1. Locally based – No more having to hunt around or find nearby computer repair places or worry about trudging into town, which could prove difficult if you have a desktop or large PC. Goldmaster IT can come and visit, meaning a much faster response, and Goldmasters is on call when you need us with same-day appointments where possible. It also means you are supporting local business.
   
   
2. We get to know you as a person – Each person who uses their computer has different goals and lifestyles. We get to know how you work and how you think in order to put together a logical solution to the problem, ensuring a personalised service, tailored solutions, and better long-term outcomes.
   
   
3. Over 10 years experience – Having got into computers from first playing Cityville on Facebook, there have been many changes, fads, and new things come and go. This means we can advise and help upgrade where needed to ensure you keep up with the next generation of technology in a stable way. From upgrading 10-year-old laptops’ hard drives to SSD to ensure startup in seconds rather than minutes, to building state-of-the-art Unraid machines that allow multiple users to work together, self-host, and archive content.
   
   
4. No thrills, no spills – Unlike the others, we don’t needlessly upgrade or do repairs or changes just because that’s what we think. We ensure that we use tried and trusted, stable hardware, and we don’t add any fancy features such as water cooling, which can be prone to leaks and ruin a PC. Nor do we add any fancy RGB just because it looks nice. We prefer the Vulcan way of using logical rather than emotional solutions to solve problems. We always use open-source software where possible so that you are always in control of your devices, and ensure you have a long trouble-free experience where best. By using open-source software, updates and fixes can be applied much faster, and security issues can be flagged and fixed. It’s like being able to look under the bonnet of your own car and see the engine and can see how it all works, ensuring no malware or personal data being siphoned off to some random place.
   
   
5. No junk in the trunk – Many PC repair shops, multichain computer retailers and computer manufacturers often preload trialware and leave bloated pre-installed apps and software to keep costs down, as computer hardware companies earn commission on installs which can make your PC experience cluttered and slow, which can put you at risk. Goldmaster IT ensures that any new Windows install is bloatware-free and ensures any of Windows’ data mining and phone-home features are disabled, meaning your privacy and data remain protected. This ensures a near-consistent responsiveness when online or doing general PC task work without pop-ups, lag, or personal data being exposed.
   
   
6. Attention to care and detail – Replacing parts is easy, but many other shops may not take the time or care to ensure your computer remains physically clean. During any hardware upgrades or replacements, Goldmaster IT will give your computer a thorough dust down. We understand that heat is the biggest enemy of computers and IT, and to ensure parts remain cool, air must be able to flow freely. Just like a vacuum cleaner, this also means dust and dirt can be drawn in, and accumulate over time, often blocking air intakes and leading to decreased performance. By giving every computer a dust down, we ensure that your computer will run quieter, cooler, and more efficiently, resulting in a better overall computing experience.
   
   
7. Testing to Starfleet level – At Goldmaster IT, we take the time to test all hardware and software thoroughly before delivering it to you. Mechanical drives, for example, are pre-cleared to ensure they can cope with the workloads you do. New hardware such as hard drives follow a bathtub effect, where they are more likely to fail at the start and end of their life. Mechanical hard drives that contain mission-critical data such as photos, videos, and archived content can fail at any time, and there’s nothing worse than a brand-new mechanical hard drive dying in the first few months and taking your data with it. That’s why we pre-clear mechanical hard drives to ensure they are reliable and can handle your workload. While it’s the customer’s responsibility to have valid, working backups, pre-clear acts as a reduction in probability of data loss. Our thorough testing ensures that your repaired computer is delivered to you in top condition and is ready to use straight out of the box.
   
   
8. Bringing the enterprise to your home – We use quality tried and tested hardware and, where possible, enterprise storage and hardware components. These are often designed to handle large volume workloads in business and data centre environments. By utilising such hardware, you can be sure that you will have hardware that is smooth, solid, and most importantly stable, and can easily handle your daily task workload without a sweat. This ensures increased reliability, durability, and performance for many years to come. In fact, it’s not too uncommon to find 10 years or older enterprise-grade hardware in most offices. We are one of the little IT repair businesses in the local area that loves to work using enterprise equipment in the home, rather than often using subpar home or “gaming” parts.
   
   
9. We know our limits – Unlike many computer repair centres that take on as much as possible in a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none approach, we focus on what we do best. Some tasks, such as data recovery, require decades of knowledge and specialised tools and environments, like a clean room, to physically take apart a hard drive if needed. Goldmaster IT does not work in data recovery because it’s a specialist field where failure is not an option. Many computer repair centres without the right resources are likely to fail, leaving you more worried about getting back your data. However, we understand the importance of data recovery, which is why we know who to refer customers to if needed, such as R3 Data Recovery based in Sheffield. One of the very few data recovery centres in the UK with decades of experience in handling specialist tasks like this. From recovering data from physically damaged servers, to recovering a wrongly formatted external drive. R3 Data Recovery has the expertise to help you retrieve your important data. We believe in working with experts in their field to ensure our customers receive the best possible service.
   
   
10. We give back – At Goldmaster IT, we prioritise collaboration over competition. Through contributions to renowned platforms like Wikimedia, Archive.org, Open Street Maps, Signal, MusicBrainz and various other open-source initiatives, we support these projects with contributions in code, financial aid, and more. We believe in fostering cooperation for the greater good of our partners and the community.