing the shutdowns.

Further inspection of the hardware revealved that a piece of plastic was jamming the cooling fan intermittantly and causing the laptop to overheat and shutdown. Once removed and after repeated testing the problem had gone.

It was also mentioned to the customer that the battery performance was severely diminished so we quoted for a replacement which the client proceeded with.

Shortly after collection the customer got back in touch to say how happy they were and that it felt like a new laptop!

DAMAGED HDD SATA CONNECTION

Customer Damaged Hard Drive Connection - December 2020

The customer contacted us after he had a problem with his Graphics Card. He investigated the problem himself and was able to resolve the issue by re-seating the card. Unfortunately, whilst inside the computer he pulled the SATA cable from the hard disk drive in such a way that the plastic locator on the connection snapped off.

Upon receiving the machine from the customer we confirmed the issue as the customer had described it.

We were able to rig up a temporary connection using our workshop equipment and confirmed to the customer that the drive was still working but would not be able to be connected again via conventional means.

We offered two resolutions; either we could do our best to "Jerry-Rig" a connection between the motherboard and the drive at a lower price or copy the data over to a new hard drive and install that for them. It was explained to the customer that the "Jerry-Rigged" solution might not last and could be unreliable and as such we replaced the hard drive and saved all of the customers files!