Diagnostics Service
One symptom, a dozen possible causes. We open the device, measure it and name the fault — so the money goes on the right repair instead of a guess.
Why Guessing Costs More
A laptop that will not wake up looks the same whichever of these has failed.
Swap the wrong one and you have paid for a part that was never broken.
It Runs Hot
The Charge Vanishes
It Crashes at Random
What the Tools Actually See
Four instruments, four different kinds of evidence. Between them they turn a symptom into a named part.
- MicroscopeCracked solder joints, burnt components and corrosion at 45× to 200×. None of it is visible by eye.
- Thermal cameraEvery working part gives off some heat. A shorted one gives off far more, so it shows up long before it looks or smells wrong.
- Scope and meterReads the voltages and signals moving round the board, so a dead supply line is a measurement rather than an opinion.
- Boot-code readerListens to the codes a machine produces while starting up, which tells us how far it got before it stopped.
How We Work Through It
Five stages, cheapest evidence first.
Look and Listen
Damage, burn marks, the liquid indicators inside — and what you tell us.
Open It Up
Stripped to the bare board and put under the microscope. Findings photographed.
Measure It
Voltages at known test points, and the thermal camera on it under power.
Make It Fail on Purpose
Boot codes, memory and storage, then load testing — because a fault that only appears warm hides from a quick look.
Write It Down
The fault, the photographs, the options with prices, and our recommendation.
What Changes by Device
The protocol is the same. What we probe, and where the usual faults live, is not.
MacBook Logic Boards
iPhone Boards
Microsoft Surface
Windows Laptops
What the Diagnosis Costs
Paid when you book it. It buys a technician’s time on the bench and the instruments on the shelf.
- The timeA day or more of bench work, not a look in the doorway.
- The instrumentsMicroscope, thermal camera and scope, sitting at Wimbledon waiting for your device.
- Knowing where to lookMost boards fail in a handful of familiar places. Knowing them is what stops you paying for the wrong part.
- The findingsWhat failed, the evidence behind it, and the options with prices. Ask and we will put it in writing — for an insurance claim, or to take to someone else.
Four Ways This Can End
You will get one of these four answers, explained to you — and in writing if you ask for it.
It Is Cheap
A charger giving the wrong voltage, dust and dried-out thermal paste, a cable that worked loose. No parts, small bill.
It Is One Thing
One part, one price, one repair. You are told which part and why before anything is ordered.
It Is Several Things
Two or three problems feeding one symptom. Fix only the obvious one and the device comes straight back.
It Is Not Worth It
The repair costs more than the device is worth. We say so, you decide with the facts in front of you, nobody spends more.
Diagnostics FAQ
Can You Not Tell What Is Wrong Without Opening It?
Rarely. From the outside, a machine that will not power on looks the same whether the battery is flat or a chip has failed. Opening it and measuring it is the only way to give you a real answer and a fair price.
Do I Always Pay the Fee?
You pay it when you book. If you go ahead with the repair we take it off the repair price. If the device cannot be fixed, or you decide not to, the fee stays with us for the work done — and you get the findings either way.
How Long Does It Take?
Usually one to three working days, depending on the device and how awkward the fault is. Intermittent faults, and devices that have to be stripped before anything can be measured, take longer — we tell you as soon as we know. We agree the timeframe with you before you leave it, and urgent cases can be pushed up the queue.
Is My Data Safe During Testing?
We do not erase anything and we do not open your files — but nobody can guarantee data on a device that has already failed, and we will not pretend otherwise. Where the drive can be removed, it comes out before testing starts. Where the storage is soldered to the board it stays where it is and we work around it. If you would rather we did not start the operating system at all, say so when you drop it off and we will run hardware-only tests. And if the contents matter more than the device, tell us first — that is a data recovery job, and it is approached differently.
What if I Want a Second Opinion?
Ask us to write the findings up and take them with you. With the photographs and the test results in hand, another technician can check our reasoning rather than start again from nothing.
Can Testing Damage My Device?
Done properly, no — anti-static handling, the right tools, no force. If the device already has damage that makes a particular test risky, corrosion for instance, we tell you before we do it.
Where Can I Get Diagnostics Done in London?
At our Wimbledon workshop, 136 Kingston Road, SW19 1LY — about ten minutes on foot from South Wimbledon tube. Walk in, or book ahead and we will have the bench ready.
Do I Get Something in Writing?
On request, yes. Every diagnosis is explained to you in full — the faults found, the test results behind them, the repair options with prices, and our recommendation. Ask for that in writing and we will write it up, in enough detail for an insurance claim or a warranty dispute. We do not issue a written report on every job as a matter of course.
After the Diagnosis
Wherever the fault turns out to be, the repair happens on the same bench.
Find Out Exactly What Is Wrong
Bring it into Wimbledon or post it to us. You get a named fault and a price whatever you decide — and the findings in writing if you ask.