Computer Woes? N42 Service Center Is at the Ready

Last fall, Information Services and Technology (IS&T) launched a combined Hardware and Software Service Center in Building N42 for repairs, consulting, and troubleshooting. With continued staff cross-training and a new simplified pricing structure, this single “front door” at 211 Massachusetts Avenue makes it easy for members of the MIT community to get expert diagnosis and help. You don’t need to know whether your computer woes are caused by a hardware malfunction, software conflicts, corrupted operating system, virus – or a combination of factors.

How It Works
Call the Computing Help Desk at 617.253.1101 to talk to a consultant before bringing your computer to N42. Depending on the nature of the problem, a phone call may be able to save you the trip. If not, you can make an appointment for an in-person consultation or a drop off.

Note: If you prefer, IS&T will pick up equipment from on-campus Institute offices, with a turnaround time of one to two days. There is a $35 fee for pick-up and delivery.

When you arrive at N42, a Help Desk consultant will ask you a series of diagnostic questions about your computer. There is no charge for the first 15 to 30 minutes you spend with the consultant. If the problem has not been resolved in that time, you can choose to leave your machine at the Service Center for repair.

At this point, you will be charged billable rates ($60 an hour plus the cost of any parts). Most jobs are fixed in an hour, though some, such as data recovery, take longer. There is no charge for work on hardware under warranty – although you will need to bring proof of warranty. Since applications do not come with warranties, any software-related work is billable (for example, installing an operating system and patches – even if on a new hard drive).

Payment is due in full upon completion of the repair. You can pay using an MIT Cost Object (account number) for Institute computers, or by check, Visa, or Mastercard.

Getting Down to Specifics
Vendor-certified Service Center staff diagnose and repair Institute or personally owned Apple, Dell, and IBM computers, as well as selected HP computers and printers. Work on equipment from other vendors is done on a “best effort” basis. Typical jobs include replacing parts and installing upgrades, doing system tune-ups, and defragmenting hard drives. The Service Center also sells maintenance agreements for HP laser printers.

On the software side, Service Center staff repair or reinstall operating systems, recover data, remove viruses, and install MIT-supported software.

The Full Story
For more details on these services, see the Computing Help Desk web page.