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Leading Edge Computers Longreach grants visitors to this web site a licence to download and display material on this site for private and non-commercial use only. For any other purposes, permission must be sought from Leading Edge Computers Longreach.

Permission, if given, will be subject to the current terms and conditions.

No permission is given to reproduce or use material on this web site other than that expressly stated above.

Disclaimer:

• Use of the information contained on this web site is at your sole risk.
• If you rely on information on this web site you are responsible for ensuring by independent verification it’s accuracy or completeness.
• The information on this web site is subject to change without prior notice.
• All prices listed on this web site are indicative only and subject to errors and omissions. Pricing can be confirmed by contacting Leading Edge Computers Longreach. Unless such confirmation takes place, Leading Edge Computers Longreach does not undertake to offer any goods listed on
  this web site at the pricing listed on this web site.
• Leading Edge Computers Longreach:
  • makes no representations as to the accuracy of the information contained on this web site;
  • accepts no liability for any use of the information contained on this web site or for any reliance placed on it;
  • makes no representations as to the suitability of the information on this web site;
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  • does not endorse or necessarily approve of any material on sites link from or to this web site;
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Privacy:

This statement sets out Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s policy relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s privacy policy is based on national privacy standards.

Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s web site collects the following information from users:

• A record of your visit that logs the following information for statistical purposes – the user’s IP address, the date and time of the visit, the pages accessed and files or documents downloaded, the previous site visited and the type of browser used.  Leading Edge Computers Longreach makes no attempt to identify individual users or their overall browsing activities, except, in the unlikely event of an investigation where a law enforcement agency may serve a warrant to inspect our server logs or those of any service provider we may be using at the time. The information we collect is analysed monthly to determine general site usage statistics.
• Leading Edge Computers Longreach retains the email address of people who send email via the contact web page facility for the express purpose of sending a response where requested. These email addresses are stored in a secure way within Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s internal network and will not be used for any other purpose nor disclosed without your consent.
• People who submit additional information through our web site are requested to provide their name, location and email address. This information is used to establish ownership of the material and enables Leading Edge Computers Longreach to contact the owner as required specifically in relation to their contribution.
• Access to this information is restricted to staff of Leading Edge Computers Longreach and are not provided to any other individual or organisation except where directed by a law enforcement agency.
• Please note that Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s web site contains links to other web sites that are not controlled by Leading Edge Computers Longreach. When a user clicks on a link to another site they leave Leading Edge Computers Longreach’s site and are no longer protected by the conditions laid out in this privacy statement.
• This privacy statement is periodically reviewed by Leading Edge Computers Longreach and is subject to change without prior notice in line with ongoing developments.

No matter where your computer lives there’s  dust around.  Because a computer uses fans to help keep cool, that dust will get sucked into the computer.  Also, the critters that live around you probably like that warm and dry environment of the computer – this can include spiders, mice, geckos, frogs, and so on. They all leave something behind.  Eventually, your computer can get clogged with this build-up of dust, dirt, spider webs, dead insects.  If not cleaned out periodically, the computer may overheat, or short out, causing components in your computer to fail.

Ignoring the inside of your computer can lead to your computer failing completely.

This applies just as much to laptops as desktop computers.  Although the empty space in a laptop is nowhere near as great, there are still places where dust and other stuff can build up.  Particularly because laptops are often used in places where a desktop computer wouldn’t be – such as in a car, sitting outside on a park bench, etc.

So, from the perspective of keeping the hardware of your computer working.  Regular maintenance is important.

But what about the software?  Yep, that too.

Microsoft releases updates for Windows (and other Microsoft products such as Office) on the first Tuesday of each month (also known as Patch Tuesday).  Sometimes, there are no updates for your computer, other times there are.  Occasionally, there are also more urgent patches released that address significant security flaws.

As well as Microsoft, your antivirus software may be releasing updates as often as every hour or two.  Other software on your computer is also updated periodically.

While some of these updates are optional and offer additional features, many are intended to address security flaws that have been found.  If you don’t install these updates then you may find that your computer is not as secure as it should be – this is particularly important for any computer being used on the Internet.

In 2004, the Internet Storm Center found that an unpatched computer connected to the Internet might be compromised in as little as 20 minutes.  This time is so short, you might not even be able to get your computer fully up to date before it gets compromised.  These days, that survival time may be much lower.

What does this mean for you?

On your computer, both the hardware and the software need regular maintenance.  Without it, the hardware in your computer may fail or the software may be compromised and result in your computer not running normally.

By Who?

Who should do this maintenance?  That’s up to you.  If you’re comfortable with doing the sorts of things talked about here then go ahead and do the maintenance yourself. If you’re not as confident, then you may be better off getting a qualified and experienced computer tech to do this work for you.  The bottom line, though, is that, either way, the maintenance gets done.

How often?

If you leave your computer turned off most of the time and use it for email once a week, and keep your software up to date, then once a year might be all you need.  If you leave your computer running all the time and use it for many hours each day then once every month or two might be necessary.

The more of this maintenance you are comfortable carrying out yourself, the less often you’ll need to take your computer to a tech who can make sure it’s done properly.

If you don’t keep up to date with the maintenance, it can mean needing more expensive repairs – particularly if lack of maintenance results in failed hardware components in your computer.

Everyone knows somebody who “knows computers” and is happy to help sort out computer problems.  A friend, or relative, like this can be great to have around when you run into something you’re not sure about.  It sure beats having to pay a professional computer tech to fix the problem!

However, just like every other trade (including motor mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc) a job that looks simple, particularly when you watch a professional doing the job, may actually be more complicated and only look simple because the person doing the work has years of training and experience behind them.

In the world of computers, where today’s new technology is next weeks obsolete part, this includes understanding that even though the plug fits, those two bits might not work with each other; that static electricity damages computer parts;  that repairing a problem may not mean replacing that part – the failure might actually be something else entirely.  Training and experience comes into play for these things.  It helps make sure the job is done right. Instead of being done wrong and causing even more expensive problems down the track.

This is what we were told for the computer in the photo above.  What we found is far from unusual for an amateur computer repair.  While the computer may have worked for a little while, it soon failed again.  Instead of a relatively simple repair (as was originally the case) of replacing a hard drive, there is now a more complicated repair that includes testing components to make sure that the loose hard drive hasn’t cause additional damage – as well as doing the original repair properly.

In this case, the first repair did no real good, had to be done over, and might have caused even more damage to the computer.  Was it worth saving the cost of the first repair for this result?  Probably not.

Fortunately, the owner was lucky and no additional damage resulted.  After removing the failed bits and installing things properly it was all fixed.

Why was the original repair done this way?  I can only speculate.  Perhaps the “mate” couldn’t work out how to get the failed hard drive out so just left it there.  Perhaps they didn’t have a spare/longer IDE cable to install the hard drive somewhere else.  Perhaps they didn’t have any drive screws to actually screw it into place.  Possibly they didn’t understand that having metal edges loose and potentially exposed to electrical currents may cause a short circuit. There are many reasons why this repair is flawed and it’s likely that the ultimate reasons come down to inexperience.

So, anyone can fix computers.  Right?

Sort of.

But you may not get a good repair and, sometimes, you might make the problem worse.

Why Buy from Us?

We are locally owned and operated.

When you buy a computer from us, you are buying from someone who lives in the same community and cares about seeing our community prosper.

We know what matters in our area.

There’s the heat, dust, geckos and poor power conditions.  There’s two way satellite and wireless local loop and NextG Internet.  There’s Phoenix, FarmKeeper, NLIS wands and GPS receivers.  We know what all these things are.  We know how they impact on your choice of computer.  We understand the somewhat unique requirements that living in our area imposes on purchasing a new computer.

We service what we sell.

When you purchase a computer from us you are safe in the knowledge that if something goes wrong we can deal with that problem right here in most cases.  You won’t have to send your computer away to get repaired (potentially at your expense).

Our customers get priority service.

When our workshop is busy (and that’s most of the time!) we will always give priority to you instead of someone who has purchased a computer from “out of town”.

Our customers receive value-added service.

Because you purchased your computer from us, we know the computer, the software with it, the peripherals attached to it, and its history.  This lets us deal with any problems faster and more efficiently.

We WANT you to be happy!  Let’s face it, it’s a small town.

If you aren’t happy you’ll tell all your friends.  We know that and would much rather that you tell your friends how happy you are instead.  As a result, we strive to offer great service.  Do you think a “supermarket” computer shop on the coast or anonymous online retailer cares about you as a customer?

We understand that things go wrong.

Because of that, we offer every new computer buyer our “Free Fix Certificate” which entitles you to one “oops” fixed with no labour charge.

Quality matters!

Sure, there’s going to be something cheaper available.  That’s because we refuse to sell something that won’t be reliable and won’t do what you need it to do.  Nothing gets cheap without losing something in the process.  Usually, the first thing you lose when you buy cheap is QUALITY.  The second thing you’ll usually lose is SERVICE.  We care about both.  Don’t you?

We’re here to stay.

This isn’t some “fly by night” operation.  We’ve been in the IT business now for ten years (along with over 25 years of combined computer experience).  As a result, you can be confident that we’ll be here to help you out in the future.

We give back to our community.

Through our various business enterprises, we give back to the community.  We donate goods, services and money to good causes and community groups.  We know this is a great place to live and we’d like to see it stay that way.

Ask yourself: does that “big city IT guru”, coastal “supermarket computer store”, or online retailer (based who knows where), deliver this kind of value to YOU and OUR COMMUNITY?

OptiRent is exclusive to customers of Leading Edge

Drop in and ask us for more details on how easy it is to OptiRent your new computer.  Approved applicants are processed within minutes allowing you to enjoy your new equipment sooner.

We offer

OptiRent, OptiKeep and OptiFinanceLease

Advantages of OptiRenting include

• Add additional equipment during the term with ease
• Bundle your IT, entertainment and leisure equipment in one simple plan
• Tax deductions may apply (consult your accountant)
• Convenience of payments by Direct Debit or Credit Card
• Flexibility to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly to suit your budget
• You can easily upgrade out of date equipment
• More options, more choices, more flexibility

You can OptiRent as little as $435 with no upper limit, over terms of 12, 24, 36 and 48 months and for larger amounts to approved applicants, 60 months.

You can OptiRent:

• Desktops, laptops, and servers
• Printers, multifunction printers
• TV’s, plasmas and LCD’s
• Home Theatres
• PDA’s
• Photocopiers
• Media Centres
• Cash registers
• Phones
• Digital cameras
• Navigation equipment
• …and more…

Are you getting error messages?

Why not optimise your computer’s performance with our Annual PC Check Up?

We carry out an extensive system function check to ensure that your computer is working normally.  We assess the general function and capacity of your computer to make sure it’s capable of doing what you want with it.

Don't Let This Happen to You

Our Check Up includes:

• External Inspection
• Ventilation and Cooling:
  • External Vents
  • Vent Protection
  • Power Supply Fans
  • CPU Heat Sink and Fan
  • General Suitability to Conditions
• Internal Inspection
• Power Supply Function
• System Memory (RAM):
  • Inspection and Capacity
  • Memory Function Test
• Hard Drive:
  • Inspection and Capacity
  • Disk Scan
  • Disk Defragment
• Optical Drive (CD-ROM, DVD Burner, etc):
  • Read Functionality
  • Burn/Write Functionality
• Computer Operation:
  • Inspection
  • Operating System Updates Status
  • Application Updates Status
  • Internet Protection Status
  • Malware Scan
  • Burn-in/Stress Test
• Clean Interior and Exterior

Includes $44 credit towards any labour on repairs carried out while your computer is in our workshop.

Why?

A few times each month we repair computers after they’ve been damaged by having a gecko, frog, or other “critter” get into the internal workings of the system.  It’s surprising how the little critters get into such small gaps and holes.

This type of repair usually requires replacing the power supply.  A comparatively minor repair that will cost you around $130.  Sometimes, though, other damage is done.  This will make the repairs more expensive and, in some cases, result in the computer being beyond economic repair.

While your insurance may cover the costs of the repairs, it probably won’t cover you for the lost use of the computer for however long it takes for your insurance to get sorted and the repair (or replacement) to be finalised.

The LEC Longreach Solution.

LEC Longreach has created the Gecko Guard™ system that will help guard your computer against geckos, frogs, etc.  The primary component of the Gecko Guard™ is a strong metal mesh that is installed over the air vents on the cooling fan in your power supply.

The mesh is painted to reduce the chance of rust and is coarse enough to permit reasonable air flow while being fine enough to prevent geckos from getting into your computer.  We secure the mesh within the computer case so that it’s properly installed and not easily dislodged or able to fall off.

As well as installing the mesh, we check your computer to ensure adequate cooling and install additional fans as required.  We also check the rest of the computer for any other places where a gecko may gain entry into the system and install custom-sized Gecko Guard™ mesh over these areas as well.

OK, I Need One!  How Much?

Installation includes:

• Gecko Guard™ mesh over the power supply.
• Gecko Guard™ mesh over other entry points into the computer case.
• Assessment of cooling requirements on the computer following installation of Gecko Guard™ mesh.
• Installation of additional cooling as required (at no extra cost).

The Fine Print:

No solution is perfect.  While the risk is drastically reduced, we cannot completely guarantee that nothing will get into the computer.  This would only be possible if we completely blocked all holes and gaps.  Doing that would cause your computer to overheat and fail.  If you truly need a sealed solution, talk to us.  There are options.

We can normally install Gecko Guard™ protection as a same-day service.  Where additional custom fitted Gecko Guard™ mesh is required, this process may take longer to permit us to customise the mesh to your specific requirements.

While Gecko Guard™ is provided at a fixed fee, there may be times where LEC Longreach detects other problems.  When we identify additional issues we will contact you before proceeding to advise you of these problems and request your approval for an appropriate remedy.  If you elect not to proceed, LEC Longreach reserves the right to refrain from continuing the Gecko Guard™ install where we believe that such installation compromises the cooling integrity of the computer system.

Here’s how we make buying a computer easy and hassle free with our Carepack.

Every Carepack sold includes:

• Pre-Delivery Check – we carry out a 50 plus point pre-delivery check to ensure that everything is working exactly as it should.
• Recovery Discs – most new computers don’t include Windows discs, instead they include software installed on the computer to allow you to create your own.  We create these discs for you, including professional disc labels so they’re easy to identify when you need them.
• Windows Updates – even straight out of the box, a new computer needs new updates installed from Microsoft.  Depending on the computer, this may result in needing to download hundreds of megabytes over the Internet.  We take care of this for you.  We get your computer completely up to date with all the applicable updates available from Microsoft at the time you take delivery.
• Install Software:New Software – we install, activate and update all new software that you have purchased with your computer.  We make sure it’s properly configured and working as it should.
  • Pre-owned Software – we also check any software you may already own, make sure it will work properly on your new computer, then install, activate and update it as required.
  • Standard Utilities – In addition to the software you purchase or provide to us, we also install a range of software that helps to make your computer more useful.
• Install Hardware:
  
  • New Hardware – we install and configure any new hardware that you have purchased with your computer.  We make sure it’s working as it should.
  • Pre-owned Hardware – we also check any hardware you already own, make sure it’s working correctly and then install and configure it on your new computer.
• Configuration – we go through your computer and set up Windows to a standard configuration that we have found, through years of testing, best suits you, our customer.  This includes many changes to the “out of the box” configuration of a new computer to ensure that you get the best possible experience out of your new computer.
• Record Critical Information – we gather and record the serial numbers of all major hardware items purchased with your computer (e.g. computer, monitor, printer, etc).  This information may be important for insurance purposes or to help you in case you need this information when talking to a repairer if your computer should need to be fixed under warranty.

We stand behind the equipment we sell.  If a machine fails during any of the processes above we will replace it!