i am new to the computer repair business and i have seen the pics of bryces tool kit but my questions are if anyone out there can help me are is there a special kind of laptop needed to do diagnostics with? along with the great library of free ware shown on this site are there any other software that i need to have on hand or any other diagnostic software i need to have on hand? where can i purchase computer repair tools? are there any good sites or places that sell the tools or software or the hardware at wholesale or discount prices to computer repair techs? I am just getting ready to start learning computer repair and i am trying to get a jump start by getting all the extra advice that i can and i would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me with these questions i would be so gratefull.
in need of advice
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NYJimbo
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Any laptop decent, recent laptop will be fine.
Rather than answer all of your questions, spend alot (ALOT) of time reading this forum. Scroll through the last 6 months of posts, especially Bryces entries he has when you first visit the site, you can go back a long time reading previous entries and find out answer to most of your questions just through that alone.
Rather than answer all of your questions, spend alot (ALOT) of time reading this forum. Scroll through the last 6 months of posts, especially Bryces entries he has when you first visit the site, you can go back a long time reading previous entries and find out answer to most of your questions just through that alone.
Alan22
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Is there a special kind of laptop needed to do diagnostics with?
You don't need a special kind of laptop to do diagnostics with. In fact, the only diagnostics I ever do with a laptop (and it's not really diagnostics) is to connect a hard drive via usb and scan for viruses & malware or to retrieve data. Having external enclosures or an all-in-one adapter (pata & sata to usb) is very handy.
Along with the great library of free ware shown on this site are there any other software that i need to have on hand or any other diagnostic software i need to have on hand?
It all depends on what you're looking to do and what the job entails. Having the software mentioned in the various threads here is a great start and pretty much covers your bases. As you work on systems you'll find that you may not need or use alot of it, or will search out other software tools for specific situations.
Where can i purchase computer repair tools? are there any good sites or places that sell the tools or software or the hardware at wholesale or discount prices to computer repair techs?
Newegg, Amazon, Ebay, etc. There is no shortage of online sellers. The most used tool in my bag is a $4 6-in-1 screwdriver I get at HomeDepot (has 2 phillips, 2 slotted & 2 nut drivers). There are times I use a precision screwdriver set (for very small screws). I also carry around needlenose pliers with a wire cutter (for cutting zip ties) and a crimping tool for terminating rj-45 and rj-11 cable (basically ethernet and phone cable). The other tools I have collect dust.
You don't need a special kind of laptop to do diagnostics with. In fact, the only diagnostics I ever do with a laptop (and it's not really diagnostics) is to connect a hard drive via usb and scan for viruses & malware or to retrieve data. Having external enclosures or an all-in-one adapter (pata & sata to usb) is very handy.
Along with the great library of free ware shown on this site are there any other software that i need to have on hand or any other diagnostic software i need to have on hand?
It all depends on what you're looking to do and what the job entails. Having the software mentioned in the various threads here is a great start and pretty much covers your bases. As you work on systems you'll find that you may not need or use alot of it, or will search out other software tools for specific situations.
Where can i purchase computer repair tools? are there any good sites or places that sell the tools or software or the hardware at wholesale or discount prices to computer repair techs?
Newegg, Amazon, Ebay, etc. There is no shortage of online sellers. The most used tool in my bag is a $4 6-in-1 screwdriver I get at HomeDepot (has 2 phillips, 2 slotted & 2 nut drivers). There are times I use a precision screwdriver set (for very small screws). I also carry around needlenose pliers with a wire cutter (for cutting zip ties) and a crimping tool for terminating rj-45 and rj-11 cable (basically ethernet and phone cable). The other tools I have collect dust.
Screwloose
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One tool I recommend is a power supply tester. Makes troubleshooting a dead system move along much faster when you can either eliminate or identify the problem as the PS. Here is the one I own and it wont break the bank.
http://www.compuplus.com/Power/COOLMAX-14909-PS-224-LCD-1031732.html
if you have a box of PS's sitting around ( like I had at one point ) you can test them all in about 10 minutes and toss the ones you were unsure about but have never gotten around to hooking up to a mobo.
http://www.compuplus.com/Power/COOLMAX-14909-PS-224-LCD-1031732.html
if you have a box of PS's sitting around ( like I had at one point ) you can test them all in about 10 minutes and toss the ones you were unsure about but have never gotten around to hooking up to a mobo.
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atlanticjim
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Laptop: Any laptop will do. Mostly I use it on site to (surreptitiously) Google for solutions to obscure problems.
My repair case contains a small toolkit with added needlenose pliers, two Kelly Clamps, electrical tape, and binder clips to clip stray cables to the edge of an open case and get them out of my view. Anything more is overkill (but looks very cool).
6' Network Cable.
A PS Tester
A Label Maker to put wireless SSID and Password on the bottom of wireless APs, and readable windows keys back on the computer case.
My collection of CDs. I can enumerate them in another thread but READ READ READ these threads and you will pick up what you need. Include a variety of OS's, Password Disks, Partition disks, Multipurpose Live Disks (like UBCD4Win), antivirus disks and a DVD of "Office Space" for those LOOONG onsite jobs.
Two copies of my USB toolkit, in case I leave one behind at a job. Start building your own here and learn how to script Ketarin to keep it updated.
Binder with Worksheets, Contracts and multiple resources I might need while on a job.
Reciept book.
Since I am a one-man-show, this case contains 90% of what I need and I use it in my shop as if I was onsite (putting everything back in it as I am finished) so I can just grab it and go as I need to.
In my car trunk I keep a padded box for towers and two empty lappy cases and a roll of painter's masking tape and a sharpie to identify the computers with Name and Date.
My repair case contains a small toolkit with added needlenose pliers, two Kelly Clamps, electrical tape, and binder clips to clip stray cables to the edge of an open case and get them out of my view. Anything more is overkill (but looks very cool).
6' Network Cable.
A PS Tester
A Label Maker to put wireless SSID and Password on the bottom of wireless APs, and readable windows keys back on the computer case.
My collection of CDs. I can enumerate them in another thread but READ READ READ these threads and you will pick up what you need. Include a variety of OS's, Password Disks, Partition disks, Multipurpose Live Disks (like UBCD4Win), antivirus disks and a DVD of "Office Space" for those LOOONG onsite jobs.
Two copies of my USB toolkit, in case I leave one behind at a job. Start building your own here and learn how to script Ketarin to keep it updated.
Binder with Worksheets, Contracts and multiple resources I might need while on a job.
Reciept book.
Since I am a one-man-show, this case contains 90% of what I need and I use it in my shop as if I was onsite (putting everything back in it as I am finished) so I can just grab it and go as I need to.
In my car trunk I keep a padded box for towers and two empty lappy cases and a roll of painter's masking tape and a sharpie to identify the computers with Name and Date.
Harvest
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I am not sure if you are a Linux guy, but if you are so inclined and you would like a great suite of tools to check security of a network Back Track 3 is awesome. Pretty much hack wireless also on the fly, and that can be super useful to show a client vulnerabilities in real time.
If you have a dual boot you can use it and other OS to check out systems with.
If you have a dual boot you can use it and other OS to check out systems with.
There is a newer version (v4 Final Release) of backtrack released recently
http://www.backtrack-linux.org/
http://www.backtrack-linux.org/
Harvest
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True, but many people find 3 to be better, it might be better now I don't know I hope so but 3 has been solid for a while.
