Clayton Computer by The FantasTechs

No virus could be found, so the Tech performed every system checkup and maintenance cleanup that exceeded my basic abilities (eg, registry stuff), with software not readily available to typical end users. He only charged for the housecall, the price of which was made known and agreed to at the time the appointment was made. He also gave me his home contact data in case the PC kept misbehaving or crashed altogether, and said the housecall charge would be waived should a 2nd visit be required. Oh, and he came after hours, ie, in the evening after dinnertime. The problem did not recur, so I surmise it was either 1 of those inexplicable computer thingies which I've witnessed so many times during my 30+ years in IT, or something resolved by something in the Tech's cleanup actions. They really gave their company an accurate name.

First off, there was a mis-communication. I took my computer in and told them I had pictures missing from my computer. I told them which file held the most important missing pictures. I received a call from someone that they had found my pictures. After a short discussion, I realized they had only found the pictures I had left. They were looking for the folder, but did not realize that images within that folder were missing. After that, they told me I had a virus, but could not confirm or verify what the virus did or if it had anything to do with my missing pictures. They then told me that files were being deleted and written over and that if my pictures had been deleted and written over that they were lost forever. But, they offered to send my hard drive to another company who may be able to retrieve them. In the end, I did not get the virus removed because they said that the virus removal process may make retrieving the pictures even more difficult if at all possible. They backed up my pictures only and I had to request that they back up my entire computer. As of right now, the computer is non-functional, turned off as not to allow any more deletions, and what was left has been backed up to my hard-drive. I'm sure this is one of those very rare cases of malicious virus activity, but I didn't feel like they were really that concerned about it. They didn't even try to find the name or research to virus. You would think as a computer repair company that probably specializes in virus removal would want to track and compile virus information. The boys who helped me were nice, I'm just not sure I went to the right place for my particular problem.

Was told when I called that they had a special (advertised on Angie's List) for full computer diagnostics and repair for $99.00 (I assume there would have been some limitations on that.) Told the gentleman on the phone I had a corrupted user profile - he said they could fix that; asked how long it would take - said they would take a few hours to find out what was wrong, call me with an estimate, and perhaps I could have it back same day - but depending on what they found, may take until the next day to return. Took it in at noon on 12/6/13. They did not call with an estimate, so I phoned them at 5pm and left a message that I was following up on my computer (they closed at 6pm.) I never got a return call. Phoned them the next morning around 10am and left a message that I wanted to pick up my computer (the lack of communication had convinced me I should take it somewhere else.) About 3 hours later, a different gentleman called than the first I had spoken to, said he was running computer diagnostics, and that I should be able to pick up the computer - repaired - in an hour or so. He called as promised and said the computer was ready. When I went to pick it up, I asked him how a user profile gets corrupted (hoping to avoid it in the future) - he said he didn't know, and would have to do research to know why, and he didn't have time for that. He then added that he had never done the computer diagnostics that were supposed to be a part of my $99 deal "because you needed it back right away." I told him that they had had the computer for over 24 hours - he said the diagnostics needed 48 hours to run (I find that very hard to believe) and that he had to call the owner for permission to "fix my computer without running the diagnostics - we usually don't do that, but you were in a rush." Told him that the communication had been deplorable - I had been told this would be a matter of hours to do - he said I should call back on Monday and talk to someone else (and though polite, could not have been more disinterested in the disconnect between what I had been told and what I got.) He also volunteered that my computer "was probably ok because it was only a couple years old." Seriously? I would not use this business again, not would I recommend them - bad communication, didn't give me what I paid for (because I still don't know if something's wrong with my computer that may create another corrupted profile), and didn't care enough to deal with my obvious and vocal complaints about either.

I have been using them for several years. They have always been able to solve my problems. They are very handy and personable to me. When I would try to print or email someone it would she my computer down. It took them one day and they got that fixed for me. I have not had any issues since. I take my computer to them and I trust them with all of my computer problems. I also go in there for advice and they were always very helpful. They use a program where they will diagnosis my computers problems, and they do that for free. I am always so grateful when they get my computer up and running again.

They did work for me awhile ago. I was having issues with my computer/laptop and the brand was Asus. We went to them and they were able to get the computer fixed for me in a 3-4 days. I did have to call them to check up on the status of my computer. They guy who ran the place seemed to know more than the technician who worked on my computer. It was quite a distance from my home to their location though.

I had a computer virus in the spring. They picked up my computer and they took it to their location. It took them about 2-3 days to get the virus out. They contacted me when the work was done and we set up a time for them to come back and reinstall the computer. The computer has been working ever since. They are a bit expensive though.

I received the files back on a new external hard drive I provided the day after I dropped it off.

It was fine, he came on time, his work was fine, there were no problems. The printer works fine!

I was very satisfied with Clayton Computer. The service and serviceman was fine. The price was fair. He talked to me and listened to what I had to say.

Within about 4 hours they told me about their diagnosis, which was quicker than the 24 hrs. they estimated when I dropped the computer off. I gave them the verbal OK to do the repair via phone when they called with the repair estimate. They said it would take approx. 24 hours. However, it ended up taking over 48 hours. I was understanding of this, but once I got the computer home and began working on it, I discovered that they failed to reinstall many of my personal files, some drivers, and some significant software (including Microsoft Office); despite the fact that I took these backup CD's in with me when I dropped the computer off for repair! I called them the next morning, and they apologized, and asked me to bring the computer (and discs) back up. I did so, and it took them about 7 more hours to reinstall & fix all of the things they failed to do the first time. (I was told that they passed the work off between two employees, and each apparently thought the other did the things that never got done.) I was again a bit disappointed when I got the computer back the second time, as they failed to reinstall a number of personal files (including Microsoft Outlook files) that they were supposed to do. Fortunately however, I made a back up of these on an external hard drive before I took the computer in for repair the first time, so with some work, I was able to restore these myself. I also had to do a lot of "tweaking" to get Windows and other settings back to where I originally had them. I would have hoped that they would have done all of this as well, but I'm not sure any computer repair place would do that for you. Next time I will remember to print off a bunch of screen shots of these settings, so I can more easily get them back to my liking!

They were courteous on the phone and gave us an idea of what the procedure would be. We brought the computer to their facility. The work was complete in two days. The price was exactly what was quoted. The fee for diagnosis was waived do to an in store promotion.

I used the company's services twice. Each time a technician promptly installed the new hardware into my computer when I brought it to the store. Apparently, when the technician connected my computer to his monitor when installing the dvd burners, the action changed the settings for viewing the monitors. The view on my home monitors (I have two connected to the same computer) was incorrect and not very usable when I reconnected my computer. I called the company and another technician tried to walk me through the settings to fix the problem over the phone. When he could not do that over the phone, he said a technician had to come to my computer. The next day a technician made the needed setting changes at my house. I paid $69 for that service trip.

I called them before hours and received instructions to bring the laptop to the office at opening 10:00 AM. I showed them the problem, they said they could get to it later in the day. They called me the next morning and I went and picked it up. It booted properly.

My husband took the computer to Clayton Computer early Monday morning. He explained the problem. The technician JR quickly took the power cord and transformer and tested it. JR diagnosed the problem, replaced the transformer and power cord, which solved the problem. My husband was on his way in about 10 minutes. JR was personable and clear in his explanation of the problem.

I guess the service was ok I do not know enough about computers to really say. I dropped it off and picked it up. However, there was still a problem with the computer and I had to take it elsewhere for repair. They did charge me $85.00 for a file transfer that I did not ask for that kind of ticked me off.

Overall my guess is their price is on par with most other companies. It's hard to compare because I have not had the same things done by other companies. I gave them a "C" for average. Used this company three times over the last two years. The first time I had them to my house to deal with a networking issue. I was satisfied by the service. The second time my laptop monitor started acting up. Brought it in and got it back in not too long for a time. Had to call them to find it was ready. The 3rd time was a repeat of the monitor issue. It took several weeks to get it back including returning it twice for followup. The time was way longer than promised. It required several followup calls from me. They said they would call me but never did even though they promised they would.The first time (this third service experience) they returned it to me with many case screws missing. The hard drive had failed while it was in their charge and I had them replace it. (Don't think this was their fault.) The tech put in some upgraded software because the problem occurred on their watch. *Offered me a future discount if I gave them an "A" rating with Angies List.* I brought it back for the missing screws and they replaced a few, saying that's how it was when they got it. Eventually I called the owner. His reaction is the only reason they did not get an "F". He apologized, had me bring it in. They replaced the screws in a reasonable time and called to say it was ready. The tech in the first 3 instances, good and bad was the same one. So between those two facts (owner's good reaction and same tech) I have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Might use them again but will only deal with the owner, Steve Dodson. Gave them a "B" overall because I do not know if it was a typical experience.

The entire process went very smoothly. These guys know their stuff and are helpful, punctual, and friendly.

Outstanding service! Brought the PC in and was out the door in less than an hour.

Everything went very well! I was treated very good, especially since I went in there basically with no idea of anything. I am not very computer savvy and had no clue what was exactly wrong or how to describe it accurately. The salesperson was very patient with me and able to pick up on what was going on. My computer was fixed in a timely manner and the price was excellent! I thought I would pay much, much more and I got away for less than $200! I would most definitely recommend them to anyone who needed help with repairs.

My laptop died so I called and spoke with a very friendly and professional woman who suggested I take in my computer and they would look at it and provide an estimate. I dropped it off on a Tuesday and it was ready to be picked up by Wednesday! Not only did they save my data, they preserved all of my programs. They were able to move it all over to a new computer which I understand is very difficult.

Over the past 20 years of owning computers, I had come to dread the experience of replacing a computer. The learning curve and the hassles with help desks on the other side of the world, big box-store customer service counters, etc. were frustrating and incredibly time consuming. So this time when it became clear that my present computer's capacity was full and moving slower by the day, I was determined to find a local, independent computer business that I could work with directly on an on-going basis. Clayton Computer is located just a couple miles from our home, so I approached them, and the first person I met was Steve, the owner. I explained my frustrations with my computer because I was running out of space to do what I needed to do and that I knew someday I needed to replace it and that I thought I probably wanted a laptop but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted and I didn't have time to relearn a whole new system, etc., etc. He efficiently and patiently outlined some options for me. No hard sale here, just some good options. I liked the one about expanding my capacity through an external hard drive that would meet my immediate need of space and be valuable also as a back-up now and in the future with a laptop. He explained the costs of the different options and was very conscious of saving me money. Steve then introduced me to the service technician that would help me set up the external hard drive and help me through setting up the back-up function. I also asked him if I could set up a service contract so I could call and get help as I needed it. Although they had not made service contracts with individuals before, he was willing to do that. I prepaid for a few hours and then felt free to call at any time with questions. In hindsight, over the past year, I probably called about 5 times and each problem was handled in around 15 minutes. I would allow the service technician access to my computer and over the phone we were able to solve the problem. I also learned a lot by participating and watching the solution happen. But most of all, having convenient access to help is the greatest peace of mind. About a month ago I decided it was time because of travelling extensively to make the change to a laptop. Because of the trust I had with Clayton Computer, I went to them to get their recommendations and help in making the transition. It was so nice to work with someone who knew my stituation and again made recommendations but no hard sell. I did choose one of the computers they had in stock and yesterday was the big installation day. Daniel, the technician, came and brought my laptop and set it up. All the information from my old desktop was transferred, migrated, and I was able to clean out programs and folders and have my new computer up and running perfectly. So can you tell I'm a happy customer and look forward to working with Clayton Computer in the future!

Our computer was infested with viruses and we took it over to Clayton Computer to have them take a look at it. I brought it in on Wednesday and they told me that it would be hard to get it fixed and back to me in time for the weekend. At the time I got the virus infection I had been trying to do some Christmas shopping online. I'm not very computer savvy and I've never done any online shopping before this year, but I wanted to get my wife a nice new big screen TV for Christmas and I found a really good deal on a nice one, but the sale ended in a few days. It was pretty important for me to get my computer back before the weekend since I didn't want to miss out on the sale and I wanted to be able to get my wife a gift before Christmas. So overall, I was pretty nervous about dropping my computer off with these guys since I'd never done any business with them. Up front they were very nice to me and let me know just exactly what they were going to do. They had a very professional system set up and they assured me that they were going to do their best to get it back to me as soon as possible; however, they weren't certain if they could get it back to me before the weekend. Later that afternoon I received a call from the technician who told me that he had started work on my computer and I appreciated that. They told me that if they ran into any problems that they would give me a call to let me know what happened. It must have gone pretty well because they called me Friday afternoon to let me know that it was all done and I was ready to go. I went over to pick up my computer and they had it all ready for me, along with the invoice exactly for the amount that they quoted me when I dropped it off. All in all, I got exactly what I needed, at the price they quoted me, on time. They also gave me a few pointers on how to avoid some of the sites that might have been giving the viruses. Everyone that I spoke with there at Clayton Computer was friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend them to anyone.

From the beginning, they started off on the wrong foot. They called me three separate times to ask again what work I wanted done including what my password was despite the fact that I had already given it to them. They charged me $89 to move the hard drive files to an external drive I had, however the format left them inaccessible to me. When I called, they asked me to bring the drive back and again I couldn't read the files. Finally, they said I would need to change the security settings on the files only from the original computer. To their credit, they did identify that the problem was a defective video processor on the motherboard and offered to install a new video card. I agreed out of fairness to them, even though I could easily go into Best Buy, buy a video card and pop it in myself. To make a long story short, they never got the card in the time frame they promised. Finally, on my 5th visit to the store, after waiting nearly 50 minutes, they pulled a used (but higher speed) card from a display computer and installed it and charged me the price of the new lower speed card. When I pushed, they credited me the $89 data transfer fee. When I got home, I realized that they hadn't installed the driver for the video card. Since they're closed on weekends, I ended up having to purchase a subscription to driver agent.com and do the driver installation myself. Overall an horribly dissatisfying experience. I won't go back. On a positive note, this experience did remind me to get back in the routine of diligent backups!

Service was prompt. I received explanations of what they would do and when; then received a post-diagnostics call to tell me what they found; they repaired the computer in the time frame stated. Very helpful technicians.

Something came loose inside my Acer laptop (I could hear it rattling around inside), whereupon the fan stopped working, and the overheating that resulted kept causing the unit to shut down after about half an hour of work. I build and maintain my own PC, but laptops are harder to work on, so I decided to take it into the shop. They charged me a $60 diagnostic fee up front even though I told them exactly what was wrong, which I found irritating, but the real problem (the first of two problems) was that I told them I need the computer urgently, as I have several computers at home but this is the only one with a firewall and therefore the only one I can use to access the Internet, and that's especially important because I mostly work at home. The person helping me told me something about performing their "diagnostic" and calling me with the results within 48 hours. I walked out the door thinking that she had guaranteed me a 48 hour response, but they told me later that they never guarantee that, so my memory may be faulty on that point; however, she did at least tell me they'd try to respond within 48 hours. That didn't happen; four days later, I finally called them back myself and found that they were just barely getting around to my unit. Repair took place quickly enough after that--I got it back a couple of business days after I called (though a weekend intervened, which was frustrating), but I remain annoyed what I consider to be the excessive amount of time they took to begin the work. So the timeliness of my repair was one major issue, especially when it was such a simple job (a fan swap). But there was a worse problem: the system had no software issues when I took it in, but when I brought it back home, Windows wouldn't boot. I plugged in the laptop, turned it on, and got the dreaded "missing a system file" message on the black screen. My best guess is that Clayton Computer ran some kind of diagnostics software which messed up Windows; at any rate, they did something that corrupted the OS. By this time I no longer trusted them, so rather than taking the machine back to the shop, I took a day off and fixed the problem myself (it ultimately required that I reformat and reinstall the OS; a simple repair proved unsuccessful). I know that other customers have given them good ratings, but how can you depend on someone who doesn't even boot up the machine to ensure that everything's ship-shape after they're done working on it? On the other hand, to be fair, even the best shop makes mistakes sometimes; given the other reports here, my experience was probably anomalous. Still, it happened.