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Spares and Repairs

One of ALM Micros’s core business is PC/laptop sales and repair, our team of skilled engineers endeavor to be the fastest and most cost effective repairer in the trade and will always carry out board level repairs at component level before contemplating replacement of costly major components saving the client time and money.

Our aim
Here at ALM Micros we strive to be our clients’ number one repair service provider for all Home & Business PC/Laptop problem solving and service requirements at a competitive price. With our team of skilled engineers we strive to provide the fastest and most cost effective PC and laptop repairs in the trade.

Our Staff
Over 15 years of experience allow our dedicated engineers to take on a complex tasks turned down by other companies. Our staff can also suggest tailor made solutions to unusual IT problems, repair and maintenance services can be carried out on site if required by volume IT users from small to medium size companies.

Spares
We carry large stocks of spares for all brands to back up our repair service. Savings can be made by ordering on line and/or in volume and with access to large PCs & laptops available as spares donors gives us the confidence to quote for almost any part.

Repairs
We can carry out any laptop or PC problem, irrelevant of make or age. Repairs are backed up with a 3 months warranty of the actual repair we have undertaken.

Same day repairs
A premium same day PC/laptop repair service is available, including screen replacement, data recovery and data backup but will of course incur extra cost. Repairs of this nature are carried out only at our own repair centre allowing access to the test equipment and tools required.

Fixed Price Repair
ALM Micros provides a unique across the board repair service covering all major brands, clones and re-badge PCs/laptops. A team of skilled engineers provide fast effective repairs to component level which in most cases saves money and needless expenditure on major board replacement.

Our company was the first to offer a no fix no fee when effecting board level repairs, and where major board assemblies need replacement we hold to the price quoted with no hidden extras.

Therefore, our first choice is always to use a fixed price repair at component level making for substantial savings by eliminating the need for expensive replacement of major components. If however major components have to be replaced taking the repair into the individual quote system then again our aim is to still be the most cost effective repairer in he field. Machines sent in as a fixed price repair but found to require major component replacement will only proceed to quoted repair status with the clients consent.

Repairs at component level

Component Level Repair

Laptops have evolved to a level where nearly all electronic components are integrated on one main board commonly referred to as the motherboard. Due to the complexity and number of components to be wired the number of tracks required would require a very large and cumbersome board. To overcome this problem the motherboard is divided up into segments and placed on top of one another to form a laminate board. This keeps the size down and because even discrete components can not be contained between the laminations they are mostly all surface mounted. This allows what is called board level repairs* to be carried out to the surface mounted components. However a surface mounted component may actually be connected directly to a lower lamination and its failure being due to loss of connection with an un seeable track. Another draw back with the laminated board is when a track breaks on a sandwiched board due to constant heating and cooling of the board or burn through holes made by failing components arcing.
*Board level repairs refers to being able to replace components (i.e.: fuses, capacitors, IC’s, etc.) on the surface of the system board. This enables us to reduce the cost of repair by not having to replace major assemblies such as the motherboard, LCD display or video board.

Repair Promise (guarantee)
Repairs will be carried out to the highest standard and where possible major components will be repaired in preference to total replacement of major components keeping costs down to a minimum.  The actual repair carried out by us will be guaranteed for 3 months. A copy of the workshop report showing the nature of the repair and the date carried out will be on record, a copy of which you will have received along with your repaired machine. In the event of a further fault occurring within the warranty period the report will immediately show if the same fault has re-occurred and is covered by the warranty or is a separate unrelated problem

 

Component Replacement
Most repairs under this heading will mainly be referring to laptop repairs and will be as a result of external damage resulting in cracked screens, crushed main body or spillage resulting in arcing through board laminations.

These repairs needing assembly replacement will be found when carrying out strip and test procedures under the fixed price repair scheme. When a known fault is stated such as the screen is broken when obtaining a reference number it will be given quoted repair status and collection of the machine may not be immediately necessary.

The details such as the make and model and major component required will be taken down so our sales team can source the relevant components and call you back giving a firm quote. An instant decision will not be required as a simple phone call to our sales team at a later date quoting the reference number will bring back all the relevant information.

If your machine was sent in under the fixed price repair scheme and was found to require sub assembly replacement you can decide not to proceed and it will be returned to you incurring no charges other than that of the return post and packing.

Customer Repair Information

Why carry out in house repairs

When we first started to accept repairs we used third parties to carry out the work but grew tired of sending units out only to get them back either un-repaired or badly re-assembled. Most of the PCs/laptops that were so called “repaired” failed when tested prior to calling our customers. So we decided to recruit engineers to carry out repairs in house in order to have quality control at each and every level ourselves.

What can we repair?
All the technicians we employ are qualified electronics engineers with full knowledge of microprocessor modules. You cannot repair PCs/laptops without digital and microprocessor knowledge. Our engineers also have at least 10 years experience working on PCs/laptops repairing to component level which allows them to take on complex faults turned down by other companies.

Therefore, since we are able to perform board level repair and have all parts immediately available, there are not many problems we cannot handle.

We have full rework and testing facilities, including the new BGA chip rework stations and therefore we can repair all makes and models of PCs/laptops without age constraints. Some common problems we encounter and repair each day are:

  1. Blank screens
  2. Motherboard failures
  3. Inverter problems
  4. Dimly lit screens
  5. Hard drive control board failures
  6. USB ports, PCICMA card slots
  7. DC  sockets broken away from M/board
  8. Lid catch’s broken
  9. Systems that don't power on, or turn themselves off
  10. Systems that will not charge the battery
  11. Ac adapter receptacles which are broken,
  12. We also perform simpler repairs such as keyboard replacements, memory upgrades, LCD replacements just to name a few.

 

Laptop Fixed Price Repair
A repair carried out after total strip down followed by fault diagnostics and subsequent replacement of surface mounted chips and/or track repairs, minor component replacement or a mixture of some or all of these procedures. Major components such has screens, motherboards and hard drives over 80Gb are not replaced if un-repairable in-house under the fixed price scheme. See what is included in the Fixed Price?
If after testing and fault diagnosis it is considered un-repairable by replacement of surface mounted components and requires complete major assembly i.e. the motherboard has a crack or burn hole passing through the multi-layers of the board rendering it un-repairable, the repair will be placed on hold and the client contacted with procedural options and what extra cost would be involved if the major component was bought in and installed. In the event the client decides not to proceed with the repair no costs will be levied save that of return post and packing.

What is included in the Fixed Price?
We do not surprise our customers with hidden extra costs. ALM Micros will always make clear what costs you are likely to incur before you are committed to them. If however on strip down fatal cracking of the board is found then contact with the client would be sought to determine how to proceed, or in some cases it will make the laptop beyond economical repair as new motherboards can be very expensive unless we have a second user one in stock.

When a connector, port, chip or basic electronic components on your laptop fails the chances are that we can find the fault and repair it under the fixed price repair scheme. Currently our Fixed Price Repair for laptops is £95 (ex. VAT and P&P), this fixed price includes all parts and labour, and we give a 3 month warranty, one of the longest in the trade.

If the cost would exceed the fixed price due to the need to replace a major assembly we will place the repair on hold and provide you with an estimate for repair. If you decide not to accept this estimate then we return your machine for the cost of the return postage and packaging.  We will not normally release repairs until payment has been received.  We may insist on payment being made by cleared funds.  We reserve the right to dispose of machines after three months where payment has not been made, to handling charge and minimize storage.

By sending your PC/laptop to us for repair you are indicating that you have read, understood and agree to our terms and conditions, so please read them!

The only time we would give an extra quote, is if we cannot repair a board and do not have one in stock and have to buy one in. However if we do quote on this basis, and you do not want to go with this option, we will return your PC/laptop at no cost to yourself apart from the collection/delivery charges.

If we cannot repair a board and we have a second user one in stock, we will provide it at no extra charge.
HDD, are included up to 80 GB, and CPU's are included up to P4 2.4, we will split the cost on higher spec replacements.

We do not include the consumables in our fixed price repair scheme, such as batteries, however, if it is a battery that we have second hand stock of that has not cost us a premium, we would supply a complimentary replacement, but the free replacement would not carry a warranty.

 

How to book a repair?
When you first enquire about our repair service either by phone or on line a “reference number” is generated by filling in the form on line or manually by the sales team that takes your call. This reference number is unique to your enquiry and stored under it is the make model and your description of the fault. A fixed price if the fault falls in that category or an estimate of the cost if a major component requires complete replacement is also given to you and noted on the reference notes. This allows you to obtain other quotes or think over the options presented to you saving time if you decide to use our services by only having to quote the reference number to any member of the sales staff.

If you decide to precede the reference number is all you will ever need when contacting us to convert your enquiry/quote into a collect and repair, check on the repair progress or obtain a tracking number when your machine is dispatched back to you.

 

To book a repair, please adhere to the following steps:

Call ALM MICROS on 0121 789 7848 between 10:00-18:00 Mon-Sat or complete the on-line Repair Booking Form and we will call you.

We will confirm the details of the equipment and fault symptoms, and issue you with a booking Ref. No.
Send your laptop to ALM MICROS at the address below WITH THE REF NUMBER CLEARLY VISIBLE on the package.

ALM Micros
Unit 42 IMEX Business Park, Flaxley Road, Stechford, Birmingham, B33 9AL.

  • The equipment must be securely and properly packaged. See our shipping information.
  • If required, ALM MICROS can arrange collection and return for a nominal fee.
  • We will let you know when your PC/laptop has arrived at our workshop.
  • The fault will be assessed and repaired. Chargeable repairs are normally assessed within 2 days of receipt at our workshop and your authorization is required before work proceeds.
  • ALM MICROS will inform you of any delays due to parts availability, etc.
  • ALM MICROS will inform you when your PC/laptop is ready and confirm dispatch to you by next business day carrier. Return carriage for warranty repairs is free of charge within UK Mainland.

 

Fixed Price Repair Warranty (on Laptops)
Our work is fully guaranteed. All components supplied are covered by ALM Micros parts and labour warranty.
Based on our ability to fix your computer we offer the best warranty around. A ALM Micros parts and labour warranty is attached to every laptop we repair. No one else in the UK trusts their work well enough to give ALM Micros warranty.

We do repair over 95% of the machines we see. However, there are some machines where we must replace a major component rather than repair the existing part due to part availability or because of extensive damage to the unit. We do our best, we are good at what we do, but are not miracle workers. Repairs which require cosmetic plastic parts (i.e.: case, lid catches, etc.) are normally done within the price, but these are subject to availability, and are not actually part of our charge for fixed price repairs.

What does the warranty cover?
Our warranty covers our work (Our workshop report lists repairs and replacement), not batteries or other things that we have not repaired or replaced.

We will not cover any part's that were not related to your original fault, or that we did not supply, i.e. if the machine came in for a dead motherboard, and the hard drive went down 3 months later (presuming we did not supply the drive) we would not of course replace the hard drive for free.

What happens if my system fails again within the 3 months warranty?
Rarely do we encounter this situation, but since we are dealing with various electronic components and outside power sources, the situation could arise.

If your system fails again within the 3 months and it shows the exact same symptom and failure we will ask that you use your original Repair Order Number and we will collect the system from you for free. (Mainland UK only). There will not be any more occurring charges and you will not pay for shipping the unit back to you again. We stand firm behind our commitment to repair your system correctly.

No-Fix-No-Fee Policy

Our No-Fix-No-Fee policy means that if the engineer does not possess the necessary technical knowledge or ability to resolve the problem or effect the repair, then no charge is made to the customer, apart from a small callout fee or collection/delivery charge.

If the engineer would be able to resolve the problem or affect the repair, but is prevented from doing so by the customer requesting the engineer not to proceed with the work, then the customer is charged for the engineer's time spent to that point.

If the engineer is able to resolve the problem or affect the repair, but is then prevented from demonstrating it due the customer not being in possession of the required software CD-Rom or Product Key to demonstrate it working then the customer is charged for the engineer's time spent to that point.
If the engineer provides a clear and precise diagnosis of a failed component and the customer decides not to proceed with the replacement of the component, then the customer is charged for the engineer's time spent to that point.

The policy does not apply to work related to data recovery, computer virus or spy-ware problems or to cases in which the computer has been struck by lightning.

How quick can we repair?
We try to have all repairs completed in 3-7 days. Sometimes though we receive a glut of machines’ in a particular week and this does slow us down a bit and the repairs may take a few more days to complete. Also occasional laptops arrive with out of the ordinary problems and this also tends to slow throughput down but that unfortunately is the nature of the business.

Sometimes, we need to order parts and then become at the mercy of our vendor or manufacturer of the PC/laptop. This can take up to 7 days in some cases. Also, keep in mind that almost all the PC/laptops we look at have been worked on before us. We must go track to the original problem before attempting to repair its current failure. If we have the luxury of being the first to look at your laptop, the chance of repairing your laptop within 3 day's is pretty good.