PC Repair Terms & Repair Authorization

1. Ownership and Authority

By requesting service, you confirm that you own the equipment, or that you have permission from the owner to authorize diagnostic and repair work on it. MacKinnonTech may decline service if there is a genuine reason to doubt this.

2. Diagnostic Authorization

Requesting a diagnostic authorizes MacKinnonTech to perform the inspection, disassembly, testing, powering on, hardware substitution, and software diagnostic steps reasonably necessary to identify the reported problem.

The $40 diagnostic fee covers this diagnostic work and applies even when:

• No fault is found
• The problem cannot be reproduced
• You decline the recommended repair
• Replacement parts are unavailable
• The repair is not economical relative to the device's value
• The device is determined to be beyond repair

As stated on the Pricing page, the diagnostic fee may be applied toward an approved repair. This is not automatic in every case — your technician will confirm whether and how it applies before repair work begins.

3. Estimate Approval

No work beyond the approved diagnostic scope is performed unless:

• It is covered by an estimate you have approved, or
• It remains within a documented maximum authorized amount you have approved, or
• You separately approve a change once MacKinnonTech contacts you about it

See the Estimates & Authorization section of the Pricing page for the plain-language stages this follows — diagnostic, preliminary estimate, approved estimate, maximum authorized amount, and change order.

4. Data Backup

Please back up important data before service whenever possible. Diagnostic work, repair, malware removal, operating system reinstallation, storage replacement, firmware updates, and hardware work all carry some risk of data loss — including on devices that arrive already showing signs of failure.

MacKinnonTech takes reasonable care to avoid unnecessary data loss, but does not claim that data loss can never happen during service, and does not claim responsibility can be excluded in every circumstance. Nothing in these Terms excuses intentional misconduct or gross negligence, or waives a right that cannot legally be waived.

5. Access Credentials

Some repairs require a device password, PIN, recovery key, or administrator account to complete the approved work. When this is needed, MacKinnonTech will:

• Request only the access actually needed for the approved service
• Prefer a temporary or guest credential over a permanent one whenever that is possible for the requested work
• Protect any credential provided for as long as it is needed for the service
• Avoid placing credentials in public notes, code repositories, analytics tools, or unprotected email
• Delete or return any recorded credential once it is no longer needed, where reasonably possible
• Tell you when access to your device or account is no longer required

Please do not submit passwords or recovery keys through the website's ordinary contact form. Credentials should only be provided directly at drop-off or through a method your technician specifically confirms is appropriate for that purpose. After service, we recommend changing any temporary or shared password.

6. Privacy During Repair

Technicians may unintentionally encounter personal files while diagnosing a device. MacKinnonTech avoids accessing customer content beyond what is necessary for the approved service.

During a repair, MacKinnonTech may handle:

• Your name and contact information — used to communicate about the repair
• Device information and serial numbers — used to identify the equipment and, where applicable, check manufacturer warranty status
• Diagnostic logs and screenshots — used to document the problem and the work performed
• Credentials, where provided — handled as described in Access Credentials above
• Backup files, if you provide or request one — kept only as needed for the service
• Communications with you about the repair — kept as a record of what was discussed and approved
• Before-and-after photographs, where taken — used for internal documentation; see below for when they may be used publicly

We do not claim that device data is encrypted, automatically deleted, stored only in a specific country, or never accessed — only that access is limited to what the approved service requires. Publishing any photograph of your device, screen, or serial number for marketing purposes requires your separate, specific permission — see the testimonial and photo consent practices described in the internal operational documents referenced by MacKinnonTech.

7. Existing and Latent Damage

Devices sometimes arrive with conditions that were already present before drop-off, including:

• Undisclosed defects or intermittent failures
• Loose or damaged connectors
• Aging or failing components, including storage
• Damage from a previous repair
• Corrosion, liquid exposure, or heat damage
• Electrical damage or pest contamination
• Brittle plastics, stripped fasteners, or missing screws
• Unsupported prior modifications

MacKinnonTech documents visible preexisting damage at intake where practical. This section describes conditions that may already exist when a device arrives — it does not excuse damage actually caused by negligent work performed by MacKinnonTech.

8. Hazardous or Contaminated Equipment

MacKinnonTech reserves the right to refuse or pause work on equipment presenting an unsafe condition, including:

• Active liquid contamination or severe corrosion
• Smoke residue, mold, or pest infestation
• Biological contamination
• Burned components or damaged batteries
• Electrical hazards or unidentified chemicals

If a device presents one of these conditions, MacKinnonTech will contact you before performing any specialized cleaning, disposal, or additional chargeable work related to it.

9. Customer-Supplied Parts

• Compatibility of any part you supply must be verified before or during installation.
• MacKinnonTech cannot guarantee the quality, condition, or authenticity of a customer-supplied component.
• Additional labor may be charged if a supplied part is defective, incompatible, incomplete, or incorrectly specified.
• Any manufacturer warranty on a customer-supplied part remains the responsibility of that part's manufacturer or seller, not MacKinnonTech.
• Any labor warranty covering the installation of a customer-supplied part is limited to the installation labor itself and is confirmed separately at the time of service — see Warranty & Service Guarantee Policy.

10. Replacement Parts

Where MacKinnonTech sources a replacement part on your behalf, the details of that arrangement — including whether a deposit is required, whether a special-order part is refundable, and what happens to a part removed from your device — are confirmed with you directly before the part is ordered.

11. Repair Warranty

Warranty coverage differs by service type — diagnostics, repair labor, replacement parts, customer-supplied parts, software services, malware removal, data recovery, cleaning, and custom builds are not all covered the same way. Full detail is in the Warranty & Service Guarantee Policy. MacKinnonTech does not use a single blanket “no warranty” statement, and does not disclaim legally required consumer protections.

12. Malware Removal and Cybersecurity

Malware removal service is aimed at reducing security risk — removing currently known threats, applying reasonable hardening steps, and recommending changes based on the condition observed at the time of service. MacKinnonTech does not promise that a device will be permanently secure or completely free of all malware.

• New threats can emerge after service is completed
• Reinfection can occur, especially from unsafe browsing habits or unsupported software
• Software that is no longer supported by its manufacturer may remain vulnerable regardless of cleanup performed
• Your own behavior and third-party systems you use also affect security
• Deeper security work (for example, a formal assessment) requires a separate written scope — see MacKinnonTech's referral partner for authorized security assessments

MacKinnonTech does not advertise malware removal as “100% secure,” “hack-proof,” or “guaranteed malware-free,” and does not use similar absolute claims.

13. Data Recovery

Data recovery is a separate, custom-quote service. MacKinnonTech does not guarantee successful recovery of any data. Continuing to use a failing device before recovery is attempted can reduce the chances of successful recovery. MacKinnonTech will not perform destructive recovery techniques without your separate, specific authorization.

14. Turnaround Times

Any turnaround estimate given is an estimate, not a guarantee, unless MacKinnonTech states a specific timeframe in writing for your repair. Delays can happen due to:

• Parts availability or shipping
• Vendor or manufacturer support timelines
• Intermittent faults that take longer to reproduce or confirm fixed
• Time waiting on your approval of an estimate or change
• Additional damage discovered during the repair
• Password or recovery-key delays
• Manufacturer repair or replacement procedures

15. Unclaimed Devices

MacKinnonTech does not currently have a published policy for devices left unclaimed after service is completed or declined.

If you have a device at MacKinnonTech awaiting pickup, please contact MacKinnonTech directly to arrange collection.