My toolkit, and your toolkit.

Found a great carry case to hold everything

Bought a Kodak slide projector 860 at my local goodwill store for $5. It came with a leather case. (Dont need the projector) If you read this within the ebay auction dates you can see one. auction is item #200222896123. This case holds my laptop, portable drives, tools, disks-everything I carry fits in it. It has a skinny slot to hold the laptop. its strong(leather) 2 latches and a handle(no lock though) Its very professional looking. And you can take it in at night. I was using a piece of hard shell American tourist luggage.Not so professional looking-but it locked.
 
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I would say that if you don't have and PS2 to USB and vice versa adapters you may get in a bind.

A lot of bios systems sometimes don't recognize USB key inputs when trying to boot from a CD and using the adapter on their keyboard to ps2 saves a lot of time.

Also they are good for troubleshooting faulty keyboards and mice because the USB or the PS2 ports may be bad and you can eliminate those easily by adapting them to another type port.
 
Binder (Data Backup Consent Forms, Work Log Forms, Billing Sheets)

250GB USB2 External Harddrive (for backups)

CD Wallet:
* Avira Antivir RescueCD
* Knoppix
* Kubuntu
* Office XP Professional
* Office 2003 Professional
* Office 2007 Professional
* Service Pack 1: Vista
* Service Pack 1: Windows XP
* Service Pack 3: Windows XP
* UBCD4WIN (Avira Antivir, SuperAntiSpyware, FAB's Autobackup)
* Ultimate Boot CD
* Windows 9x CD (Various versions of 95, 98, 98SE, and ME)
* Windows 2000 Professional
* Windows XP Home OEM SP3
* Windows XP Home Retail SP3
* Windows XP Home Upgrade SP3
* Windows XP Media Center Edition SP2
* Windows XP Pro OEM SP3
* Windows XP Pro Retail SP3
* Windows XP Pro Upgrade SP3
* Windows XP Pro Corporate
* Windows Vista SP1

Spare Parts:
* Blank CDs, DVDs, & Floppies
* Ethernet, SATA, IDE, Floppy Cables, Phone, Molex Splitter (2 each)
* Ethernet Switch
* Extra Screwdrivers
* Flashlight
* Jumpers
* Multitool
* Power Supply Tester
* PS/2 Keyboard (small)
* PS/2 Mouse
* Spare ATX Power Switch
* USB->PS/2 Keyboard & Mouse Adapters

4GB Flash Drive:
* 7 Zip Portable
* Add/Remove Programs Cleaner
* ATF Cleaner
* Autopatcher (2000, Addons, DirectX, DotNet, Office XP, Office 2003, Office 2007, Office Addon, Office 2007 SP1, Vista)
* Autoruns
* AVG Antivirus 8 (With batch file to disable Safe Surf/Safe Search)
* Avira Antivir
* CCleaner Portable
* ClamWin Portable
* Combofox
* CWShredder
* Daemon Tools Lite
* Dial-A-Fix
* Explore2FS
* FoxIT PDF Reader
* HijackThis
* JKDefrag
* LSPFix
* Magical Jellybean Keyfinder
* McAffee Cleanup
* MicroBurner
* Norton Removal Tool
* OpenOffice
* Paint.NET
* PC Decrapifier
* Process Explorer
* Restoration
* Revo Uninstaller Portable
* SDFix
* Secunia Personal Software Inspector
* SmitFraudFix
* SmitRem
* Spybot Portable
* Sun Java JRE
* SuperAntiSpyware
* Treesize Free
* TweakUI
* Unknown Devices Beta
* Unstoppable Copier
* Vundofix
* WinBubble (Vista Tweaking)
* WirelessKeyView
* XP Codec Pack

Things I would like to add:
GetDataBack for NTFS and FAT (Only need to buy one copy/technician)
Office 2000 Professional
TeraByte Image For Windows PE (Technician License)
USB Keyboard and Mouse
 
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Great post

Guys,

This is a great post. I have been fixing my own computer as a hobby for years but recently moved, sold my business and moved to a part of the US where my old job (business) didn't make sense.

I am toying with the idea of doing this professionally. I am studying for my A+ cert. I have run a customer based business before so I know how difficult some customers can be.

I have been kinda questioning what Bootware I really needed also the whole licensing issue. This is great because you have answered a lot of my questions. I also think bootzilla.com is a great resource.


Peter
 
My toolkit...

Hardware

1) PSU Tester
2) P.O.S.T. Card
3) WIFI Scanner
4) Router
5) 5 & 8 port Switches
6) WiFi Acces Point
7) Ethernet cables of varying lengths
8) Ethernet Crossover cables
9) Screw driver
10) Staple gun
11) Ethernet Crimper
12) Dual boot Apple laptop w/ OS 10.5 & Vista Ultimate
13) Pocket knife
14) Needle-nose pliers
15) Gerber utility tool
16) PSU
17) Various sticks of Ram
18) 2 Video cards
19) 2 NICs
20) SATA & IDE HDs
21) Invoices
22) Pens
23) 120 GB USB2 HD for Backup
24) 8GB Flash Drive
25) At least 5 each Blank CDs & DVDs

Software

1) Service Packs for everything win2k and later
2) Acronis TruImage
3) UBCD4Win Updated every 2 weeks
4) Knoppix
5) SpinRite
6) Techtool Pro
7) Various Mac Utils
8) Many .PDF format books (Win Server 2003 Admin Companion, SBS 2003 Admin Companion Server+, Security+, Network+ A+ Old, A+ New)
9) Autoruns
10) Process Explorer
11) Encrypted Client Data
12) DCOT menu (And all the software that comes with it)
13) IP Scan
14) Seagate Drive Diagnostics
15) Western Digital Drive Diagnostics
16) PC-Decrapifier
17) Firefox 3.0 Setup
18) CrossLoop Setup
19) Avira antivir
20) MBSASetup-EN.msi
21) ZoneAlarm
22) Comodo Firewall
23) ComboFix
24) HiJackThis_v2
25) SBS Best Practices
26) User Manager
27) Tweak UI
28) ISO Burner
29) My Firefox Favorites
30) XP Pro SP2
31) XP Home SP2


But enough of this… What I want to know is what is everybody’s most important tool. And no, your jump drive w/ all that software doesn’t count. Just 1 piece of hardware and 1 piece of software.

Tim
 
AVG Batch File

Artimus said:
* AVG Antivirus 8 (With batch file to disable Safe Surf/Safe Search)
Click to expand...

Can you please paste the code of this batch file? Does it contain something similar to:

c:\avg_free_stf_en_8_100a1295.exe /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch

out of interest, do you usually also disable the notification drop down by renaming avgmwdef_us.mht and avgresf.dll?
 
avg_free_stf_en_8_138a1332.exe /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch

I'm looking at my above script and wondering why I have the same command line argument twice.

Keep in mind, the new version of AVG supposedly fixed the issues with SafeSearch flooding websites. Still, I like to turn it off.

I haven't actually tried the new version on a box yet, but there might be a way to disable it in the actual installer now. You can also go into the advanced options and tell it not to warn about a missing component (like the old AVG)
 
someone told me to get a multimeter/ circuit tester to test components like the mother board but wouldnt a post card do the same thing to determine weather or not a motherboard or graphics card is dead ?

I dont like the idea of poking around with a circuit tester inside a computer as your more likely to do damage, I dont even know how to use a multimeter anyway. :rolleyes:
 
Totally worthless

I would suspect that who ever told you that was also suggesting that you can replace parts such as resistors and capacitors on a motherboard. The only parts that are worth replacing are CMOS and the CPU. If a motherboard is bad you can use a post card (sometimes) or a visual inspection. Solder at your own peril. Resistors burn out and cans plump up. A close inspection will usually reveal these issues if the motherboard is bad. Most often you may have a CMOS problem or a BIOS problem, not a motherboard problem.
 
wall2000x said:
I would suspect that who ever told you that was also suggesting that you can replace parts such as resistors and capacitors on a motherboard. The only parts that are worth replacing are CMOS and the CPU. If a motherboard is bad you can use a post card (sometimes) or a visual inspection. Solder at your own peril. Resistors burn out and cans plump up. A close inspection will usually reveal these issues if the motherboard is bad. Most often you may have a CMOS problem or a BIOS problem, not a motherboard problem.
Click to expand...

the guy who told me this worked at pc world some 15 years back and thinks he knew it all, he was a total jerk as he wanted me to get his old 12 year old computer up and running as it had a really dodgy switch and would reboot when it got to desktop, it turns out it was a dodgy graphics card. he said he got a friend to come over and he used a multimeter on the graphics card and the results shown it was dead but how exactly can a multimeter tell you that its dead ?

it has to have a current running through i think ? I put more trust in a post card and a psu tester myself.
 
nuff said pcworld in the UK = geek squad in the US bloody awful in my opinion by the way its a personal thing again but in most cases i find it not to be a worthwhile venture replacing components as most of my clients prefer the cheap and easy fix.
 
Like the poster above said, there are only a few
replacable components on a desktop mobo
  1. cmos battery
  2. ram
  3. cpu and heatsink

If you see a burnt out resistor, bin the mobo?
 
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greggh said:
So how about we post about what we actually take with us to calls. Ill start it off.

3 Driver discs full of all the driver packs unpacked.
Click to expand...

Just curious about how u know which drivers to get and where and how u got them all ?
 
Ok i should explain i'm just starting out repairing computers for money and well i'm a bit stuck with these drivers. I've downloaded all the driver packs but say i'm after doing a reinstallation and i need the drivers how do i put them on to the machine, like do unzip them all and then copy them onto discs and let windows search for them or should i use something like driverforge to then install them from the cds or is there some easier way.

Have a feeling this post is gonna make me look stupid but well we all have to start somewhere.

Thanks for your patience :)
 
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Zorba said:
Ok i should explain i'm just starting out repairing computers for money and well i'm a bit stuck with these drivers. I've downloaded all the driver packs but say i'm after doing a reinstallation and i need the drivers how do i put them on to the machine, like do unzip them all and then copy them onto discs and let windows search for them or should i use something like driverforge to then install them from the cds or is there some easier way.

Have a feeling this post is gonna make me look stupid but well we all have to start somewhere.

Thanks for your patience :)
Click to expand...

Hi First off you right we do have to start somewhere and secondly no one here looks stupid, we all have experience and valuable input its just some of us have it in a particular field and others have it in another field.

Now then Please don't take offence but are you sure your ready to start out accepting cash from customer for fixing their pcs.

The reason I say this is your having trouble with with what is (And as your experience grows I am sure you'll agree) a simple proceedure.

In the early days of starting up on our own, a single customer could make or break our business (In the early days worrd of mouth is EVERYTHING)

Sorry I have not answered your initial question...

However on this forum we ar lucky enough to have the author of the driverpacks as a member, so i'll not steal his thunder and i will let him explain it to you.

Sorry for this but why get this info from a third party when you can get it from the main man himself..

And good luck on you venture.:)
 
Nathan H said:
Hi First off you right we do have to start somewhere and secondly no one here looks stupid, we all have experience and valuable input its just some of us have it in a particular field and others have it in another field.

Now then Please don't take offence but are you sure your ready to start out accepting cash from customer for fixing their pcs.

The reason I say this is your having trouble with with what is (And as your experience grows I am sure you'll agree) a simple proceedure.

In the early days of starting up on our own, a single customer could make or break our business (In the early days worrd of mouth is EVERYTHING)

Sorry I have not answered your initial question...

However on this forum we ar lucky enough to have the author of the driverpacks as a member, so i'll not steal his thunder and i will let him explain it to you.

Sorry for this but why get this info from a third party when you can get it from the main man himself..

And good luck on you venture.:)
Click to expand...

Yes i know what your saying and i can see how it looks, but i've been fixing friends and family computers for a while now so i do honestly have some experience in computer repairs :)

Reason i'm asking about the drivers is because most of the time i use double driver to copy drivers off the computer i'm working before a format, but the above method would be better and save time if i already had all the drivers on a cd.

I tried the driverforge on a spare computer eariler and it worked fine.

Hmmm knew i'd regret asking this question :eek::eek::eek:
 
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