Xbox, PS3 or Computer Repairs & Upgrades Done the Same Day!

Posted on April 16, 2010 by admin

Is Your Repair or Upgrade Question One of These? We Have the Answer!

Contact Us for fastest service, free estimates and appointments. You can also drop your console by our store for same-day repairs, at: 3431 W. Pomona Blvd, Unit H; Pomona, CA 91768, or call us to arrange to have us come to your location, (909)598-1392.

Xbox 360 Repairs or Upgrades

We can usually fix, repair or upgrade your Xbox 360 system the same day you bring it in, often in less than an hour!

We can usually fix, repair or upgrade your Xbox 360 system the same day you bring it in, often in less than an hour!

The most common Xbox 360 repairs we perform fall into these 10 categories:

  1. 3 red flashing lights, also known as “Red Ring of Death”, 3 Red Rings of Death and so on
  2. Open tray and/or disc error messages,
  3. No video or only audio,
  4. DVD laser replacement,
  5. DVD drive replacement,
  6. System freezes, dotted video or similar issues,
  7. 1 red light, E74,
  8. 2 red lights,
  9. Stuck DVD tray
  10. White screen.

All of these Xbox 360 problems are usually fixable in an hour or less.  If you have an appointment, you can walk in and come out with a working system the same day.

Playstation 3 Repairs

Sony’s Playstation 3 is a media powerhouse, offering many technologies that other console systems can not compete with, such as blu-ray media playback.  However, with so much power and normal usage, they can also break down by having problems with game/movie playback or even worse, no video at all.

Five Common PS3 repairs and services we perform:

  1. Yellow light of death (3 red light beeps)
  2. Not reading games/blu-rays
  3. No video
  4. Stuck discs
  5. No power

Laptop Computer Repair or Upgrades

Laptop computers fixed or updated on the same day we get them, sometimes in an hour or less!

Laptop computers fixed or updated on the same day we get them, sometimes in an hour or less!

Since they are moved around from place to place and subject to the bumps, strains and stresses of portability, laptop computers present a special group of repair challenges that desktop PCs don’t usually suffer from, including:

  • More frequent external AC power jack replacements and repairs
  • Screen display problems
  • Screen replacement
  • Worn touchpads, keys and buttons
  • Liquid spills
  • Jammed disk trays
  • Overheating CPU and fan problems
  • Degraded batteries and power supplies

In addition, laptops often need the some of the same common repairs required by desktops, such as:

  • Virus removal
  • New operating system installation
  • Spyware, Adware removal
  • Slow system
  • RAM installation
  • Hard drive installation
  • DVD drive replacement
  • Data recovery/backup

Most of these problems can be fixed on popular brand notebook computers in a matter of a few hours after your computer arrives. Call us for a free estimate today!

Desktop Computer Repair or Upgrades

Your desktop computer system upgraded or repaired in 24 hours or less!

Your desktop computer system upgraded or repaired in 24 hours or less!

We’ve fixed hundreds of PC desktops over the years. This experience enables us to fix most of the problems that your computer may have quickly and efficiently, without guesswork. Chances are that your PC desktop computer repair problem falls into one of these 10 “most common” issues:

  1. Virus removal
  2. New operating system installation
  3. Spyware, or adware removal
  4. Slow system
  5. RAM installation
  6. Hard drive installation
  7. Video card installation
  8. DVD drive replacement/installation
  9. Blue screen of death
  10. Data recovery/backup problems

While desktop issues can be somewhat more complex than Xbox problems, we can fix most of them within a day or two, sometimes in only hours or less! Give us a call or drop in to let us give you a free estimate!

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Mobile Xbox 360 and computer repair services available

Posted on May 22, 2010 by admin
We make house-calls! Mobile Xbox 360 repair services for East Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, Pomona

We make repair house-calls! Mobile Xbox 360, PC laptop and desktop computer repair services for East Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, Pomona, La Puente, City of Industry, Chino, Covina, Baldwin Park, La Verne, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Monrovia, Azusa, Rosemead, El Monte, Walnut, and nearby cities.

Are you too busy to bring your system to us?  Ever wish that you could stay at home or in your office and have the service come to you?

For a modest travel charge, we make Xbox, PC laptop or desktop PC computer repair house calls to you!  We will bring along any necessary repair equipment and software to get your problems fixed and repaired the same day.  We have helped many clients over the years with our mobile service and always welcome new appointments.

If we cannot fix your computer or Xbox 360 console the same day, we can make an appointment for another day.   Please give us a call at 909-598-1392 or contact us today to get started.

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Posted in House Calls, Mobile Xbox repair service, Xbox Repairs | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

How do I know what kind of repair my PS3 needs?

Posted on October 4, 2010 by admin

Our skilled technicians can often troubleshoot over the phone any problems that you are having with your Sony Playstation 3 console video game system.  In general, there are two main problems that plague the Playstation systems.

  1. Video Errors
  2. Laser reading issues

Video Errors

Symptom: The most common Playstation 3 video repair we perform is fixing the “yellow light of death.”  This has the acronym of YLOD (Yellow Light of Death), and has also been nicknamed Red Light of Death (RLOD), or 3 red beeps of death.  The symptom of this problem is as follows:  when you turn on the PS3, the light turns from the red standby light to yellow, to red, and beeps three times consecutively.

Cause: This is caused by a gradual overheating problem with the PS3 processor and/or graphics chip.  Inadequate cooling and poor ventilation may sometimes cause this to happen.  In some cases, your system may fail on you just over time from normal use because of the heat generated by the processing chips to render all the graphics from games.  When the chips get overheated excessively and repeatedly, the solder connections underneath the chip may eventually grow brittle and crack or lose their connection to the system motherboard.

Solution: Repairs and Mods offers two solutions to repair your PS3.  The first and most popular solution is what is known as a reflow.  This is the process in which we heat up the chips and “remelt” or reflow the solder joints from the chip to the system board.  During the repair process, we also blow out any excessive dust that may be clogging the system fan to ensure adequate ventilation.  We have perfected our processes to ensure that nearly 100% of our repairs are successful and can be achieved within an hour’s time.

The second solution we offer is known as a reball.  This is the process in which we remove the defective chip from the system board and replace it with new solder ball connections, hence we “reball” the chip.  This is a time-intensive repair and often the best repair if you are seeking longevity with your system because it is essentially like receiving a new system from the factory, with regards to the defective chips.

Laser reading issues

Symptom: The second most common repair we encounter with Playstation 3 systems is when the blu-ray laser stops functioning properly and can’t read games or blu-ray movies.  Often, when this occurs, you may notice that your games or blu-ray movies occasionally freeze or may not play at all when inserted into the disc slot.  You may hear the disc spinning but will not see anything on the screen other than the clock icon on the upper right corner of the screen spinning.

Cause: The blu-ray laser in Sony’s Playstation system does not last forever.  Depending on usage, it’s life may be shortened gradually over time.  If it is used for heavy gaming or viewing of blu-ray movies, it’s life may be shortened even quicker.

Solution: At Repairs and Mods, we have replacement lasers in stock readily available to service your system quickly.  If time permits, we may be able to fix your system’s reading problems within less than half an hour from the time you arrive and we offer a generous warranty to ensure that your laser will perform solidly.  Come by today and start gaming again sooner!

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What can I do if my computer is slow?

Posted on June 10, 2010 by admin

In today’s world of busy lives, the last thing we need is for our desktop computers and laptops to slow us down.  Even the fastest computer system can eventually become slower than we’re accustomed to.  The reason for this slowdown is that over time, as our laptops or desktops get bogged down with more installed software, the startup time can slow down because the computer has to manage all of those programs starting up when the power button is turned on.  A few simple solutions to this common problem are to uninstall unnecessary programs, perform a hard drive defragmentation, add more memory, upgrade to a faster processor, replace the current hard drive with another one with higher RPMs, or in extreme cases, start with a clean slate by reinstalling your operating system.  Harmful viruses, spyware and adware can impact and affect a computer’s speed.  If your system is suffering from symptoms of slow boot up times or slow shut down times, we can help by providing a free diagnostic.   Bring your system in for a free checkup and let us help you by making your slow computer be a thing of the past.

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Posted in PC Desktop Repairs, PC Laptop Repairs | Leave a comment

Fan mods for the Xbox 360

Posted on May 30, 2010 by admin

If you’ve owned an Xbox 360 long enough and have other friends that also have an Xbox 360, you may be aware that these systems often fail due to poor air circulation.  With only two fans blowing air out of the console system, it’s no wonder that the failure rate of the Xbox 360s is so high.  We can perform a fan modification to your system that will push the air at maximum circulation at 12 volts.  The 12v fan mod we perform will ensure that your system will last longer than other systems that are unmodded.  If you are fortunate enough to have a working system that has never had the red rings of death or other video related problems, we still recommend that you get your fan modded by us to provide your system with extra airflow as a preventative measure.  It costs a lot less to prevent a problem before it happens.  We also can add additional fans in your system to help with proper airflow.  We have several LED color fans that not only function in aiding the cooling of your Xbox 360, but they look great at night and give you extra bragging rights to your friends.  If you are out of town, you may also order from us or have your system sent in to have the service performed.

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Xbox Open Tray Error: How to Fix or Repair It

Posted on May 24, 2010 by tombond

After you’ve been using your Xbox 360 for a while, you may encounter the infamous “Open Tray Error”.

Whenever your console cannot read a game disc, CD or DVD disc, it may report onscreen that your disc tray is open. When this happens, instead of Play Game or Play DVD as options showing on your screen, you may see Open Tray.

What Causes the Open Tray Problem

A good professional Xbox cleaning of the drive, laser and full interior should fix your Open Tray Error.

A good professional Xbox cleaning of the drive, laser and full interior should fix your Open Tray Error.

There are three common causes of the Open Tray Error:

  1. A dirty Xbox 360 disc drive laser
  2. Not enough lubrication for the drive motor
  3. A magnetic problem that locks up the drive and prevents it from spinning

Sometimes skilled users can clean or blowout their console and cure the problem, but generally most users will need to bring it in to us for service. We can fix all 3 of these issues quickly, usually in less than an hour. And, if needed, we can replace worn or damaged lasers, drives or other components immediately, without long delays. We keep all parts and replacement subunits in stock.

What to Do When You See Open Tray Instead of Play Game or Play DVD

Your problem may be caused by simply a bad disc, dirty laser and drive, or worn out components.

A temporary bad disc problem where your console simply can’t read a particular disc is sometimes fixed if you simply perform these steps:

  1. Remove the problematic disc
  2. Close the tray and then
  3. Re-insert it to try again
  4. If that disc has been damaged, you may have to use another disc, or for a small fee, we can repair and restore damaged/scratched discs to like new condition

In some cases to clear the error from the console’s memory, you may have perform these steps:

  1. power down
  2. disconnect the Xbox from the wall power
  3. reconnect the wall power to your console unit
  4. power on
  5. re-insert the disc

If these steps do not fix the problem and you keep seeing the same issue over and over again, then your console needs servicing to professionally clean it and replace worn parts as needed. Call us for an appointment, or drop by. We can fix these problems for you in less than an hour at inexpensive fees.

Click to go to Google's interactive maps...

Click to go to Google's interactive maps...

Store Address:

3431 Pomona Boulevard, Unit H
Pomona, CA 91768

At corner of Pomona Blvd. and West Temple Ave

Click to view the Google Map

or to get driving directions.

Phone Number: (909)598-1392

Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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Fixing the Xbox 360 Scratched Discs Problem

Posted on May 24, 2010 by tombond

If you own a Microsoft Xbox 360, then you’ve heard about the problem that many other owners have experienced — the Xbox console can seriously scratch game discs if it is moved during operation. These damaged discs are often made completely unusable due to this problem.

Discs can be permanently damaged, grooved and scratched, by Xbox 360 drives if console is moved or bumped during operation.

The malfunction that damages your Xbox 360 gaming discs is evidently caused by poor design. Unlike most quality DVD players or recorders and burner drives, the Xbox disc drive does not firmly “grasp” the disc while  it turns in the drive. As a result, the disc can slide around a bit if the console is bumped, moved, flipped or jolted, and get caught up in the mechanism, which results in deep groves or scratches being plowed into the surface of the disc. These damaged discs can become unreadable by the drive, and the owner is forced to buy a new disc.

Here is a video made by one Xbox owner that shows how a brand new Xbox 360 disc can be damaged by the console. As the console is moved, flipped between horizontal and vertical positions, during the process of playing a disc the damage happens easily. First you see the new disc surface, perfect and shiny, unscratched. Then he inserts it into the console drive while in the vertical position, and picks the console up to rotate it a bit as if it was being carried or moved, and then puts it down in the horizontal position, and so on. Afterwards, the disc is removed and brought close to the camera, so you can see the deep scratches and grooving damage done during the operation. This is the problem many thousands of users have experienced.

Soon after the Xbox was introduced in 2005, users began to complain of this problem, especially after they found out that discs damaged while being used in their Xbox console were NOT COVERED by the Xbox Limited Warranty. Microsoft has responded to to consumer complaints and watchdog committee requests by stating that it has consistently warned consumers not to move the console while discs are being played, and that subsequent damage to discs result from consumer abuse of the equipment.

Nonetheless, Microsoft has developed a repayment program for some users who have had to pay for repairs to their console to prevent further disc scratching. Those users were members of a class-action lawsuit.

As a result of many, many complaints, Microsoft created an Xbox Disc Replacement Program that enables Xbox owners to send a small list of only 18 specifically named damaged Xbox Game discs to Microsoft for replacement. Owners must be at least 18 yeaars old, and live in a country where Xbox consoles where originally sold.

Complete List of Permissable Discs to Replace by Microsoft

  • Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
  • Fable II
  • Forza Motorsport 2
  • Forza Motorsport 3
  • Gears of War
  • Gears of War 2
  • Halo 2
  • Halo 3
  • Halo 3: ODST
  • Halo Wars
  • Lost Odyssey
  • Ninja Blade
  • Ninja Gaiden 2
  • Project Gotham Racing 4
  • Scene It? Box Office Smash
  • Viva Pinata
  • Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise
  • You’re In The Movies

Microsoft charges $20.00 US or similar prices in each country’s currency for each disc.The user is required to pay by Visa/MC/Amex, and to complete the official Microsoft Xbox 360 Game Disc Replacement Order Form. One form must be mailed with the damaged disc for each replacement disc desired.

A Poor Value for Many Xbox Owners

Microsoft does not pay the postage/shipping of the damaged disc back to them — the owner must pay that, plus of course the $20 replacement fee.

A quick Google search of the titles from the list above will show that many of these officially replaceable discs are now offered for sale online and in brick-and-mortar discount stores (like Amazon or Walmart) for prices that are lower than the $20 charged by Microsoft. Other discs from the list may cost a bit more but the savings is minimal, all things considered.

The Xbox 360 owner is left with few options to prevent Xbox Disc Damage and Scratching

  1. One rule would be to insert the discs very carefully into the console tray, and slowly and carefully guide the tray closed.
  2. Another rule would be to never operate the console in a vertical position, where discs might more often slide around during rotation.
  3. A third rule would be to never, never, never bump, move or slide the console around during play-back operation.

If you want to have us repair your Xbox console to help improve its disc handling capability so that it has a safer operating mode, give us a call to arrange an appointment, or drop your console in for repairs. We can fix this problem easily and inexpensively in less than an hour!

Repairing damaged Xbox Discs

We can also repair your damaged Xbox discs (or any other CD or DVD disc) for about $5.00. The repair results in a perfectly playable disc in 99% of the cases, as long as disc is not physically broken, we can fix it almost every time! Don’t throw those damaged discs away — put them in a bag or box and bring them by our store. We’ll fix them for you inexpensively and fast!

Click to go to Google's interactive maps...

Click to go to Google's interactive maps...

Store Address:

3431 Pomona Boulevard, Unit H
Pomona, CA 91768

At corner of Pomona Blvd. and West Temple Ave

Click to view the Google Map

or to get driving directions.

Phone Number: (909)598-1392

Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Xbox 360 Disc Scratching References:

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How to Fix the Xbox 360 2 Red Lights of Death Error

Posted on May 21, 2010 by admin

Sometimes you may see just 2 red lights as an error around your Xbox 360 console power button. This does not mean the same as if there were 1 light, or 3 lights, or even 4 lights. Each of those errors means different things.

What 2 Red Lights of Death Mean on Your Xbox 360

This means the unit is overheating. While overheating could happen due to some internal failure, it normally means that the console needs more air circulating around it, and through it. However, even though this may not sound serious, it can be deadly! Pay immediate attention to this error, and try to get the console into a cooler situation right away.

And, if your cooling efforts do not solve the problem, bring the console to us for professional service, before further internal component damage can happen. We are expert at fixing these problems and in consulting with you on how to prevent them in the future.

How to Solve the 2 Red Lights Overheating Problem

Be sure that air can circulate all around the console freely. Move any nearby objects, books, disc cases or clothing items, that may be blocking the console’s natural air circulation. Check the operation of your internal fans, or place the console in a cooler position, away from heat sources and sunlight. Sometimes you can point a room fan at the console to keep it cooler.

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How to Fix the Xbox 360 4 Red Lights of Death Error

Posted on May 21, 2010 by admin

Three and four lights mean different things… usually. Seeing the infamous “3 red lights of death” is one thing, but if you see all 4 of the arcs light up, then you are not experiencing the General Hardware Failure that is indicated by only 3 lights.

What 4 Red Lights Mean

If you see 4 red lights surrounding your Xbox power button, this can mean that your Xbox may have experienced a brief power surge or outage while it was running.

Solving the 4 Red Lights of Death Problem

Briefly turning the Xbox off, then unplugging the power and replugging it in, then turning the power on can usually solve this problem. If this does not cure the problem, then there may have been internal damage and your console probably needs professional repair.

If Unplugging Doesn’t Work, You Have a Video Detection Problem

Seeing 4 red lights can also mean that your console does not detect that there is an AV cable plugged into the unit. If your AV cable is in fact plugged in, then there is often something else damaged in the console that makes it unable to detect the cable, requiring professional service.

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Posted in Red Ring of Death, Red Lights of Death, 3 Flashing Red Lights, Xbox Repairs | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Xbox 1 Red Light E74 Error

Posted on May 21, 2010 by admin

The famous E74 Error is indicated when you see the LOWER RIGHT red arc light up around your Xbox 360 power button. This error indicates a video failure.

Granular video from failing scaler video chip

A screen-shot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 taken shortly before a E74 error message appeared.

Grainy, Distorted Video Quality an Early Sign

Before the E74 single red light error shows up, many users will notice that their video quality appears grainy, or that black dots show up across the image display. If you see a granular, distorted video quality beginning to appear on your screen, you are beginning to see the E74 Error.

Green Screen of Death

Some users report that their displays appear a dark greenish, or almost black color during this failure, sometimes with a very slight green hue to the black. For this reason, you may have heard names like “Green Screen of Death” or the “Black Screen of Death”. Both of these names refer to the same E74 video failure, when the single lower-right red light is showing around the power button.

When the red light is finally lit with the error, your display may read “E74 System Error. Contact Xbox Customer Support”. This happens when the Xbox scaler video chip has been damaged. This has been a common problem in Xbox units, and Microsoft has been compelled to extend its warranty to cover this problem in some limited cases. Not all users may be covered by this extended warranty. Either way, your console will need service. We are expert in fixing these problems quickly and at very reasonable prices.

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Xbox 360 3 Red Rings of Death Errors

Posted on May 21, 2010 by admin

For several years, the Xbox gaming console has suffered from a problem officially known as the “General Hardware Failure”, which is popularly called the “Red Ring of Death”, or the “Three lights of death”.

The Xbox console’s power button is surrounded by a circle divided into 4 quadrants, where the circle is divided into 4 arc-shaped lights. In normal operation, these lights flash green colors, with one, two or three lights shining at once.

When there is a hardware error of some kind, users often notice that 3 of the lights flash at once, in a bright red color.

3 Red Lights of Death

The General Hardware Failure or 3 Red Lights of Death

Three red lights on the Xbox 360s ring indicator representing an internal problem requiring service, nicknamed the Red Ring of Death or Red Lights of Death

The causes of this General Hardware Failure generally mean that one or more internal components have failed for some reason, and this means that your console requires professional service. Any number of component failures could have caused this problem. If the power surge solution below doesn’t work, then your system needs professional service. Bring it in and we will run diagnostics to determine what components have failed. Fixes are usually performed quickly at reasonable rates.

In some cases, if you see 3 red lights of death, your system may have experienced a power surge, or it may need to have its power cord unplugged and then replugged into the jack, being sure to push it all the way in. Sometimes simply turning the unit off and on may cure the problem, but usually you have to turn the system off, unplug power cords, then plug them back in and turn the power back on. This often does fix the problem, as long as no internal components were permanently damaged. If you try this and the 3 red lights persist, bring it in for service.

The 3 red lights of death can also mean a failed internal power supply. This requires professional service, but is quickly and inexpensively fixed by our technicians.

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