My Tools: Do I Need Anything Else?

[DSep]

I finally ordered most of the tools I'll need to set up shop on my own. The tools I have so far are listed below. Are there any other essentials that I'm missing?

Tools List:

Rosewill RTK-045M 45-Piece Magnetic Computer Tool Kit
PSU Tester
Universal Laptop Adapter
Multimeter
USB External DVD Burner
2.5"/3.5" Hard Drive Dock
Soldering Iron
Desoldering Braid
Electrical Tape
Heat Shrink Tubing
Compressed Air Duster
Screen Cleaning Wipes
Thermal Paste
Crimping Tool

I think that's pretty much everything.

 

[vdub12]

Don't worry about collecting stuff.

Trust me you will acquire it as you need it. Just get started. I started with almost nothing and now my tech bag weighs a million pounds. The strap is even about to break, lol.

 

[Martyn]

Don't worry about collecting stuff.

Trust me you will acquire it as you need it. Just get started. I started with almost nothing and now my tech bad weighs a million pounds. The strap is even about to break, lol.

Yes ^^^^ this. I am still buying bits and pieces a year on after starting.

 

[iisjman07]

The main thing I can see missing is test equipment for diagnosing PCs. The problem with devices such as PSU testers is that they often won't give an accurate reading and can't test the device under strain, so they won't always be very useful. The best way to test is a customer's PSU is bad is to try it with a known good one, so you may want to add a trusted brand's model to the list (I like OCZ & Corsair, and remember to get a reasonably power model with all the connectors you'll need). Same goes for RAM, which is also difficult to diagnose with software utilities like memtest, so you may want to pickup some various shapes and sizes.

Another thing you might want is an external hard drive or a NAS (or you could make a NAS out of an old pc with 'freenas'). You'll need a place to put customer backups/your OS disk images and it's far easier when in one centralised place.

Other stuff:

• Flash drive - for carrying tools around
• OS disks - to perform reinstalls
• Bootable antivirus software - to remove tough rootkits and malware

 

[pauln375]

You kind of gave the impression you just recently acquired that list of tools. (I am unsure weather that means you have or do not have any experience using them)

I would have to say the next thing you should do is to get hold of some bad motherboards or such to practice and learn to use the tools before you jump in to solder on a customers equipment (unless you have the experience already and just did not have the tools if this is the case please take no offense)

Also while there is nothing wrong with the tool kit you selected for now. I think you will find that tool shopping will never end. I have been doing laptop repair for almost ten years. First as an employee and now on my own. I have been tool shopping since day one always looking around for another better set of mini screwdrivers. Also if you are going into laptop repair you may need to add a set of torx and tamper proof torx drivers to the list .

I agree with vdub12. If you try and wait until you have everything you will need. You will be waiting forever and never start. Most can be Acquired as you find need for it .

 

[DSep]

I'm aware that tool shopping never ends, but I just wanted to make sure all of the basic tools are covered, so that I don't have to waste time getting them when a customer comes to me with a problem that I don't have tools to fix.

@iisjman07: Thanks for the recommendations. I have all of the things you mentioned already.

@pauln375: For the most part, all of these tools are new. I've been working as a tech for the past 3 summers for a guy in my neighborhood. My plan is to go for A+ at the end of the summer and then officially open for business. I have experience with everything here, but the multimeter. That said, my one experience with the soldering iron is soldering a new fan into a Dell PSU that would have needed a $60 replacement. The fan was soldered on to the board and hidden underneath capacitors, so I just cut the old fan off of it's wire and soldered a fan from an AMD heatsink onto the old cable and it worked like a charm. Now I'm trying to move onto board level repairs, so I have both a practice motherboard and one from my boss that has a blown cap to be replaced.

 

[tminer]

If the PSU was only a $60 replacement, I would have replaced it instead of rigging up something, not to mention the labor required was probably more than the cost of the replacement PSU.

A good ole #2 screwdriver is a requirement

You can practice soldering on old modems and other cards.

 

[DSep]

If the PSU was only a $60 replacement, I would have replaced it instead of rigging up something, not to mention the labor required was probably more than the cost of the replacement PSU.

$60 is a lot if you're trying to sell the darned thing for $100. It's a small desktop...probably about 5-7yrs old. It only took ~45 minutes and the labor was cheap as I do work for this guy as training.

 

[PaulRome]

A battery tester. Cant get an accurate reading on a cmos battery with a multimeter.


Best of luck

 

[Shark]

A HAMMER.

Seriously, sometimes you need a hammer when the client wishes to get rid of an old hard drive. The most effective way to ensure data is not recovered is to smash it to a million pieces.

 

[nuevotec]

A Logic probe, for testing clock circuitry and logic boards.
wall outlet tester just because sticking probes in wall outlets makes my hair stand on end

 

[pauln375]

I'm aware that tool shopping never ends, but I just wanted to make sure all of the basic tools are covered, so that I don't have to waste time getting them when a customer comes to me with a problem that I don't have tools to fix.

@iisjman07: Thanks for the recommendations. I have all of the things you mentioned already.

@pauln375: For the most part, all of these tools are new. I've been working as a tech for the past 3 summers for a guy in my neighborhood. My plan is to go for A+ at the end of the summer and then officially open for business. I have experience with everything here, but the multimeter. That said, my one experience with the soldering iron is soldering a new fan into a Dell PSU that would have needed a $60 replacement. The fan was soldered on to the board and hidden underneath capacitors, so I just cut the old fan off of it's wire and soldered a fan from an AMD heatsink onto the old cable and it worked like a charm. Now I'm trying to move onto board level repairs, so I have both a practice motherboard and one from my boss that has a blown cap to be replaced.

Well sounds to me like you are on the right track

 

[glricht]

A HAMMER.

Seriously, sometimes you need a hammer when the client wishes to get rid of an old hard drive. The most effective way to ensure data is not recovered is to smash it to a million pieces.

I have an old hammer and philips screwdriver in the back of my car when I'm onsite. If the customer is discarding his old PC (and it's not worth it to strip for parts) and is concerned about his HD's data, I literally remove the HD, and use the hammer to pound the tip of the screwdriver into the HD.

Actually feels pretty good if I've had a tough day!

 

[kaiser715]

Stuff in my daily toolbag in addition to what you listed already:

Utility knife

flashlight

sata>usb adapter and ide-usb adapter

nutdriver (think it's a 3/8) for when I need to open up a telco premise box for testing at the service entrance or making connections...most around here are also slotted, some not.

RJ11 and RJ45 crimp tool

Punchdown tool

Fluke Microscanner2 for testing cables and patch cords
(won't verify, but basic fault finding, length, etc)

Couple of patch cables

tie-wraps


Also have a large tool kit...more screwdrivers, soldering iron, full nutdriver set, drill/driver, drill bits, stud finder, jab saw, small fish tape, wiring supplies (tape, shrink wrap, assted wire). This usually stays in the truck unless doing an install.


I have a fiber/cable bag, with fiber optic tools, and coax cutter, stripper, and crimper. Don't use this often, so it usually stays at the shop, unless I need it on an installation.


Also carry a vac in the truck. It's an older Euraka that built into a tool-box looking case. Got it on the clearance rack at the big-box hardware store for about 15 bucks several years ago. It's been good, looks professional enough (I peeled the "Eureka" orange stickers off the outside), and a heck of a lot cheaper than the "data vacs" that are a lot more money and don't work any better. Good for cleaning out a pc, or getting up the trash after popping open a ceiling tile.


Other stuff in the truck: long fish tape, fiberglas fish sticks, bellhanger bits, tote bin with structured wiring and telco stuff, tote bin with PC repair parts, few boxes of cable...gee, no wonder my MPG stinks.


Most tools are duplicated at the (home-based) shop. Nothing like having to run out to the truck at 2am to get something simple like a screwdriver.

 

[gikstar]

A thin 3/16 nut driver is handy for the nuts on the video card that want to come undone when the client has tightened the vga cords on too tight.

Also, just the other day this product was mentioned: http://www.zalman.com/eng/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=431
the Zalman ZM-VE200

I just bought 2 of these for the shop... great to load up your ISO's and take in the field or have on your tech bench. Rom drives are too slow for this day and age.

Consider taking some plastic ties with you, several sizes and something to cut them with. It's a pain in the butt to have to ask the client for a sniper or scissors to remove plastic ties from the inside of their computer.

Keep a tape measure with you also.

I have found it useful to carry some 1GB sticks of DDR400 ram with me, great for upgrades on the spot. Those older computers we seem to work on almost always need more ram and it will save you a trip to the store.

 

[DavidF]

A large bag of cables, filters, cable adapters and assorted junk is probably my most used item, followed by a spare PSU, wireless modem and static bag full of DDR2 and 3.
Besides my fave phillips head, a small magnifying glass and mini Mag LED torch are my most frequently used tools since I got back into the habit of carrying a tool kit onsite.

 

[DavidF]

My bad, I was checking my calendar for tomorrows appointments when posting and was thinking "on-site"
In the workshop I couldn't survive without at least three drive docks, one with 2.5 & 3.5 IDE as you mention.
A magnifying planet lamp for laptops with fiddly ribbon cables and nooks and crannies, also good for finnicky soldering jobs.
The $2.50 multi-tip screwdriver handle from local auto accessories franchise for tightening mainboard standoffs and VGA backplate hex-heads which also has a telescopic probe with a rare earth magnet at it's end for retrieving screws from the more inaccessible corners of flesh eating el-cheapo chassis as well as reluctant recessed laptop screws.
A good quality jewellers screwdriver kit.

 

[colonydata]

A thin 3/16 nut driver is handy for the nuts on the video card that want to come undone when the client has tightened the vga cords on too tight.

Also, just the other day this product was mentioned: http://www.zalman.com/eng/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=431
the Zalman ZM-VE200

I just bought 2 of these for the shop... great to load up your ISO's and take in the field or have on your tech bench. Rom drives are too slow for this day and age.

i remembered this thing last night and looked it up on newegg. they are 49.99 with a 10 dollar Mail in Rebate the rebate expired last night though. i ordered it at about 1am this morning but since newegg is PST my invoice says 7/31 on it.

how big of a drive did you put in there? i have a 120gb laying around that i figure i will use to start off with.

 

[RegEdit]

How 'bout a collection of all of the Windows CD's? AFAIK you only need 2 Vista CD's... 32 bit and a 64 bit. You can install any version of Vista.

Just buy them off ebay, rip 'em and resell them on ebay.

Yeah I know there will be an onslaught of responses about legalities, but you're not pirating product keys. You're saving customers a LOT of time because they won't have to wait a week to order replacement restoration discs from Dell or whoever it may be.

 

[comprx]

Also, just the other day this product was mentioned: http://www.zalman.com/eng/product/Product_Read.asp?idx=431
the Zalman ZM-VE200

I just bought 2 of these for the shop... great to load up your ISO's and take in the field or have on your tech bench. Rom drives are too slow for this day and age.

So does it work as advertised? Just throw all my tech ISO's on there and select which one I want before boot? Windows disks, UBCD, Gparted ect?