Hello Everyone,
My name is Mike Vail. I have been building and repairing personal computers for many years, in fact, my first experience with a personal computer was in Petaluma back in 1974 when I watched my uncle build the first personal computer our home town ever had. The computer came in a kit and was called the MITS Altair 8800. At 8 years old I was fascinated by what this machine could do and have been hooked ever since. Computers have certainly come a LONG way however. The Altair of those day was nothing like what we have now.
Over the years, I've learned the key to being a successful Technician is experience repairing the very things you work on. Learning from a book is a good start, but everyone knows that experience is king. Let's face it, no one has all the answers. so next to experience, a technician must also possess the ability to effectively research and troubleshoot problems. Fail to have either of these skills and you will never be an effective technician.
I have worked for many large corporations including Hewlett Packard, Electronic Data Systems, Advanced Micro Devices, Nestle Beverage Company, Visa International, and others. While working for these companies, I gained valuable experience and insight in dealing with computers, networking and most of all, serving people. I have continued to maintain and use this knowledge to help others in need, but in 1996, I chose to leave the computer industry to pursue a career as a Police Officer. I enjoy my job in Law Enforcement, but I would soon learn that I couldn't stay away from computers for long. The need for competent repair people was simply to great.
As computers have advanced and become more popular, so have the problems that come with them. Hardware failures, viruses, malicious software (malware) and other problems have become a nightmare for many PC owners. With few repair options available to consumers, I've seen countless people go to large electronics stores to get their computers serviced and end of walking away with a $200.00 - $300.00 repair bill after some "tech" simply reloaded their computer and made them start all over again from scratch. While there certainly are cases where this may be the only option, this should not be as common of a practice as it has become. Others, were told to buy a new computer instead of having their old one repaired when their old one was perfectly fine for what they used it for. And finally in some cases, a number of people lost everything they had on the PC and were told nothing could be done to recover their data even though there were inexpensive ways to get their data back but the technician ignored them.
After hearing these horror stories over and over, I just couldn't sit by and watch people continue to receive this poor service so I began repairing computers again as a side business. My turn-around times were fast, my rates are half of what people paid to others elsewhere and I offered a personal touch and some compassion to people so they knew I understood their frustrations. Before long, word of mouth had me overwhelmed with repairs, which continues to this day.
If you need a personal computer repaired, some networking assistance, or just need some advice on where to go for a reasonable price and with a personal touch, I'm here for you. So contact me and let's see what we can do to get you back in control of your PC and not the other way around.
On a side note: I don't work on Apple computers and I can't refer you to anyone who does. My recommendation would be to go to an Apple Store and seek their advice. Sorry.
Have an awesome day and thanks for visiting!
Mike Vail
Stevensville, MT. USA
My name is Mike Vail. I have been building and repairing personal computers for many years, in fact, my first experience with a personal computer was in Petaluma back in 1974 when I watched my uncle build the first personal computer our home town ever had. The computer came in a kit and was called the MITS Altair 8800. At 8 years old I was fascinated by what this machine could do and have been hooked ever since. Computers have certainly come a LONG way however. The Altair of those day was nothing like what we have now.
Over the years, I've learned the key to being a successful Technician is experience repairing the very things you work on. Learning from a book is a good start, but everyone knows that experience is king. Let's face it, no one has all the answers. so next to experience, a technician must also possess the ability to effectively research and troubleshoot problems. Fail to have either of these skills and you will never be an effective technician.
I have worked for many large corporations including Hewlett Packard, Electronic Data Systems, Advanced Micro Devices, Nestle Beverage Company, Visa International, and others. While working for these companies, I gained valuable experience and insight in dealing with computers, networking and most of all, serving people. I have continued to maintain and use this knowledge to help others in need, but in 1996, I chose to leave the computer industry to pursue a career as a Police Officer. I enjoy my job in Law Enforcement, but I would soon learn that I couldn't stay away from computers for long. The need for competent repair people was simply to great.
As computers have advanced and become more popular, so have the problems that come with them. Hardware failures, viruses, malicious software (malware) and other problems have become a nightmare for many PC owners. With few repair options available to consumers, I've seen countless people go to large electronics stores to get their computers serviced and end of walking away with a $200.00 - $300.00 repair bill after some "tech" simply reloaded their computer and made them start all over again from scratch. While there certainly are cases where this may be the only option, this should not be as common of a practice as it has become. Others, were told to buy a new computer instead of having their old one repaired when their old one was perfectly fine for what they used it for. And finally in some cases, a number of people lost everything they had on the PC and were told nothing could be done to recover their data even though there were inexpensive ways to get their data back but the technician ignored them.
After hearing these horror stories over and over, I just couldn't sit by and watch people continue to receive this poor service so I began repairing computers again as a side business. My turn-around times were fast, my rates are half of what people paid to others elsewhere and I offered a personal touch and some compassion to people so they knew I understood their frustrations. Before long, word of mouth had me overwhelmed with repairs, which continues to this day.
If you need a personal computer repaired, some networking assistance, or just need some advice on where to go for a reasonable price and with a personal touch, I'm here for you. So contact me and let's see what we can do to get you back in control of your PC and not the other way around.
On a side note: I don't work on Apple computers and I can't refer you to anyone who does. My recommendation would be to go to an Apple Store and seek their advice. Sorry.
Have an awesome day and thanks for visiting!
Mike Vail
Stevensville, MT. USA