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ForumsOne of our forum members greggh, a seasoned computer technician and business owner posted his list of what he brings to on-site computer repairs. His list is an excellent resource for beginners to help them start building their own kit and for experienced technicians to fill some holes in their own kits.
Here is greggh’s post from our Guides, Tips and Tricks forum:
My CD/DVD wallet has:
* Ultimate Boot CD
* My own BartPE environment with a lot of plugins and modifications.
* Software disc that includes everything I think I need (the list is gigantic, so here are a few: ccleaner, multiple anti spyware and anti virus tools, 7-Zip, HiJackThis and many other tools like it, password revealers for ie websites office docs and wireless networks. ect….)
* 3 Driver discs full of all the driver packs unpacked.
* 4 Service Packs discs. XP/2K/2K3/ALL OFFICE, service packs and
AutoPatchers.* 1 DVD made up of all 3 driver discs and all 4 service pack discs (if they have a dvd drive, might as well use it)
* Acronis bootable disc with all the acronis tools (we are an Acronis partner so I am licensed.)
Next list is my windows discs that I bring (all real copies, not burns)
* Windows XP SP2 HOME RETAIL* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM GENERIC
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM HP
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM GATEWAY
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM DELL
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM EMACHINE
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM COMPAQ
* Windows XP SP2 HOME OEM LENOVO
* Windows XP SP2 HOME VLK
* Windows XP SP2 PRO RETAIL
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM GENERIC
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM HP
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM GATEWAY
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM DELL
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM EMACHINE
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM COMPAQ
* Windows XP SP2 PRO OEM LENOVO
* Windows XP SP2 PRO VLK/CORP
* Windows 95 B
* Windows 98 First Edition
* Windows 98 Second Edition
* Windows ME
* Windows 2000 Workstaton
* Windows 2000 Server
* Windows 2003 Small Business
* Windows 2003 Small Business R2
* Windows 2003 Standard
* Windows 2003 Standard R2
* Windows 2003 Web
* Windows 2003 Web R2
* Windows 2003 Enterprise
* Windows 2003 Enterprise R2
* Windows 2003 Datacenter
* Windows 2003 Datacenter R2
* Windows Vista Ultimate (contains all vista versions.)
Some people will say that is all a bit too much. But it isn’t. If you don’t have the right version and they don’t have their discs what will you do? Of course I will only use these if they have their license. Usually that is on the tower itself somewhere or in the documentation. I am lucky to have some of these expensive ones thanks to my companies partnership level with Microsoft and our ActionPack subscription.
Next up is hardware
* 8 gig usb flash drive
* 250 gig external usb and firewire drive/enclosure.
* External 20x DVD+/-RW with lightscribe. (also usb and firewire)
* Usually (when fully stocked) 2 of every possible cable I could need (ide, sata, converter cables for 2.5″ drive to 3.5″ drive and so on.)
* My laptop (from www.cyberpowerinc.com)
* About 10 blank cds and 10 blank dvds (of course this always changes.)
* Leatherman
* Spare parts: power supply, dvdrw drive, about every type of ram in 512 meg sticks, wireless router, wireless access point, a couple ide and sata hard drives, and a few other misc random parts.
Thats pretty much it, every now and then something else random shows up. I keep most of it in my big targus laptop backpack. The spare parts stay in a tub in my trunk when I am in the car, and in my closet when I am not. The external drives go in a little carrying bag that barely holds them both, but its actually a really good fit. So you will usually see me walking in with my backpack on and the bag in my hand (or using the shoulder strap on the little bag.)
Thanks to greggh for sharing this list. The replies to this forum post can be found HERE.
There are many other excellent posts in our forums where beginners and veterans alike share information to help one another in the difficult field of computers. Signup to our forum today and join in!
I am in 100% agreement with being prepared and fully stocked when it comes to providing services. I would like to know where I can get the original copies of some of the OSs. Unfortunately I did not keep many of my programs of old because I was not into IT as a career. I know they will cost but I figure starting out little by little I will eventually grow my OS tools. I too am interested in starting my Computer Technician Business. Thank you for the information.
Leslie, In the forum replys to the original post they say that you can create a multiboot CD using THIS tutorial. However, I think that already assumes you have all the CDs.
According to the responses in the original forum thread you can also purchase the “Microsoft Action Pack” that comes with it located here:
https://partner.microsoft.com/40016455
Its really nice that you are hauling around a huge stack of “not burned” windows discs. However I kind of doubt thats really true and even if it was what point are you trying to make? Microsoft lets you download VLK isos and technet isos and burn your own windows discs, they even provide tools for making your own slipstreamed discs. If anything its pretty foolish to be carrying around originals of all those discs when you could be scratching up easily replaced burns in those dusty/broken cd drives you always see in customer machines.
I would suggest taking a IDE-to-USB converter cable (along with a four pin power supply). This has helped me out many times when diagnosing hard drive problems. Not really needed if you have that external hard drive case, but a suggestion none the less..
jon
http://www.jonbarton.net/blog
I’d also suggest a Power Supply Tester (might be included in that ‘Misc Stuff’ hehe. $15 or so at Newegg. Good Stuff.
Thanks for sharing. The IDE-to-USB seems a good idea if you’re faced with a PC without USB and non-working CD/DVD writer.
I think you don’t need to take the Vista Ultimate DVD as opposed to Vista Basic, Home Premium…. It is my memory that any version of the Vista DVD contains the complete Vista code. It is the product key that determines what gets installed.
@Richard You are correct, I actually just downloaded a MSDN image of Vista w/ SP1 and it contains ALL flavors
Cool. We all have a different way of doing things.
I’m more of a tweaking artist. I feel if the customer can see the difference of my work the better I’m getting Kudos