This article was machine-translated from French and is being reviewed. Prices are in Algerian dinars excl. VAT.
To decide whether to repair or replace a PC, three questions matter: what is the fault, what condition the rest of the machine is in, and can it still receive security updates? A PC may be repairable yet no longer worth repairing.
In short
- Repair when the fault is isolated and inexpensive (storage, memory, battery, cleaning) on an otherwise healthy machine compatible with a still supported system.
- Replace when the repair represents a significant portion of the price of an equivalent new unit, faults recur, or the PC cannot upgrade to Windows 11 while Windows 10 is no longer supported since 14/10/2025.
- Request a quoted diagnosis before deciding, and back up your data before any intervention.
Low‑cost repairable faults
Slow, full or failing storage
Symptoms: very long startup, applications freezing, disk noise, read errors.
Repair: replace the hard drive with an SSD (flash storage, no moving parts, much faster). Before any intervention, back up data and check the disk’s condition: a failing disk does not always copy completely. SSD price is requested on quote, as it depends on capacity and format of your PC (2.5″, M.2).
Verdict: repair is usually worthwhile if the screen, keyboard and chassis are healthy.
Insufficient memory (RAM)
Symptoms: the PC slows down as soon as you open multiple applications or tabs.
Repair: add or replace memory sticks. Windows 11 requires at least 4 GB. For office use, 8 GB is a reasonable starting level and 16 GB leaves room. Check before buying: memory type (DDR4 or DDR5, portable or fixed form), number of free slots, maximum supported capacity. On many recent laptops, memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded.
Verdict: very profitable when memory is expandable, otherwise no effect.
Battery and power supply
Symptoms: battery life collapses, sudden shutdown on battery, charger heats or stops charging.
Repair: replace the battery (normal wear) or the charger. For the charger, restore the original voltage and power. A swollen battery is dangerous: stop using it and charging, do not puncture it, and have it replaced.
If power failures involve outages or voltage variations, a UPS protects the equipment: see UPS: how to choose the power.
Verdict: simple and useful on a laptop otherwise in good condition.
Thermal cleaning
Symptoms: constantly loud fan, hot chassis, slowdowns or stops due to overheating, fan error message at startup.
Repair: open the machine, dust out radiators and fans, replace a worn fan and reapply thermal paste. Dust in the office is a common cause of overheating.
Verdict: very useful intervention, to be included in the preventive maintenance.
Costly or irreparable failures
Broken screen
The price of a panel depends on the model. On an old or entry‑level laptop, repair can reach a large part of the price of a new one. On a recent PC, check what the warranty covers: accidental damage is often excluded.
Faulty motherboard
A PC that no longer starts or restarts randomly does not necessarily have a faulty motherboard: power supply, memory or overheating can give the same symptoms. Have diagnostics performed before concluding. If the motherboard is confirmed, the part is often expensive or unavailable on an old model, and replacement becomes the reasonable choice.
Virus or ransomware
Symptoms: slowdowns, intrusive ads, disk constantly used, inaccessible files. If files are encrypted, disconnect the machine from the network and restore only from a clean backup: see the 3‑2‑1 backup rule.
Repair: back up the data, then reinstall the system. In our quotes, six lines “Windows installation, with or without data recovery” range from 1,000 to 3,000 DA HT (order of magnitude observed in our quotes). Analyze the recovered files before restoring them and change passwords from a healthy device.
Verdict: reasonable repair, unless the machine is very old or incompatible with a supported system.
End of system support
Windows 10 is no longer supported since 14/10/2025: Microsoft no longer publishes security updates or support for this system. Microsoft offers an Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, limited in time and with different conditions for individuals and organizations. It is a delay, not a long‑term solution. To upgrade to Windows 11, the PC must have at least a compatible 2‑core or more processor, 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage, UEFI boot with Secure Boot and a TPM 2.0 chip.
Blockages most often come from the processor or TPM, less frequently from memory or storage, which can be replaced. First check in the BIOS (UEFI) that TPM and Secure Boot are not simply disabled, then use Microsoft’s PC Health Check tool. Adding memory or an SSD does not fix an unsupported processor: in that case replacement is required.
Decision table
| Criterion | Prefer repair | Prefer replace |
|---|---|---|
| Failure | Isolated, standard part available (storage, memory, battery, fan) | Motherboard, multiple components, or recurring failure |
| Repair cost | Low compared to the price of an equivalent new unit | Significant portion of the price of an equivalent new unit |
| System | Compatible with Windows 11, or still supported system | Incompatible with Windows 11, no updates |
| Physical condition | Chassis, hinges, screen and keyboard in good condition | Cracked case, broken hinges, swollen battery, degraded screen |
| Use | Office, e‑mail, browsing | Demanding use (design, video) limited by hardware |
| History | First failure or rare failure | Repeated failures |
Wear limit
Over time, heat and dust wear out fans, solder joints and lithium batteries. Each repair is justified separately, but their total eventually exceeds the value of the machine. To plan these replacements at a fleet level, see renew the IT fleet.
When to audit?
Request a diagnostic with a written quote: cause of the failure, parts, labor, time. Compare it to the price of an equivalent new PC. In our quotes, the line “travel and intervention” appears in 27 orders, with a median of 4,500 DA HT and amounts from 1,500 to 18,000 DA HT (source: our quotes, median).
Example calculation for a desktop PC whose 3.5‑inch hard drive is failing and replaced by a HDD 1 TB WD 3.5" at 8,500 DA HT (price from the AsloTech store as of 06/11/2026, subject to availability), a service of 4,500 DA HT (median of our quotes) and a Windows installation costing 1,000 to 3,000 DA HT.
- 8 500 + 4 500 + 1 000 = 14,000 DA HT ;
- 8 500 + 4 500 + 3 000 = 16,000 DA HT.
Either 14,000 to 16,000 DA HT, excluding data restoration and software. All amounts in this guide are in DA HT.
As a reference for new equipment, the store displays professional ThinkPad laptops at 168,000 DA excl. VAT (the ThinkPad E16 Gen 1, Core i5‑1335U, 16 GB, SSD 256 GB) at 268,000 DA excl. VAT, all sold out as of 06/11/2026. These machines are not equivalent to your PC: only a quote can compare them. To choose new equipment, see Desktop or laptop for a business.
Decide with AsloTech
To have a PC diagnosed and compare repair versus replacement, see the computer maintenance page. For drives, memory and new PCs, see the computer store and our solution for professional computer hardware. A maintenance contract helps limit future failures.
Frequently asked questions
Should I keep a refurbished PC as backup?
It is useful to troubleshoot a colleague during repair, provided the machine is tested (battery, storage, ventilation), compatible with a supported system and properly wiped before reallocation. A backup PC that cannot receive security updates becomes a network risk.
And what if I reduce PC usage (fewer applications, fewer files)?
That eases the machine for a while but does not fix a worn disk or insufficient memory. It is better to treat the cause, or decide on replacement.
How do I keep my data when replacing a PC?
First back up (off‑PC copy, with the 3-2-1 rule). Then copy files, mail, favorites and note software licenses. Verify on the new PC that everything opens, and keep the old disk as a temporary copy until this verification. Before resale or disposal, wipe it securely. AsloTech offers recovery and migration of data from an old PC to a new one, as well as secure disk wiping, on a quote.
Can I keep using Windows 10?
The machine works, but the system has not received security updates since 14/10/2025, except for ESU programs. The risk concerns the PC and the network it is connected to. A compatible PC can upgrade to Windows 11; an incompatible PC must be replaced or isolated from the network. See also why a firewall in SMEs.
Need an opinion on your site? A technician can come to assess your needs and advise you.