New computer setup & data transfer
New computer, everything where you left it
The machine is the easy part. Getting fifteen years of files, photos, email and saved passwords onto it — without losing any of it — is the part worth paying for.
A new computer out of the box is not a working computer. It's a machine with a manufacturer's trial software on it, none of your files, none of your accounts, and a setup wizard that will cheerfully create a brand-new empty profile if you answer one question wrong.
I set it up the way it should be, move everything across from the old machine, make sure it all actually opens, and hand it back to you working. Then I help you get the old one wiped safely, so you're not leaving your tax returns on a hard drive in the garage.
Symptoms
Where this usually goes wrong
The photos didn't come across
Or only some did. Twenty years of family pictures is the thing people most often lose in a move.
Email works but the history is gone
The account connects, but two decades of sent mail and folders stayed behind.
Nobody knows the Apple or Microsoft password
Which is discovered at the exact moment it's needed, halfway through setup.
The old machine still has everything on it
Sitting in a closet because nobody's sure it's safe to get rid of.
It came loaded with junk
Trial antivirus, manufacturer bloatware and three browsers you didn't ask for, all launching at startup.
The printer won't connect to it
New machine, old printer, and drivers that were never designed to meet.
- Full data transfer. Documents, photos, videos, music, downloads and desktop — verified as opening on the new machine, not just copied across.
- Email and accounts. Mail set up with its full history where the provider allows it, plus contacts, calendar and the accounts you sign into daily.
- Passwords carried over. Saved browser passwords, bookmarks and autofill moved, and a real password manager set up if you want one.
- Bloatware removed. The manufacturer's trial software and startup clutter stripped out, so the machine you paid for runs like a new one.
- Printers and peripherals. Printer, scanner, external drives, webcam and anything else you use, connected and tested.
- Updates and protection. Windows or macOS fully updated, built-in security configured properly, and backup switched on.
- The old machine handled safely. Securely wiped if you're passing it on or recycling it, or kept as a backup — your call, explained plainly.
What it costs
$100 an hour, flat
Billed for actual time on site. No diagnostic fee, no call-out charge, and quick questions are always free. If the problem comes back, so do I — at no cost.
- Same-day and next-day visits usually available
- No trip charge inside Passaic, Morris or Bergen county
- You get me on the phone, not a call centre
- Remote support by text, phone or video: $25 for up to 20 minutes
- Monthly and annual support memberships available
- Licensed New Jersey LLC, carrying liability insurance
Before you call
Questions about new computer setup
Can you transfer from a computer that won't turn on?
Should I buy the computer first, or talk to you first?
Mac to Windows, or Windows to Mac — can you do that?
How long does it take?
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Tell me what's not working.
Call and you'll get me, not a menu. Or send a note and I'll come back to you the same day — usually within a couple of hours.
Request a visit
The more you tell me, the better prepared I'll show up.