Welcome to Little Dog Tech Computer Repair

Little Dog Tech is a local full service computer repair company. We offer a flat rate in-shop repair service with available after hours in-home service in the West Des Moines area. We provide fast, effective, and friendly service that is unrivaled anywhere in Iowa, and we have hundreds of repeat customers as a result. Call us now to schedule an appointment!

Some of my more popular services include:

Virus & Spyware Removal

Windows Blue or Black Screen Errors

Data Backup and Recovery

Laptop Screen Replacement

Laptop Power Jack Replacement - I carry most laptop DC jacks in stock for FAST turn-around!

Computer or Network Setup and Configuration

Home Entertainment System or Game System Setup

And Much More, Just Call to Ask!

$89

Starting Flat Rate

$75

Per Hour On Site One Hour Minimum

Feel free to bring in your computer to the shop at the address below. If you have a question, please either submit it with the form to the right, or call the number below.

Services What I can do for you:Virus & Spyware Removal I utilize the latest tools and techniques to rid your system of viruses and other malware that may be slowing you down or comprimising your security. Then, I will assist you with securing your system and minimizing the chances of getting infected again. This service also includes speeding up and optimizing your system so it is more than just removing a virus, it's comprehensive computer service.Windows Blue Screen Errors A Blue Screen, or BSOD for short is basically windows' way of saying something is seriously wrong. It can literally be one of hundreds of problems. Let us diagnose it for you and suggest the best resolution. A quote will be given before you have to decide. Data Backup and Recovery There are two types of hard drives; those that have failed and those that have not failed yet. If your hard drive is acting up or not appearing in your computer, give me a call and I'll see what I can do for you. Simple data recovery (90% of cases) is covered under the $89 flat fee. More complex jobs are quoted on expected recovery time.Seagate 7200.11 Firmware Recovery Seagate 7200.11 series drives have a known problem with their firmware that makes the drive not appear in your BIOS, or appear as a 0 Mb size. The average charge by data recovery companies can be as much as $1000 to do this repair. There is absolutley no reason for this high of a charge for this particular problem. Little Dog Tech offers NATIONAL mail-in service for this specific issue at the standard $89 flat fee plus shipping.Laptop Screen Replacement Laptop LCDs can break pretty easily. Luckily, the prices of replacement LCDs has come down considerably in the last year. This makes replacing the LCD on a laptop sensible and affordable. Call me for an estimate before you decide to replace your computer. Normal turn around time for a screen replacement is 4 business days (M-F). Compare that to the competition!Laptop Power Jack Replacement - Fast Turn-Around! Like screens, laptop power jacks can get damaged pretty easily. I can replace the jack on your laptop and get it back up and running faster and for less money then the large chain stores. I am now stocking replacement jacks for most laptops which enable me to provide a fast turn- around, many times this means 24 hours! Call now to schedule an appointment.Computer Setup and Configuration If you just purchased a new computer, I can come out to your house and set it up for you. I will transfer any data from your old computer, install any software, hardware or other peripherals the you may have. I can also uninstall any unwanted programs and get your system running great! The price is up to you since I charge hourly for this service.Hardware Upgrades and Troubleshooting If you need to upgrade your video card, add a tv tuner, or increase your hard drive space, I can take care of it for you. There is no reason to throw away a perfectly good computer, just upgrade it! Most older computer in the 4-5 year range are plenty fast for basic web browsing and e-mail. There is no reason to get a new computer if you old one just needs to be cleaned or upgraded.Wired and Wireless Networking Networks are one of the great benefits to having multiple computers in your home or small office. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to get that network set up. We can set up laptops, e- book readers, game systems, smart phones and anything else that connects to a wireless signal. And Much More, Just Call to Ask!

Services

Pricing

In Shop Flat Rate Labor Charges:

$39

-Basic diagnostic fee -Applied towards service performed

$89

-Reinstallation of Windows with Data Transfer -Desktop Hardware Replacement

$99

-Laptop Disassembly / Hardware Replacement

-Virus Removal and Clean-up -General Clean-up and Speed-up

$109

Additional services are quoted and billed at the standard hourly rate, in 15-minute increments

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On-Site or Remote Hourly Labor Rates:

$75/hr

-One Hour Minimum on Site -1/2 Hour Minimum via Remote

On-Site Tutoring is also available at the hourly rate.

Parts costs are additional, but minimized when possible.

Pricing

Advice

People Always Ask Me...

What is the best brand of desktop computer to buy?This depends on what you are going to use it for. The average home user can get by with an off the shelf Dell; Sony Vaios are usually more expensive than they should be. I don't like HP's due to some rather serious design flaws I have seen lately. Look at Asus for a good basic desktop computer. The power user should give me a call and let me design a custom solution for less money and with higher quality than anything you can get off the shelf.How about Laptops?Squaretrade just came out with a study of 30,000 laptops. They concluded that ASUS and Toshiba were the best, with HP coming in last. I don't agree that Toshiba laptops are some of the best; they feel toy-like to me. I do like ASUS laptops for basic consumer grade computers. Lenovo Thinkpads are my choice for a business class durable computer. What is the best Anti-virus/Anti-spyware program?The answer to this constantly changes, but right now I am suggesting Kaspersky Internet Security for a full security suite. It covers just about everything you can think of without slowing down your computer as much as Norton or McAfee. Malwarebytes Anti-malware definitely is the most effective anti-spyware scanner that I have found. If you are looking for a free anti-virus option, Avast! anti-virus is a great virus scanner to try. Malwarebytes is a great accompaniment to either. What do I need to do to keep my computer safe?First, practice safe browsing. Even with the best setup in place, you can get a virus if you invite it in! Don't visit questionable websites. Don't open attachments in e-mails that you don't know. Don't follow links in e-mails that you don't trust. If it's too good to be true, it probably is!Second, use a constantly updated antivirus scanner. After that, you should have a decent firewall program. There can be a little bit of a learning curve to a firewall, but it is for the best. For this reason, I suggest Kaspersky Internet Security. It has a great resident virus scanner and the most user friendly firewall I have seen yet. If you do not want an aftermarket firewall, the built-in windows firewall is ok for most users.Third, you should ensure that you have ALL of your program updates installed. This includes Windows, Office, Java, Firefox, and obviously the security suite of your choice. If you don't keep your computer updated, you might as well not have any security measures at all!Fourth, run your internet connection through a decent router. They often have a simple hardware firewall built right in. This can filter out the majority of the potentially dangerous traffic before it reaches your computer. The Linksys WRT54GL with tomato firmware is a great choice. Using a local instead of connecting directly to your modem network can make your computer safer.Last, don't use programs that are inherently dangerous. Limewire comes to mind as the main culprit here. I have joked before that limewire keeps me in business, i'm only half joking. :) It is a huge source of viruses and spyware. What cool programs do you have installed on your computer?The answer to this too constantly changes, but right now I have:Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit with Intel Q6600 Quad core processor and 6Gb of RAM. Not really super fast these days, but more than enough when kept optimized.Kaspersky Internet Security- A great security suite, easy to use and light on system resourcesOpen Office - An open source alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite. Adobe Acrobat Reader - I used to use alternatives such as Foxit and Sumantra, but they were buggy and tried to isntall toolbars and ads. Real Alternative - If you must have a realplayer, this works much better than the actual program.Quicktime Alternative - A better way to view Quicktime movies. Of you can just use VLCplayer to play everything.Unlocker - A very handy way to unlock a file that windows will not allow you to delete.7-Zip - A full featured zipping and unzipping tool. It is much better than winzip and free!Syncback - A free file synchronization tool. It is great for automated backup to another drive.Firefox - The new and improved Firefox is MUCH faster than its predecessors.Google Chrome - Another fast web browser with a lot of potential. It is quite fast. I prefer this one now.Paint.net - A great image editing program if Photoshop is not necessary.Skype - Talk and video conference with other users for free.Mozy.com - Cheap but effective online file backup. Ask me about the professionally monitored version.

Advice

Appointments

Getting Service

Feel free to stop by the shop during normal business hours. Otherwise please call (515) 422-1995 or send us a message from the front page to schedule an on-site appointment.

Shop Hours:

Monday – Friday: 9:00am - 6:00 pm

Saturday - 9:00am - 5:00 pm

Sunday - Closed

I may be available after hours, just call to ask!

Click the Map Above to Enlarge

E-Mail

pschwegler_littledogtech.com

Street Address

5946 Ashworth Rd. West Des Moines, IA 50266

On-Site Service Area

Free pickup and delivery applies to an area within 5 miles of our address. An additional fee of $10 per trip will be charged if outside of this area.

Contact Us

About Us

About Us & Our Company

Little Dog Tech is a local business based in West Des Moines Iowa. It is owned and operated by us, Paul & Nicole Schwegler. We have been in business since October of 2006, but have been fixing computers for as long as we can remember. We have always been the 'goto guys' for everyone we know when there is a computer problem to be solved. We pride ourselves in providing personal and friendly service. So, if you are having problems with your computer, or just want to get some advice; please give us a call.

We have moved to a new location at 5946 Ashworth Rd. in West Des Moines ! The newest development is the addition of a retail section to the shop. We will now be selling an assortment of computer parts and accessories at close to internet prices. So, instead of going the big box store and paying $80 for an HDMI cable, you can get one here for around $10. Please keep us in mind if you need anything computer related.

In the last five years Little Dog Tech has grown quickly due to many repeat customers and word of mouth referrals. We are proud to serve the West Des Moines area and are looking forward to many more years of business. Thank You!

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515 422 1995 Schedule todayLittle Dog Tech Computer Repair5946 Ashworth Rd. West DSM