Yes, we still make house calls.
A Lethbridge IT company since 1990
Gary Wheeler started Dok-Tor Harddrive in Lethbridge in 1990, and we’ve been here ever since. In that time, we’ve seen technology go from the first office networks to cloud services and phone apps, and we’ve kept our clients current through all of it.
Across many industries, we’ve seen how a business works with its staff, customers and suppliers, and we set up technology to make that run smoother.
We’re a small family business by choice, now in our second generation. You’ll deal with the same familiar faces every time.
How we got our name
When Gary was first starting out, he carried his tools in a small bag and went to fix a local doctor’s computer. It had a Maxtor hard drive. As they talked, the doctor pointed out that Gary had a doctor’s bag just like his, and that he made house calls too. The name stuck. Gary spelled it Dok-Tor Harddrive, a nod to that Maxtor drive and a way of making it clear he wasn’t claiming a medical degree. We still make house calls.
You may already know our work
We’re the team behind West Lethbridge Weather (westlethbridgeweather.com). Gary built the station in 2007 and added the Whoop-Up Drive traffic camera in 2012. It’s been running around the clock ever since, with live conditions, local forecasts and automatic updates. It’s the same kind of reliable, always-on setup we build for our clients.
See it live: watch the Whoop-Up Drive camera on West Lethbridge Weather.
Helping the next generation learn
We believe understanding technology should start with curiosity. Alongside our business IT work, we support free educational resources on LethbridgeWeather.ca:
- Electronics School: approachable lessons in circuits, components and how technology works, with hands-on battery-powered projects and teacher guides.
- Kids’ Science Corner: science, experiments and discovery for curious kids and their families.
Who you’ll be working with
Maran Magnell, Gary’s daughter, is the second generation running Dok-Tor Harddrive. She joined in 2002 looking after the office and learned the technical side from the ground up. Today she runs the business and leads the software side: Microsoft 365 set up and customized to how each business really works, business applications, automation, and the day-to-day support that keeps it all running. Clients trust her because she’s patient, she listens, and she understands how their business works, whether it’s a home builder, an auction company or a medical office. She holds a Bachelor of Management from the University of Lethbridge. Away from work, she and her husband keep up with their busy young kids and all their activities, and in her spare time you’ll find her in the kitchen inventing some creative feast.
Gary Wheeler started Dok-Tor Harddrive in 1990 with a tool bag and a lot of house calls. Hardware has always been his side of the work: networks, servers, workstations and the equipment that has to keep running. Today he backs Maran up on hardware and on-site technical work, and takes on custom projects such as web apps. He holds a Certificate in Management Information Systems from the University of Lethbridge. Away from work, he runs the West Lethbridge Weather station and the Whoop-Up Drive camera, and he’s on the air as VE6CV. He’s an ISED Accredited Examiner, giving the exams for new amateur radio operators, and a net control station for the Maritime Mobile Service Network (mmsn.org), which has supported boaters at sea since 1968. He also holds his Advanced Qualification, runs Mobile HF Ham Radio Operators, a Facebook group with over 2,400 members, and VE6DOK.net, a site for learning about amateur radio.
When a job needs more hands, we bring in a trusted technician we know well, and you still deal with us.
How we work
- We explain things in plain language, and we’ll talk tech with your vendors for you.
- We recommend what you need, and only what you need.
- If something isn’t a good fit for us, we’ll tell you upfront.
- We keep you in the loop every step of the way.
- We plan our work around your business.
New clients: one free 15-minute consultation
For new clients, a one-time, no-cost, no-obligation consultation by phone or video. Request a time that suits you from our open times, and we’ll confirm it with you. Then tell us what’s going on, and we’ll tell you how we can help. If it’s not something we can help with, we’ll tell you that too. Any work after that is billable, and we’ll talk it through with you first.
Let’s talk
Phone: (403) 381-7080
Email: info@drhd.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. Closed weekends and holidays.
After hours: Call for problems or emergencies, and we’ll do what we can to help.
Serving: Based in Lethbridge. Onsite across Southern Alberta, remote anywhere.
Mailing address: Suite 144, 210 12th Street A North, Lethbridge, AB T1H 2J1
Drop-offs: by appointment. Call first and we’ll arrange it.