My toolkit, and your toolkit.

great list, one question where did you get you cd ejection tool ? i can see one is a paper clip but the other ??
Click to expand...

My boss gave it to me, he says that 'in the olden days you used to get one with a new cd drive'. Not sure how true this is, but anyway it's too thick to fit in some of the pin-holes, which is why I carry the trusty paperclip
 
Wow ... you guys seriously carry all of that around? This is what I've got ...
3 4-gig usb sticks. One with portable utilities we've all got in comon, and two with ubuntu 10.10 (I have my reasons).
1 2.5" harddrive in an external enclosure, 500gb

As for discs:
Windows XP Pro OEM + SP3 + certain drivers that make it all easy.
Windows XP Home OEM + SP3 + drivers again
Windows Vista Ultimate X86
Windows Vista Ultimate X64
Windows 7 Universal X86
Windows 7 Universal X64
Offline Update DVD for each

And ... well, that's it. From there, I might bring something else if the job sounds like it'll need it. Otherwise, I travel light.
 
Our business is strictly on-site (we have no store). Since we can sometimes be quite a distance from the office, we have to be pretty self-sufficient when at a customer site. Therefore, we actually have TWO "what we carry" lists:

1) Hardware and software tools for diagnostic work. The items in this list are what this post is all about and we carry most everything listed previously (and then some).

2) Replacement parts. Unless we have to do a N&P or the PC requires some hard-to-find or unique part, we try to be able to do everything at the customer's site. This means we carry a lot of common parts/items that we might need to fix a problem or simply sell while on-site:
- Phone modems (both PCI & PC Card) - not too much call for these now
- Wired NICs and wireless adapters (both PCI and USB)
- Wired and wireless routers; also a couple of 4-port switches
- Ethernet and USB cables of various lengths
- USB hubs
- All kinds of RAM in various sizes (256MB-2GB) and types (SDRAM/DDR/DDR2/DDR3) for both laptops and desktops
- USB thumb drives
- One medium-priced graphics card of each type: PCI-E, PCI and AGP
- Sound cards and one set of speakers
- Misc items, e.g. KVM switch, UPS, PSUs, various adapters (USB/PS2, IDE/SATA, etc)

In essence, it's a small subset of what you guys with stores have.
 
Hardware:
1x PSU
A bag full of assorted cables/adaptors
1x #3 Phillips head
A fold out kit of jewellers phillips/flat/torx tips with handle.
A wireless modem/router.
A USB wireless nic
A couple of PCI nics
A 3 in one SATA/3.5"IDE/2.5" IDE adapter
A static bag full of assorted RAM

Software
nil

I used to pack a great deal more but when my toolbox was stolen at the end of last year I didn't replace it. The only thing I have missed since is the portable eftpos terminal (must get a new one)
Since then I've realised that most of the stuff I was carrying was great for the inner geek in me but was effectively just more baggage.
The results now are the same but these days I don't need the aluminium suitcase.
 
Software/Freeware, Bryce how about you putting together a file together with all the software/freeware on it, and posting it for sale like your marvelous Business Pack, that Rocks by the way, Put my name on the first Download purchase, I think you it would sell. Just An Idea If You Have The Time.
 
greggh said:
So how about we post about what we actually take with us to calls. Ill start it off.

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.)

  • 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.)

Anyone else want to show us what they carry?
Click to expand...

For them that don't want too or cannot become a Microsoft Partnership, any info on where we can pickup them windows disks, I for one purchase them when needed.
 
Computer Reair Utility Kit

Any ideas how i can get the "Computer Repair Utility Kit" that used to be available. I just watched the "Removing A Virus Without Using An Anti-virus Scanner" snd think it is awesome. I know that the tools are all available separately but it is a lot more convenient.
 
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