General Question

[Neub]

Ok I'm 18 years old currently enrolled in college for an associates degree in digital media and web design, but I feel though that starting up my own company that I should be savy in pc repair and support, i know how to search on google to figure problems out but I want to eliminate that hopefully, I would like to be able to troubleshoot I guess my question is how would I go about becoming savy in repair and support? Is there some type of certificate I can get or some course I can take that will further improve my knowledge?

Thanks
Brian N.

 

[greggh]

While most people who ONLY have an A+ and no other knowledge arent very good at what we do, it is a good starting point and will get you on your way.

I would get an A+ book (also called the CompTIA A+) and study, take the A+ exam and go from there. It should get you a good fundamental understanding of hardware and troubleshooting. You cant stop with just the A+ though, it is just a starting point. Most of the knowledge you need after that can only be gained through experience though. So start fixing.

 

[Neub]

i thought the A+ only pertained to actual PC hardware?

 

[gunslinger]

I agree, experience is what you really need, jobs seem to go a bit faster when you have seen a certain problem thirty or forty times or more. Also google is your friend don't worry that you have to look something up. I have been fixing computers for years and I still use google to find answers maybe once or twice a week.

 

[Neub]

what about the MSCE certificate? is that something that would be beneficial? I always hear about it.

 

[The Goatboy]

i hold a current MCSE, and it won't help you with what you want. getting an MCSE is only going to get harder, and MS is making it more specialized as well. Besides, an MCSE cert has NOTHING to do with PC hardware/software support. I agree with greggh, maybe start with an A+ book, don't take the test unless you feel you really need to, and most importantly get the treasured experience. Work on friends and family computers first, use google for all it's worth and just as importantly use this forum for help if necessary. If you want to take a dip in the MS pool, then start easy and learn something you might actually use like XP or even Vista since those are the 2 OS's you'll probably work on most. Good luck to you.

 

[idiot_savant]

I think experience will be your best mentor....I studied a short course in PC troubleshooting but I'm learning more in this forum than from the short course I took......reading a few books on PC repair helps and also google can help but it's always the experience and hands-on that pays......

 

[gunslinger]

I forgot to say also don't be afraid to ask questions. If there is something you don't know just ask. Will it make you sound like you are new? yeah, most likely, but you are new and this is how you learn. There is nothing worse than talking with someone that should know better say something stupid because for years he/she has been to scared to ask questions.

 

[Noodle2732]

Well im 17...
I started working for a local pc repair shop at the age of 13/14 and they trained me up in the field like an aprentiship except i wasn't getting paid, whilst i was working there i also took a simply Computer A-Level (has standard h/w & s/w concepts and some prgramming).

Now im am still at the same company, and being offed a job as a workshop manager. I am also able to go into just about any other pc repair shop and prove to them that i know what im doing in 1 - 2 days (have put this to the test when i was thinking of leaving)

So i would say to you carry on your education but dont go too high, instead get a small job and learn from working in the field.

P.S. I live in the UK so dont know how important Qualifications in the pc repair feild are over in the US but i've found that although they're made to look really important by schools and colleges they're actually not if you know what your doing and have the guts to prove it.