Technician Kit ?

Associate
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14 Oct 2007
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Hello all, im looking into tools needed for diagnostics of a pc.

More specifically, im wondering what the best software for following:

Memory Testing (memtest ?)
Overall PC Diagnostics & Repair (Microscope ?)
Hard Drive Erasing ? - not formatting. (is there such a thing, or is this just a gimmick ?)

Any other equipment or ideas are welcome, please help.
 
Associate
OP
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14 Oct 2007
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133
thank you.

To give a better idea, im after industry software used by I.T Techies.

Im looking at getting into PC repair as a job and wanted a bit of help choosing the right software & Utilites.

Thanks in advance :)
 
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If you're asking questions such as these then you really shouldn't be looking to fix peoples PC's professionally. Anyway...

Other than some of the software you've listed already, it's always a good idea to have some cheap spare parts lying around, RAM especially.
 
Soldato
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Manchester
Hello all, im looking into tools needed for diagnostics of a pc.

More specifically, im wondering what the best software for following:

Memory Testing (memtest ?)

Yes, I usually carry a Linux live cd which includes memtest.

Overall PC Diagnostics & Repair (Microscope ?)

The VAST majority of computer problems will be software related, so in terms of diagnostic hardware there isn't really anything you would generally have with you.

Hard Drive Erasing ? - not formatting. (is there such a thing, or is this just a gimmick ?)

I get mine securely destroyed but I'm sure someone could recommend the current popular tool for this.

Any other equipment or ideas are welcome, please help.

Some other things to have:

  • A CD zip-wallet thing to keep all your bits and pieces in
  • CloneZilla disc
  • External USB hard drive (as big as you can afford) for backing up to
  • A pair of small pliers
  • A set of small screwdrivers - I like a few different sizes but at the very least have a small phillips head
  • Any Windows OEM discs you may have in your possession (because half the time people can't locate their recovery discs)

The best "tool" to have with you though is your brain and experience. As you tinker with your own computers and fix other peoples you'll get an idea for yourself what you will need for next time. Anti-static bags are good to have around and maybe an anti-static wrist strap for completeness. To be honest though I don't even own a wrist strap but some people like them. You may want to throw in a couple of blank CDs too.

Also, if you have a laptop, take that along as well. It's always handy to have a known working computer with you to test network problems and download that driver you need. Also handy for when you get stuck and need help from Google (we've all been there)

Good luck with it anyway and perhaps buy a technicians book. The CompTIA A+ book is quite good.
 
Soldato
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In addition to the above,

Hirens boot cd is good. Basically undocumented as far as I can make out, however the hardware diagnostics are pretty good.

A pata/sata to usb adapter, as well as your laptop. This allows you to take their hard drive out of their laptop to recover the data they've inevitably failed to back up. Ubuntu on a usb stick is useful.

On a very serious note, you do not want to attempt this by yourself unless you have considerable start up capital. Find a local pc repair shop and start off working there, this way when a job goes **** up and you find yourself £300 down, you have an angry manager rather than an angry customer to worry about.
 
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I build PC's for a living at the local school and have a basic tool kit in a zipped pouch , IDE to USB gadget ,2.5" to 3.5" adapter ,one or two other items and a host of software including hirens ,software recovery programs , boot disks etc but have NEVER needed a microscope or even a MRI scanner for that matter :)
You find out what you need as you go along , just buy one of those aluminium Technicians cases and you'll look the part .
 
Soldato
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Lots of spare parts. Common stuff - hdds, ram, psus. These are the bits you really need. And magnetic screw drivers ;)

if your any way successful you'll gather a large stash of the above from general upgrades. Try not to buy in too much new stuff to keep overheads down As said almost all will be software related. You will need OEM copies of XP, Vista and soon 7, both home and pro editions (the only thing you can rely upon coming across is the unexpected. The last few repairs I have done, nit professionally mind, have been for God-awful Acer/Avent Chavtops... Repair partition = free money ;)
 
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I build PC's for a living at the local school and have a basic tool kit in a zipped pouch , IDE to USB gadget ,2.5" to 3.5" adapter ,one or two other items and a host of software including hirens ,software recovery programs , boot disks etc but have NEVER needed a microscope or even a MRI scanner for that matter :)
You find out what you need as you go along , just buy one of those aluminium Technicians cases and you'll look the part .


lol
omg
 
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I do a lot of fixing of systems for friends and family and people in the local area as clients reccomend me to others which is nice and what I have is:

Netbook - Very handy, Fabulous purchase, couldn't be without it now
UBCD4Win
Hirens Boot CD
4GB flash drive
Portable USB HDD
The flashdrive has an arsenal of portable apps on as well whcih auto update when i connect it to my home pc.
 
Soldato
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Large selection of disks (HDD manufactuer ones, Ubuntu, Slackware, UBCD, Hirens, XP/Vista/7 disks) and a USB ODD to go with them. You can also run all these off of flash or a HDD.
USB HDD (in addition to a flash drive with utilities as write speeds to flash drives are frustratingly slow).
 
Associate
OP
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14 Oct 2007
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133
ok thanks guys, lol i think most of you got the wrong idea.... i'll explain in detail later as im at work.

But the 'Microscope'.... is Microscope 2000, it is a diagnostics software. lol NOT a microscope! lmao!
 
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