Welcome! Is your computer running slow, making funny noises, or not starting up at all? Did it catch a virus? Are you worried about what will happen when the clock rolls over to the year 2000? You've come to the right place.

My name is Ray K. and I've been fixing computers for 12 years, from the old XTs and 286s up to today's Pentium III machines. I am A+ Certified, and I've been running Precision PC Repair right here in Oakdale since 1995. My shop is just off Main Street, around the corner from Hartley Hardware. If you can't bring your computer in, I'll come to you.

• Repair and Troubleshooting - Won't boot? Blue screens? Lockups? Dead power supply? I'll find the problem and tell you what it will cost before I fix it.
• Memory Upgrades - More RAM is the cheapest way to speed up Windows 98. Going from 16MB to 64MB makes a world of difference. Note: memory prices have been jumping around since the earthquake in Taiwan this week, so please call or e-mail for today's price.
• Hard Drive Upgrades - Out of room? I'll install a new, larger drive and move all your files, programs and e-mail over to it. Older computers sometimes can't see drives over 8.4GB without a BIOS update or special setup software. I take care of that too.
• Virus Removal - I'll clean out viruses, install anti-virus software and show you how to keep it up to date. (See Virus Help below.)
• Internet Setup - Just signed up for AOL or one of the local dial-up providers? I'll set up your modem, get you connected, set up your e-mail and your web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer), and show you how to get around. Got an older 56K modem? I can upgrade it to the V.90 standard so you get better connections.
• Y2K Checkups - Only $29 for a limited time! (See below.)
• New Hardware Installed - CD-ROM drives, CD-R drives, sound cards, video cards, modems, scanners, printers, Zip drives.
• Refurbished PCs - Tested, cleaned and guaranteed. (See For Sale.)

1. Test your BIOS date rollover. I set the clock to 11:59 PM on December 31, 1999 and watch what happens. Some older computers roll over to 1900 or 1980 instead of 2000. Most of these can be fixed with a BIOS update, and I'll tell you if yours can.
2. Install the Windows 98 Year 2000 updates from Microsoft (Windows 95 updates too).
3. Check your software - your checkbook program, spreadsheets, tax and accounting software - and give you a written list of anything that needs an update or a patch.
4. Back up your important files to floppies or a Zip disk if you bring them. Everyone should have a backup before New Year's Eve!

1999 has been a bad year for viruses. In March the Melissa virus came in e-mail as a Word document and mailed itself to the first 50 people in your address book. Then on April 26th the CIH virus (some people call it Chernobyl) went off and wiped out the start of the hard drive on computers all over the world. On some machines it even erased the BIOS chip so the computer wouldn't start at all. I fixed more computers the week after April 26th than any other week since I opened the shop.

Ray's rules for staying virus-free:

• Get anti-virus software (Norton AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan) and update it at least once a month. Old virus definitions won't catch new viruses.
• Don't open e-mail attachments you weren't expecting, even if they come from somebody you know. Melissa came from friends!
• Turn on macro virus protection in Microsoft Word.
• Scan every floppy disk before you use it, especially ones from school or work.
• Keep backups of anything you can't afford to lose.

Think you've got a virus? Don't keep turning it on and off. Shut it down and call me.

• A+ Certified technician with 12 years of experience
• Local - I live here, I shop here, my kids go to school here. You're not calling an 800 number.
• Honest estimates. No surprises on your bill.
• Fast. Most repairs done in 1 to 2 working days.
• Plain English. I'll explain what went wrong without the computer talk.
• House calls for folks who can't haul a computer around.
• 90-day guarantee on all labor.

• Hartley Hardware & Garden - my neighbors on Main Street. Tell Dale I sent you.
• Carol Anne's Bookkeeping & Tax Service - above the bakery on Main Street.
• Oakdale Tigers Little League - Go Tigers!
• Brian's PC Help Page - a sharp young fellow here in SiliconValley with some good tips.
• GeoCities.us SiliconValley - more computer pages.