IT Services - Hardware Upgrades, Improvements, Replacements and Additions

Upgrades and Improvements

Hard Disks and Storage
Strictly speaking, deMont Digital is not a computer "repair" company, however we are quite capable of dealing with many basic hardware issues. If you need to replace or expand your storage space, internally or externally, we can provide you with a compatible hard disk drives and carry out installation and set-up.

If you're having trouble with your computer and suspect that the problem lies with your hard disk drive, call us for our opinion or diagnosis. A typical scenario is a Mac that remains stuck on the grey start-up screen with the grey Apple logo and spinning gear or may be you see a picture of a folder with a question mark on it. If it is confirmed that your hard disk has a problem it will be necessary to replace it, the problem will certainly worsen. We can save all your files and then transfer the data to a freshly supplied disk.

Back Up
Hard disk failure is one of the most common computer related problems. Every hard drive ever manufactured WILL at some point fail, which is why it's of critical importance to have a back-up strategy. The simplest option is to connect an external USB hard disk for backing up your system and work as you go. Sadly, there are too many occasions when I am called after the situation has run out of control. **

OSX versions 10.5 "Leopard" and 10.6 "Snow Leopard" include an integrated back-up system called "Time Machine" which works with any attached external hard disk or, if you use a tower Mac such as a G5 Powermac or Intel Mac Pro, a second internal drive. If you reckon your needs are more complicated, give us a call, we can advise.

If you think you need a more serious storage plan, please read my article about NAS

Memory Boosts
As the average computer becomes more powerful, programmers develop applications that will happily eat up that power with glee. However, these new power hungry applications quickly invade machines everywhere, regardless of their age and speed. Web browsers typically seem to be more demanding of your machine's resources with every new update and while using these applications your older Mac may seem to be a lot slower. The simple solution is to increase your computer's memory or RAM.

The machine I use to build this website is an old Powermac G4, purchased in 2004. On it there are many applications running simultaneously including an editor, a couple of browsers, a photo application, an email program, an FTP client, iTunes and more. It's old but shows no sign of breaking down and as such I'm quite happy to continue using it.

If you are wondering why your machine is sluggish and want advice regarding it's suitability for upgrade, give us a call.

** In the event of a seriously ruptured disk, it would be necessary to send it to a specialist data recovery lab. These dust proof environments and the technology therein are expensive to run, so expect to pay a heavy charge. If you want to avoid paying heavy charges for data recovery I recommend establishing your backup policy before the situation arises.