Home Computer Repair

Drew Frank spends 40 hours a week working in information technology. “I’ve been working with computers for 20 years,” Frank said. “I was always ‘the computer guy.’”

You might think he would want to come home from work and step away from the screen. Instead, Frank recently started his own computer business, Frank Consulting, based out of his South Middleton Township home. “The hardest part now is trying to balance a full time and part time job with my family,” he said. “There will be some sacrifices for the next few years until it gets going.”

Frank Consulting, LLC, provides computer repair and networking solutions to residential and business customers in the South Central Pennsylvania area. “I offer both residential and small business repair and networking,” Frank explained. “We can help design, trouble-shoot and install systems.”

Frank works both in his own home and the homes of customers, depending on the situation. He said he understands not everyone is adept at things like installing a printer or program. “What may seem like a minor thing can become frustrating,” he said.

That’s why he decided to start his own business. “It started just because of the fact that not many people in this area repair them,” Frank said. Plus, he admitted, “There’s a certain allure to working for yourself.”
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Drew Frank installs a computer at a home in Mount Holly Springs. Michael Bupp/The Sentinel

Right now, Frank offers in home computer repair and sells new HP and DELL systems. “The used (systems) will come available as I accumulate trade-ins,” he explained.

He has a Web site, http:/dbfrankconsulting.com and his plan is to take the business from part time to full time and, in five years, have a storefront in Mt. Holly Springs or Carlisle.

Frank offers free estimates and has a unique billing method for some jobs. “I don’t charge if I don’t fix it,” Frank said. “If it can’t be fixed, I don’t believe in charging the person. I believe in being fair.”

He also admits there are things you can do to avoid needing his service. “Use caution when you’re online,” he said. “Only give out personal information if you’re certain of the website your are on and make sure your antivirus program is up to date.”

He said, “If you’ve been online, there’s a good chance you could have a virus or security breach.”

And that’s one of the ways Frank Consulting comes in. “The biggest thing for anyone is a good diagnostic check-up of the machine because of the potential for viruses and spyware.”

Source: cumberlink.com/articles/2008/04/17/news/business/local/doc4807538e50251101729917.txt

Drew Frank spends 40 hours a week working in information technology. “I’ve been working with computers for 20 years,” Frank said. “I was always ‘the computer guy.’”

You might think he would want to come home from work and step away from the screen. Instead, Frank recently started his own computer support business, Frank Consulting, based out of his South Middleton Township home. “The hardest part now is trying to balance a full time and part time job with my family,” he said. “There will be some sacrifices for the next few years until it gets going.”

Frank Consulting, LLC, provides and networking solutions to residential and business customers in the South Central Pennsylvania area. “I offer both residential and small business computer repair and networking,” Frank explained. “We can help design, trouble-shoot and install systems.”

Frank works both in his own home and the homes of customers, depending on the situation. He said he understands not everyone is adept at things like installing a printer or program. “What may seem like a minor thing can become frustrating,” he said.

That’s why he decided to start his own business. “It started just because of the fact that not many people in this area repair them,” Frank said. Plus, he admitted, “There’s a certain allure to working for yourself.”
Multimedia : Images
Photo Reprints

Drew Frank installs a computer at a home in Mount Holly Springs. Michael Bupp/The Sentinel

Right now, Frank offers home computer repair and sells new HP and DELL systems. “The used (systems) will come available as I accumulate trade-ins,” he explained

He has a Web site, http:/dbfrankconsulting.com and his plan is to take the business from part time to full time and, in five years, have a storefront in Mt. Holly Springs or Carlisle.

Frank offers free estimates and has a unique billing method for some jobs. “I don’t charge if I don’t fix it,” Frank said. “If it can’t be fixed, I don’t believe in charging the person. I believe in being fair.”

He also admits there are things you can do to avoid needing his service. “Use caution when you’re online,” he said. “Only give out personal information if you’re certain of the website your are on and make sure your antivirus program is up to date.”

He said, “If you’ve been online, there’s a good chance you could have a virus or security breach.”

And that’s one of the ways Frank Consulting comes in. “The biggest thing for anyone is a good diagnostic check-up of the machine because of the potential for viruses and spyware.”

Source:cumberlink.com/articles/2008/04/17/news/business/local/doc4807538e50251101729917.txt

An interesting discussion ensued when, in my last blog, I wondered about helping a user with a problem on his home computer (his wife’s computer, actually). I also voiced my displeasure with a technician who charged him for two hours of time ($150), but couldn’t fix a problem which was apparently caused when this user’s son (or son-in-law, I forgot which) did something to the computer when checking an e-mail account - after which a variety of things didn’t work right, including the user’s own e-mail account. At least these were among the symptoms described to me.

After I wrote my piece, I told the user that I’d be willing to go over to his house and fix the problem (free of charge, by the way), being pretty confident that I could identify and repair whatever it was in a short amount of time. Of course, what caused a great deal of initial uncertainty in identifying the problem was how he described it. What he was saying just didn’t make sense, which, because of his lack of computer literacy, was pretty understandable. On a scale of 1-10 in being able to discuss a personal computer, I’d put him at about a one, probably less.

Source :http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/helpdesk/?p=201

Nonetheless, I figured that once I got there and sat down in front of the computer where I could actually see what was going on, it wouldn’t matter how he was describing it. I was certain I could fix it. After all, I’m the one who gave him the computer in the first place when we had an everything is free garage sale. (Every couple of years, or so, we make obsolete computer, parts, and pieces available to employees - all free for the taking.)

The next evening I received a call (at home) from this user, asking me what the main computer password might be. At first I was unsure of what he was asking, but I quickly realized that he was asking about the BIOS password. (I apparently forgot to clear it when I gave him the computer.) He said that his son (or son-in-law) was there again, and he wanted to try to fix the problem himself. Based on how he described the problem in the first place, it made absolutely no sense to me that any setting in the BIOS had anything to do with it, especially considering the fact that nothing in the BIOS had changed. After all, no one had the password to gain access!

Well, I told him what the password was, he told his son (or son-in-law), he thanked me, and hung up the phone. Okay, I thought, when he calls me back to come over and fix the problem, I can then find out what’s really going on. Absolutely nothing was making any sense to me at this point, and I sure couldn’t rely on him to accurately describe anything. Actually, I almost called him back to tell him I was on my way over. My curiosity was beginning to trump everything else; I simply wanted to find out what was going on!

However, I resisted the urge to go over to his house, thinking I would hear all about it the next day when he came into the office. Well sure enough, he did indeed look for me when he came in the next day. “Thank you for that password,” he said. “That did the trick and my son (or son-in-law) was able to find those lost three weeks of e-mails and documents.”

Okay, I thought. Even though none of this makes any sense to me, I don’t even want to ask. At least the problem was fixed; and it was fixed by the person who broke it in the first place. I considered it a small consolation that I was being thanked for providing the right password, but it only added to my confusion.

Now I’m beginning to have second thoughts about the conclusion I drew about that independent technician. Since nothing was making sense to me, I can’t exactly pass judgment based solely on ignorance and confusion - and that’s all I really had to go on! At first, I considered calling him to give him a piece of my mind. Now I’m considering calling him for my own peace of mind.

Source : blogs.techrepublic.com.com/helpdesk/?p=201