What to Do Before Taking a Computer for Repair
If the computer still turns on and is usable, back up anything important, note down passwords you might need, and write down exactly what's wrong and when it started. None of this is required, but it makes diagnosis faster and protects your data either way.
If the computer is still usable
Back up anything genuinely important to a cloud service or external drive. Note your account passwords if login access might be needed. Write down exactly what's happening, when it started, and anything that changed around that time.
If the computer isn't usable
Don't attempt to force it to work harder to grab files yourself if there's any sign of a drive fault — that can make data recovery more difficult. It's safer to have it assessed first.
What to bring
The charger or power cable, and any specific details about the fault, help speed up diagnosis. This page will be expanded with a more complete checklist in a future update.