Frequently Asked Questions

We have three walk-in shops in North County San Diego: Oceanside (2401 Vista Way, Ste B), Encinitas (384 N El Camino Real), and Carlsbad (2365 Marron Rd, Ste B). Carlsbad is currently by appointment only while we finalize signage. We serve all of North County including Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Camp Pendleton, and Rancho Santa Fe.

No appointment is needed at our Oceanside or Encinitas shops — walk-ins are welcome during business hours for diagnostics and drop-off. Carlsbad is currently by appointment only. If you'd prefer to reserve a specific time at any location, use our /booking page or call ahead.

Oceanside: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM–7:00 PM, Sat 10:00 AM–6:30 PM, Sun 11:00 AM–5:00 PM. Encinitas: Mon–Fri 9:30 AM–6:30 PM, Sat 10:00 AM–6:30 PM. Carlsbad: by appointment. Hours may vary on holidays — call ahead if you're not sure.

Oceanside is closest if you're in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, or near Camp Pendleton. Encinitas is closest if you're in Encinitas, Cardiff, Leucadia, Solana Beach, Del Mar, or Rancho Santa Fe. Carlsbad is closest if you're in Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, or Bressi Ranch. See our /locations page for drive times from each city.

By arrangement, yes — we can shuttle between Oceanside, Encinitas, and Carlsbad if it's more convenient for you. Mention your preferred drop-off / pickup combination at check-in and we'll coordinate.

Yes! Our technicians repair MacBook Pro, MacBook Air (Intel and Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4), iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio. We handle screen replacements, battery swaps, SSD/RAM upgrades where supported, keyboard top-cases, liquid damage rescue, data recovery, and software/macOS reinstall.

Yes — we offer a free pre-check at the counter on every device. If a deeper diagnostic is required, it's $69 — and that fee is fully credited toward your repair the moment you approve the work. You never pay just to find out what's wrong with your computer.

Most repairs fall in the $90–$400 range, with battery swaps, SSD upgrades, virus removal, and tune-ups typically $120–$220, screen replacements $169–$389, and data recovery $189–$400. We always provide a written quote before any billable work — no surprise charges. See our /services/computer-repair/ page for a detailed price table.

Standard 1080p IPS panels (most Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer) are typically $169–$249 installed. Touch screens add $50–$150. MacBook screens and 4K/OLED displays run $279–$699 depending on model. We confirm the exact part number and quote before ordering. See our blog post 'Laptop Screen Replacement Cost in 2026' for per-brand details.

Logical recoveries (deleted files, formatted drives, file-system corruption) are typically $189–$300. Firmware and mechanical recoveries (clicking drives, controller failures) run $300–$700. Severe physical damage requiring clean-room work is $700–$2,500+. We offer a no-data-no-fee policy on approved Level 1 and Level 2 cases. See our blog post 'Data Recovery Cost in 2026' for full details.

If we can't fix it, you don't pay for repair labor. The free pre-check is always free regardless. If we ran a $69 full diagnostic, that fee covers the diagnostic time and advanced testing — but for the recovery and repair work itself, our 'no result, no charge' policy applies on approved Level 1/Level 2 data recoveries.

Cash, all major credit and debit cards, and digital wallets including Apple Pay and Google Pay. For business clients we can arrange invoicing and net-30 terms by request.

Yes — students with a valid CSUSM, Palomar, or MiraCosta ID get 10% off diagnostic fees. Active-duty military, dependents, and veterans get 10% off diagnostic fees and labor on most repairs. Mention it at drop-off; no paperwork beyond your ID is needed.

Most common repairs are same-day or next-day when parts are in stock — virus removal, tune-ups, SSD/RAM upgrades, common screen replacements, software fixes. Specialty parts add 1–3 days for shipping. Motherboard-level work and complex data recovery typically take 2–7 business days. We give you an accurate ETA with your written quote before any billable work.

Yes — many repairs are same-day if you drop off in the morning. Common same-day jobs include virus removal, computer tune-up, RAM upgrade, SSD upgrade, desktop power supply replacement, OS reinstall with data preserved, and most software fixes. See our /services/same-day-repair/ page for the full list and what to bring.

In most cases, yes. 'Won't turn on' is most often a failed power supply (desktop) or a dead battery, charging port, or RAM seating issue (laptop). Less commonly it's a motherboard-level fault. Our free pre-check identifies the cause; if it's something simple we can usually fix it same-day, and if it's board-level we'll quote you precisely before any work.

Dell, HP, Lenovo (ThinkPad / IdeaPad / Yoga / Legion), ASUS (ROG / ZenBook / Vivobook / TUF), Acer, MSI, Razer, Microsoft Surface, Samsung, LG, Framework, Google Pixelbook, and Apple (MacBook Air/Pro, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio). We also work on custom-built PCs from any builder.

Definitely. The solutions usually fall in three buckets: software (virus removal, malware cleanup, startup-program reduction, browser cleanup), storage upgrade (HDD → SSD migration is the single biggest performance lift on older systems), and memory upgrade (more RAM for heavier workloads). Our free pre-check identifies the actual bottleneck before recommending an upgrade.

Yes — our default practice is to preserve your drive and data through every repair. We only wipe or clean-install with your explicit written approval. Personal files are never browsed beyond what's necessary for diagnosis or repair, and we maintain strict chain-of-custody at all three shops. NDAs are available on request for business or sensitive cases.

In most cases, yes — including HDDs that won't spin or are clicking, SSDs that aren't detected, USB drives with broken connectors, and RAID/NAS arrays. We perform Level 1 (logical) and Level 2 (firmware/mechanical) recoveries in-house, and partner with a clean-room lab for Level 3 physical-damage cases. Free initial evaluation, written quote, no-data-no-fee on approved Level 1 and Level 2 cases. See /data-recovery for full details.

If you can, yes — it's good practice regardless. Use an external drive, OneDrive, iCloud, or Google Drive depending on your platform. If you can't back up because the computer won't boot or the drive is failing, bring it in immediately — we can often image the drive before any repair work to protect your files. See our blog for step-by-step Time Machine (Mac) and File History (Windows) backup guides.

Yes — ransomware response, including identifying the strain, checking for known decryptors, forensic preservation, and restoration from backups. We never recommend paying the ransom; it funds the next attack and recovery isn't guaranteed. If files cannot be recovered through normal means, we route you to our data-recovery service for forensic options. For active business incidents, call our shop immediately.

Yes — every repair includes a 60-day workmanship warranty on parts we install and labor we perform. If the same issue comes back within 60 days, bring it in and we'll make it right at no additional labor cost.

Bring it in. If it's the same issue we just repaired and we're within the 60-day workmanship warranty window, we re-do the work at no charge. If the same symptom turns out to be a different underlying cause, we'll explain that honestly and quote the new repair separately — but we never double-charge for the same problem.

Yes — any parts we replace that can't be refurbished or resold are sent to certified e-waste recyclers. We also accept old computers and electronics for recycling at all three shops. See /services/e-waste-recycling/ for details.

Yes — managed IT plans, on-site computer support, network setup, server maintenance, data backup and disaster recovery, cybersecurity, email and cloud (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace) setup, VoIP phone systems, and hardware procurement. Free initial IT assessment for new business clients. See /services/business-it-services/ for the full list.

Absolutely. We build custom gaming PCs, AI/ML workstations, content-creation rigs, and home/business workstations. Free consultation, transparent parts list (PCPartPicker), professional assembly with proper cable management, burn-in stress testing, and OS setup. Bring your own parts or we source. See /services/gaming-pc-builds/ and /services/ai-system-builds/.

Yes — on-site repair, network/server setup, and ongoing IT support across North County San Diego. Same-day on-site response is the norm during business hours for managed-plan clients. See /services/onsite-business-services/ to learn more.

Yes — secure, permission-based remote sessions for software issues, account problems, virus cleanup (most cases), printer setup, Outlook configuration, and similar issues that don't require hands on the hardware. See /services/it-support-remote/.

Yes — our mail-in repair service covers all of San Diego County and beyond. You ship the device (we email packing guidance), we diagnose within 1–2 business days, send you a written quote, perform the repair on approval, and ship back with a prepaid return label. Total turnaround is typically 3–7 business days. See /services/mail-in-repair/.

Yes — DC jack desoldering and replacement, HDMI port replacement (including PS5 HDMI repair), USB-C port replacement, charging IC replacement, and board-level component-level repair on motherboards and logic boards. This work is consolidated at our Oceanside shop. See /services/micro-soldering/ and /services/ps5-hdmi-repair/.