Find the answer.
Skip the policy novel.
Use the Help Center for the questions that matter before service begins: what is supported, how pricing and approval work, how data and credentials are handled, what to expect from appointments and tickets, and where custom-project boundaries begin.
The eight answers customers usually need first.
If one of these answers solves the question, stop here. The deeper library is farther down only for people who need it.
Do you charge a diagnostic fee?
Yes. Diagnosis is paid skilled work. Current standard/advanced prices and any qualifying labor credit are on the Pricing page.
View current pricing →Will I know the cost first?
Yes. Findings, scope, labor, parts/hardware, and important limitations are reviewed before additional work proceeds.
Can I just bring the computer in?
No. Service is appointment-based. Start with guided intake so the device and likely starting service can be reviewed first.
Should I back up first?
Yes, when the computer can still copy safely. Stop repeated copying if storage clicks, disappears, disconnects, or becomes extremely slow.
Will you need my password?
Sometimes. A temporary local technician account is preferred. Shared secrets should use a secure one-time method, not ordinary ticket text.
Can I check repair status online?
The self-hosted portal is still being prepared. Until it is live, updates use the contact information attached to the ticket.
What service formats are available?
Drop-off is primary for physical work. Remote support is for qualifying reachable issues. On-site is premium and quote-based.
What if you find another problem?
Work pauses when the finding changes price, risk, scope, or expected result. A revised option is presented before continuing.
Know what belongs here before opening the ticket.
The public menu is intentionally focused on work that can be scoped, tested, documented, and supported responsibly.
- Computer diagnostics & repair
- Upgrades & laptop components
- Windows / Linux / operating-system work
- Healthy-drive transfer, migration & backup setup
- Custom PC builds
- Private home-server projects
- Qualifying remote support
- Unusual hardware
- Customer-supplied parts
- Unstable storage
- Complex disassembly
- Location-dependent on-site work
- Non-standard private integrations
- Phones & tablets
- Board-level / microsoldering repair
- Advanced clean-room data recovery
- Dedicated malware-remediation packages
- Pickup / return as standard service
Use the least access reasonably required.
Repair, migration, operating-system, and private-system work can require access. The standard is to connect that access to a defined purpose and return control at handoff.
Access only what the service needs.
Personal files are not browsed out of curiosity. Data access should follow the approved task.
Back up while storage is still healthy.
No repair provider can guarantee existing data on damaged or unstable media.
Use temporary access when practical.
A temporary technician account is preferred to sharing a personal account password.
Customer owns final administrator access.
Private-system administrator and recovery information belongs with the customer at completion.
One ticket should follow the request from intake to completion.
The process is designed to reduce repeated calls: guided intake, accepted scheduling, approvals, meaningful updates, payment records, testing, and handoff all stay connected to the same service record.
Device, symptoms, timing, data concerns, outcome, accessories.
Service fit and likely starting scope are reviewed before scheduling.
Intake, approvals, payments, messages, and status remain connected.
Added work waits for customer approval.
Relevant testing, summary, balance, pickup or project acceptance.
The self-hosted ticket portal is still being prepared. This page should not imply that a live status dashboard exists yet.
Twelve consolidated answers instead of twenty-four repeated questions.
These stay collapsed until someone actually needs the detail. The major policy concepts above do not need to be repeated again inside every answer.
01How long will a repair or project take?
Timing depends on diagnosis, testing, parts availability, data volume, operating-system work, hardware ordering, and customer approval. A useful estimate can be provided after scope is understood; fixed completion dates are not guaranteed.
02How are custom PC builds priced and approved?
The intended use, components, budget, appearance, setup, and testing are approved before ordering. Customer-specific hardware is paid before ordering and meaningful changes require revised scope.
03How are private home servers priced?
Standard packages can be based on approved services such as photos, files, media, backup, or secure remote access. Hardware, drives, migration, unusual integrations, rescue work, and ongoing maintenance are separate.
04What happens if another problem is discovered?
Work pauses if a new finding changes price, risk, scope, or expected result. The issue is explained and a revised option is presented before extra work continues.
05Does the work include a warranty or support period?
Any labor coverage, part warranty, correction period, or included support is stated in the estimate, invoice, package, or service terms. Unlimited support is not included unless explicitly purchased.
06What happens at completion?
The approved work is tested against the original complaint or project scope. The customer receives a summary of work, known limitations, submitted accessories, and customer-controlled access where applicable.
07What devices do you work on?
The public focus is Windows laptops/desktops, Linux-capable computers, gaming PCs, custom-built systems, and compatible laptop components. Unusual hardware is reviewed before acceptance.
08Do you offer malware cleanup or security hardening?
Not as a dedicated public service. Diagnostics may identify suspicious software or recommend an operating-system reinstall, but comprehensive malware-remediation and security-hardening packages are not currently advertised.
09Can I bring my own part?
Often, after review. Labor may still be chargeable if the supplied part is incompatible, defective, incomplete, used, or unable to solve the original problem.
10Do you provide data recovery?
Circuit Craftworks provides transfer, migration, cloning, and backup work when the source remains readable and reasonably stable. Advanced clean-room recovery is not offered in-house.
11When will I receive a ticket number?
A ticket is created when a request is accepted for scheduling or when a device is checked in, depending on the final workflow in use.
12Can I pay cash at drop-off?
Yes, during a staffed appointment. Cash should not be left in an unattended locker or after-hours drop box. Parts, custom hardware, and project deposits may require payment before ordering.
Describe what you want fixed, moved, installed, or built.
You do not need to choose the perfect service name. Guided intake collects the device, symptoms, desired result, important data, and context needed to identify the responsible starting path.