Recommendations for Computer Repair Kits?

lpq asks: "I've recently starting doing some computer repairs and don't feel organized when it comes to tools. I'm wondering what any people who do computer building/repair use for a portable kit? Are any of the toolkits any good? Or are they just cheaper tools than I might already have with a cheap vinyl case? I saw some expensive kits -- but it looked like one of the main difference is rather a driver device with scads of fittings, the more expensive kits seem to go with separate tools. One had 15 socket screwdriver type tools where I get the same in less space with a ratcheting screwdriver and an adaptor for sockets. I noticed many kits with soldering irons -- not something I've had a need for in most computer upgrades / repairs. Ideas? Basics things to have?"

Comments

tom's recently ran an article about this

[Gregory S Patterson]

Tom's Hardware

I don't think many of us need all the stuff this guy carries, but it's a nice article to get you started.

Been there, done that, here's what you need:

[itwerx]

- A screwdriver with #2 Phillips, flat and assorted Torx bits
- A small set of little-tiny screw drivers for laptops
- A penlight
- A telescoping mirror
- A telescoping magnetic pickup or grabber
- A big (40+) CD case to carry all your utility software
- A couple of blank floppies
- A '98 boot diskette (for machines that won't boot off CD-ROM for whatever reason)
- Spare IDE/FDD cables
- Spare SCSI cables and terminators
- Spare Cat-5 cables of various lengths including one short cross-over and a couple of inline couplers so you can daisy-chain them

And if you still have room: a mini-hub, spare NIC, spare video-card, HDD for imaging, laptop with PCMCIA nic and modem

Enjoy!

Quality over gizmos.

[Jonny 290]

My kit (when I finish it) will consist of:

• Craftsman screwdrivers (large, medium, small, in flathead, Phillips and Torx)
  
• Hex wrench set
  
• Gerber multi-plier (flat-nose)
  
• Craftsman diagonal cutters, end cutters, straight needle nose and bent needle nose pliers
  
• Quality jeweler's screw driver set
  
• Requisite Altoids tin or film canister full of screws, jumpers, etc.
  
• Weller pencil iron (you may not need it for a HD swap, but when you're doing a watercool job or fanbus it's critical) with silver (small diameter) and rosin-core (larger diameter) solder
  
• DMM - even a $30 eBay special can test continuity, LED's, ground paths and PSU voltages.
  
• RJ45 crimpers (quality) with an assortment of RJ45 and RJ11 ends
  
• 2AA Mag Light with extra batteries
  
• Medium size (8 inch) vise-grips (Please, get the name brand. :))
  
• Shrink tube in 1/2", 3/8" and 3/16" (preshrunk sizes)
  
• Cable ties (4", 6" and 8")
  
• Canned air (cleaning, and if you turn it upside down you can use it as freeze spray and isolate components that are having heat-related failures)
  
• Bonus points for a TP cable tester, signal tracer, heatsink compound, Loctite, Dremel with bits, and super-glue (to counteract the previous Dremeling :)).
  

Basic tools to have:

[joeface]

My most-used tools:

Screwdriver with swappable magnetic bits. It's murphy's law: when the screw falls, it will fall into that one corner of the case that you can't reach.

Flashlight. Preferably a mini mag light. They're bright as hell and they're easy to hold in your teeth when you need both hands =)

Paper Clips. They're impossible to track down whenever the CD drive gets jammed, so you'd better have one on you.

Dentist's mirror. To read the serial number or FCC ID on that card that you're too lazy to pull out of the box.

Sledgehammer. For those really frustrating projects.

This is all pretty common-sense stuff, but with the exception of the sledgehammer, most of the jobs I do get done with those tools.

Parts, parts, parts

[DavidYaw]

Personally, for tools, A screwdriver is ususally enough. (Get one of the four-in-ones.) The only other tool I'd add is a mirror. (Get an old makeup mirror, the kind that's in a compact that had makeup on one side and the mirror on the other. It keeps the mirror protected. I got one from my mom when I was in high school, works great.)

The most important thing is parts. Gonna throw away that old 386? Take out all the screws, IDE & floppy cables, power supply cables. (And sort the screws by size.) Add a couple network cables, maybe a USB cable, and a power cable.

A couple boot floppies for various OSs (make sure they've got CD drive support), and that'll do it.

What utility software?

[itwerx]

I hear you ask...

'98 boot disk (and bootable CD)
Spinrite
MemCheck
CheckIt/QAPlus
pcAnywher e
VNC
WinZip
Acrobat
DOS version of PKZip
Collection of common nic/video/printer/etc drivers
Copies of major OS's (Win2K, 98 OSR2 etc.)
Copies of Office
Copies of SP's and patches
Copies of browsers (IE, Netscape, Opera)
L0pht Crack
Your favorite IP scanner and other IP tools (e.g. Putty)
Other tools depending on OS's you work with (e.g. JCMD for Netware, Upromote for NT, the Win2K/NT resource kits, 'Nix boot disk and utils and hundreds of other favorite need-specific utils)

Stuff I forgot to list

[itwerx]

- Spare screws and jumpers of all sizes
- Needle-nose pliers
- Canned air
- Cable tester and fox-and-hound (tracer)
- Spare power/usb/parallel cables
- Wooden pencil or tongue-depressor (for cleaning mice)
- Paperclip
- Pen
- Sharpie permanent marker
- Assorted gender changers
- SCSI cable adaptors (e.g. 68F-50F)

Probably more stuff...!

More detail

[0x0d0a]

I have a little Radio Shack kit as recommended above, which I endorse. Here's my breakdown:

Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, in two sizes each (you need a dinky little pair for some screws).

Tweezers (these can get awfully useful)

Two hex drivers in different sizes (so you don't strip case screws...I love hex drivers).

Torx screwdriver with two sizes of head that doubles as a large hex driver.

Pair of tweezers.

Little gitchie-grabber thingie to grasp tiny parts where your fingers can't fit.

Case to store extra screws and screws in use. Losing screws from the case you're working on can get really, really easy.

The non-useful bits that came with the kit: IC removers. Why the *hell* do they ship IC removers with repair kits any more?

I added the following to the kit:

Pair of forceps. Holding wires or little bits out of the way can come in handy. Fishing/bait kits have these.

Needlenose pliers. Useful for all sorts of stuff. I strongly recommend these.

Watch the quality/warentiee

[bluGill]

Sears Craftsman tools have a lifetime warentiee, if they break you walk into any sears store and get a replacement no questions asked. Snap-on is much higher quality (in general), but they in general don't carry the smaller tools computers need. Many tools are lifetime warentiee, but you can't find where to get it exchanged.

Don't fool youself, you will need that warentiee. The non-warentieed tools are generally soft metal that nearly bends working air, they have no hope of dealing with a real part. (Okay, not quite that bad, but close enough) With the good tools you won't have nearly as many problems, but you will eventialy break something. I can't say what (other than your #2 phillips) you will need it for, but you will need it for something.

Oh, in addition to the above: a #2 square drive screwdriver. I've never seen the need for one in computers, but if you ever come across the person who designs computer packaging ask them to change. Square drive is a lot nicer than phillips, it lasts longer and takes more torque if nessicary. (Warning, don't over torque screws putting them in, but sometimes you get a stubberen on that needs extra help to come out). Opinion I know, but I think it is a good idea.