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

I recommend

[Professor Collins]

Any plain-Jane kit you can buy at your local Radio Shack or Fry's. There's really no need for an extravagant repair kit. You just need: various screwdrivers, a grapler to get out-of-reach screws, and possibly an IC remover. Not much else to say about repair 'kits.'

Re:I recommend

[walt-sjc]

The problem is that those kits come with crappy / useless tools. The damn things are made with really soft steel, and have crappy handles. The first tough screw you run into ruins the screwdriver. Get some good Vermont American or high-end craftsman screw / nut drivers. Buy them individually, cause you only need a couple of the smaller ones. You also find that you need a few other things that these kits don't have.

Get a good 1/4" driver handle (magnetic) and a bunch of bits (good ones), with hex heads, torx, phillips, standard, security/tamper-proof bits - real handy. (see http://www.wihatools.com/pro_BitSets.htm BTW, Wiha carries ESD safe sets too.) Even though these sets come with phillips / slotted bits, make sure you get NORMAL screwdrivers as mentioned above. Trust me on this. You end up using your #2 phillips and 1/4" nut drivers more than any other tools in the bag.

Another "nice to have" is a little cordless screwdriver.

I've NEVER used an IC remover in the past 8 years. Everything is surface mount anyway. I guess they may have been useful in the 8088 days when memory was socketed chips. Soldering irons are just as useless. Some of those kits come with those crappy vaccuums - don't EVEN bother. Those things are a joke.

Throw in a good wire cutter, needle nose, bent needle nose, normal pliers, telescoping magnetic pickup, dental mirror, small flashlight, anti-static wrist strap, and that should do it for a good basic set for PC work.

For supplies, a can of Air, wire ties, motherboard-sized ESD bag, electrical tape, and anti-static cleaning wipes.

Past that, it depends on exactly what you do. Do you need to make custom RS-232 cables? Network cables? Fix / clean a printer? A good IT tech usually has quite a few tools as he ends up working on just about everything.

Don't buy a pre-made case kit right away

[dnight]

Get a $5 cheap kit, and make note as you go what tools you need, and aquire them. Jensen Tools is a good place to check out. Kind of pricey, but a pretty good selection of tools,. test equipment, etc.

One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent...

[devphil]

...was for a metal dish, with high walls, about six inches across, with a very magnetic base. It sticks to metal, and any screw or latching piece will stick to it. No more building a little pile of tiny screws as I take apart a computer while hoping they don't roll away or I knock them over.

It's for home, but I'm thinking about getting another at work.

Here's what's in my kit

[slaker]

I don't do MUCH techwork any more, but unfortunately, I've never in my life actually been able to walk away from it.

99% of the time, the only thing needed, hardware-wise, is a #2 philips screwdriver. For safety and completeness, though, a set of "precision" screwdrivers and at least one smallish flathead are good, too. Lest I forget, the possibility of my patient saying "Compaq" on its chassis also merits my inclusion of #8 and #10 Torx, which are both hard to find.

Very thin needlenose pliers, and a thicker set for miscellaneous bending.
A pair of tweezers.
Dental mirror.
Wire snips.
Multimeter & oscilliscope (er, I keep that one in the car).
Dusk mask and thin, wool painters gloves (screw static, I can touchtype in them and they keep my hands from getting cut).
Bandages (in case my hands get cut) & neosporin.
Canned air.
Wrist strap in case my customer is paranoid or something.
Sears 3.6V cordless screwdriver, if I'm working on several machines that day.
2.5" to 3.5" hard disk adaptor.
Intel Pro/100 NIC
8GB 2.5" hard disk, filled w/ software installs & diagnostic packages.
USB CD-RW
8x Parallel CD-ROM.
An assortment of ribbon cables (IDE, 50-pin SCSI, floppy, serial etc).
A collection of power splitters and adaptors
Socket 7 HSF.
Slot 1 HSF
Slot A HSF
80mm case fan
Floppy disk drive
14.4 USR external modem
Some AA batteries
Keyboards: 1 AT-style w/ PS2 adaptor, 1 USB
Mice: 1 serial, 1 USB w/ PS2 adaptor
A lighted magnifying glass
Spray n' wash (in car) and spray-n-wash wipes
Artic Silver
Deodorant & clean shirt
basically lint-free rags
Crimper
Velcro ties & plastic "zip" ties
Cable tester
4-port switch
Spool o' cable & some connectors
Punch down tool.
Known-good 14" monitor (in car, also) and matrox millenium PCI card.
A wide assortment of RAM (presently: 2x72-pin 64MB FPM, 128MB PC100, 256MB PC2100, 64MB 72-pin SODIMM, 256MB 144pin SODIMM, 128MB PC800 RIMM + cRIMM)
Lots of screws & spare jumpers
Dremel tool

Add to that essentially a complete collection of every driver, operating system or software package I've installed more than once (about 70 CDs, I think), and you're basically set.

I carry everything around in a big, soft-sided tackle box.

Hardware that I choose to carry around is generally on the the basis of very wide support. You'd be hard pressed to find an OS that didn't know what to do with a Matrox Millenium, for example.

Last thing: Big bottles of tums and asprin. Not for the work, which is easy, but for the endless demands from people who realize that you know how to fix computers.

Re:What utility software?

[walt-sjc]

Add to that:

Tomsrtbt floppy
Linuxcare Bootable Business Card CD
Ghost
Paritition Magic

Spare screws

[zero_offset]

Everybody is forgetting the "accessory" I find I use the most -- a big old ziplock baggie full of spare screws, motherboard mounting posts (and those square snap-in mounts), washers (paper and metal), and just about every other computer-related fastner you can think of.

How many times have you cracked open a case to discover that every drive was held in by a single screw? Or that screw that the owner has stripped and is relying on it being wedged in just right to hold the $400 video card in place?

Of course, it's easiest to acquire these items by simply collecting them over time. That would be a cool thing for an online retailer to sell. "500 piece miscellaneous computer fastner pack... $7..." :)

Oh yeah, in case nobody said it: zip-ties and velcro tie-wraps...

Re:What utility software?

[SpaceLifeForm]

I'd also add a MEMTEST86 bootable floppy.