Required Tools for PC Repair?

kennethrona asks: "I seem to be spending a lot of my time installing friends' WiFi access points, replacing power supplies, hard disks, blocking ports, installing software, etc. I can usually find any of the software I need on-line, but am thinking about putting together a "toolkit" for PC repair. What tools, both hardware and software, does the community think are essential for PC repair? Bonus points for free software (I always install a free firewall and spyware checker). Also, keep in mind that most folks are running Windows."

Comments

Hardware

[NickMc2000]

A philips screwdriver is always needed. I would suggest getting a packof different sizes. Laptops i've worked on have used smaller screws. besides that an extra ethernet cable is always handy, a crossover helps too. Maybe an extra ide cable would help.

Re:Hardware

[ReverendRyan]

A good idea to go along with philips screwdrivers is a socket set. Most standard computer screws have a hex head around the x for the philips, and its sometimes easier to use a socket in tight spaces (they've saved my ass many a time)...

They should be availible at most good hardware/tool stores- I'm sure RadioShack has them.

Re:Hardware

[nelsonal]

I have this 6 socket nut driver that I pretty much always take with me, it comes with a large and small phillips, flat, and Torx bits, and has a little magnet in the middle that extends to grab those little fiddly screws that I always seem to drop in between to PCI cards. It has lights but I've never put batteries in it.

Re:Hardware

[Justin Ames]

That sounds pretty cool, where'd you get it?

Re:Hardware

[davey_darling]

I have this one here. (scroll down)

It's a pretty cheaply made tool, it certainly does the job for electronics related jobs, but wouldn't stand up to any significant amount of torque.

This one here (scroll down) looks to be of slightly higher quality. (now that I read the page, they have a few lighted screwdrivers)

They both seem dreadfully overpriced, my mom bought me mine from one of those dodgy characters that come into businesses and try to sell crap to the employees.

Re:Hardware

[cybermace5]

A handy little space saver is to bring a long ethernet cable and a very short ethernet cable. Then take one of those little end-to-end coupler and swap the wires inside to make it a crossover converter. That also works well for connecting two laptops, when the cables have a proprietary connector on the end instead of a dongle.

In a pinch, you can make a crossover converter without any tools. They snap apart easily, and you only have to bend the contact pins a bit to pull them out and swap them.

Re:Hardware

[Directrix1]

Knoppix CD would be quite handy.

Re:Hardware

[jonadab]

> A philips screwdriver is always needed.

Always. A slatted screwdriver also comes in handy sometimes. If
you have to work with Compaq systems, you'll also want a set of
six-pointed-star ("Torx") bits, including a couple of the ones with
the hole in the middle ("Security Tee Star" -- you NEED these,
because the only _other_ way to get those screws out is with a
drill; Compaq is evil) and a spare NIC, because Compaq systems tend
to use a NIC that Windows will not recognise on install, and while
the OEM system has the drivers you need, if you have to reinstall
for any reason it can be painful trying to figure out which drivers
you need -- especially for Deskpro models, which don't have the
exact model number _anywhere_ on them. A spare NIC, worth $10,
can save you hours of pain.

I also keep around a tray with multiple little compartments in it,
for screws; very handy. A spare IDE cable might be no bad thing too.

One of the very best things you can have is a complete working
system (preferably, a multiboot system). One of my favourite
tricks is to pull the HD out of a non-working system, and put it
in a working system as slave, so I can mount the drive and look at
it. This is similar in principle to the Knoppix idea, but it has
the additional benefit of isolating the hard drive from the rest
of the system hardware.

Oh, and a pair of needlenose pliers comes in handy for an
astonishing variety of things. They fit certain types of screws
that no ordinary screwdriver can manage, or can be used on the
outside of the screw head in some cases. They're great for
retrieving things (jumpers, screws, ...) that have fallen into
places they shouldn't have. They have other uses as well, and
if nothing else you can fidget with them while you think.

Oh, and: you need a set of boot floppies, one for each major
version of Windows, containing the following:
* FDISK, SYS, FORMAT, and SCANDISK
* A text editor you can use in an emergency.
* REGEDIT (Know how to use this in command-prompt mode.)
* An ATAPI CD-ROM driver general enough to work with most
ATAPI drives. The Mitsumi one has worked for me.
* MSCDEX
* DEBUG
* A hex editor, if you're not really comfortable with DEBUG.
(You still need DEBUG though, for other things.)
* A third-party boot loader that can install from the
command prompt. BOSS for example.

It's also good to have pkzip (and pkunzip), preferably the Win32
console version, on floppy. These don't have to be on each boot
floppy, just have them someplace, and a box of blank floppies.
Sometimes you have to get manufacturers' drivers for a NIC or
modem before you can get internet connectivity working, which
means using another computer to download them, and they can be
too big to fit on one floppy. The span-disks feature will get
you around this problem. If you don't have it, or some equivalent
compression and chunking solution, the other way out involves
moving the hard drive over to the system that works (as a slave
drive), depositing the files on it, and then putting it back where
it goes. PKZip can save you from that sometimes, especially if
you're dealing with a SoftPAQ that comes to 2MB or so; PKZip will
fit that on two floppies for you.

I also second the Knoppix suggestion. It isn't obvious at
first glance, but Knoppix comes with mkdosfs (_very_ handy
when the Windows CD has FORMAT embedded in a CAB and you have
no filesystem to extract onto) and dosfsck (which with the -v
flag gives better information than scandisk). Plus of course
the Linux version of fdisk, which is somewhat better than the
Windows version, and a decent text editor[1], and other things
that can come in handy. And if it recognises your NIC, which
in many cases it will, you can use this in lieu of the floppy
solution to get NIC/modem drivers downloaded.

[1] By "a decent text editor" I of course mean Emacs.

Re:Hardware

[nelsonal]

It was a present, and looks a lot like the one in the other reply. I think you would have pretty good luck looking around the cash register at a hardware store, especially around the holidays. If you can't find one, you could make one with a 1/4" nut driver or small ratchet, you could magnitize it yourself and several bits in a small case.

Re:Hardware

[compwizrd]

Especially handy when some twit has stripped the phillips screw and all your screwdrivers are useless now. Just hex the head out :)

Re:Hardware

[Myself]

Aha, the italiancarparts version is the one I picked up at Murray's for ten bucks a few summers ago. It's actually got a very good handgrip, and it's held up fine under plenty of torque.

What failed on me was the switch mechanism, which is a very cheap plastic tailcap type. I still keep the screwdriver around for the grip, despite the fact that it no longer lights up.

Re:Hardware

[hesiod]

> it's held up fine under plenty of torque.

I have the exact same one and the shaft and handle aren't secure enough. If I twist too hard, the handle turns but the rest doesn't. Despite that, it still works fine for not-too-tight screws.

I use the battery compartment as a place to hold screws & extra bits.

Re:Hardware

[dlosey]

I would say to get a set of screwdrivers that are slightly magnetized. Its inevitable that you will eventually drop a screw into the case and have it fall in a spot where you can't get to it, like under the motherboard.

I know someone will reply that the magnetism will screw up the computer, but as long as its off and you don't leave it stuck to your hard drive or anything, you shouldn't have a problem.

Re:Hardware

[PaybackCS]

I've found that a cross-over adapter created out of a wall-mount plug attached to regualar cat-5 works really well. All you need to do is plug the existing cable into the female wallmount plug, and the other end of the adapter into the computer.

Re:Hardware

[fshalor]

FAR too bloated for general use. I use:
1. Leatherman Wave. Perfect mix of screwdriver sizes.
2. SuperRescue cd.
3. Debian 2.2r5 and 3.0 r1 CD's.
4. linux boot cd and floppy with hash editors for windows passwords.
5. Box'o'sckrews.
6. Mess'o'cables.
7. Pint'o'Guniess

Knoppix

[dJCL]

Keep a knoppix disk handy, helps to determine if it a software or hardware issue. If it fails in windows and works in knoppix, it is most likely software, but if it fails in knoppix too, it startes too look a lot like hardware. That is usually the most annoying thing to figure out in a lot of cases. Knoppix just has the advantage of not doing any damage to the tested system and will put it throu the paces quite well.

Other options for inclusion are to taste.

Re:Knoppix

[eakerin]

Hate to reply to a troll, but to answer the question: ALL THE FRICKIN TIME!!!

I was working on a laptop, couldn't get the network card working for the life of me, My hunch was it was software, but I wanted to check. Knoppix to the rescue, booted up, and it Worked perfect in Knoppix, also known as, NIC works, Windows dosn't.

Turned out, the registry has gone currupt, so we had to rebuild it.

Re:Knoppix

[zcat_NZ]

Not only does knoppix correctly configure and use a large amount of current hardware; it'll also detect a much larger amount of hardware that isn't actually supported (winmodems, USB cameras, etc..) and display the details in dmesg.

Under XP, stuff that 'isn't working' for whatever reason just vanishes from the Device Mangler with no clue as to why. And when you plug in a new device, windows tells you it found "A camera" or "A scanner"; linux will actually identify it so you know what drivers to go download.

Re:Knoppix

[Sancho]

There are cases where the opposite is true, though.

I had a Windows PC that had random crashes, etc. Typical hard-to-diagnose problems. It booted Linux just fine, but Windows would bluescreen anywhere from the Starting Windows 2000 screen to the login screen or even sometimes after logging in. Linux was (apparently) just fine. So I assumed something corrupt in Windows, and I decided to reinstall. Install wouldn't work, again, crashing at random points.

Most people who troubleshoot PCs are probably screaming "Bad RAM!" right now, and they're right. Some of the memory in the machine had gone bad. Apparently the way Windows and Linux allocate resources was different enough that Linux never hit the bad memory during the short periods I'd use it (for troubleshooting) but Windows tried to access it fairly early on in the boot cycle and crumpled.

So while there /is/ a software problem (Obligatory "Windows Sucks") the problem was hardware, and just checking it in Linux didn't help.

Re:Knoppix

[eakerin]

I'm in no way saying linux is perfect for hardware diagnosis, but having a quick easy way to check for most situations can help out alot, rather than pulling the hard drive, and dropping it in another box. Booting linux won't help in every situation, but if it saves you 10-20 minutes, it's worth it.

Yea, Bad ram sucks, same with bad cache, and overheating processors, ahh the fun of PC repair.

Re:Knoppix

[EzInKy]

If you can't find a software fix for Linux, then you sure ain't gonna find one for Window.

Re:Knoppix

[BigDish]

Just an explination. I seem to remember that Windows uses memory from the highest address down, whereas Linux starts at the lowest address and works up. This, if you had some bad memory at a low address, it would allow Windows to boot still (most likely) And someone else mentioned it-Memtest86 is indespensible!

Re:Knoppix

[The Analog Kid]

I believe its if you can't find a software fix for Windows, then your sure ain't gonna find one for Linux.

Re:Knoppix

[EzInKy]

Really, so I can now compile my Window's kernel with the different options to get my hardware to work?

Ok here is my toolkit

[rkz]

Windows XP 6-IN-1 CD with KEY-GEN

Windows 98SE CD with CD KEY

Mozilla Firebird configured with IE Skin and Adblock extention.

star screwdriver.

MS Office 2003 with KeyGen.

Knoppix.

simple

[josepha48]

a crosstip screwdriver usually called a phillips screwdriver and a brain to use it.

Oh and replacement parts.

You usually replace the whole component rather than fix the component, so you would replace the video card, hard driver etc, rather than try to fix it as that is cheaper.

Re:simple

[evilty]

I'd add a nice bendy flashlight to that. It gets hard to see into all the corners of the case when your doing things like plugging usb cables to the motherboard, or finding an obscure jumper.

Re:simple

[Grhm]

I also carry a small mirror that I bought off my local dentist.

It has come in very handy (when coupled with a torch/flashlight) for checking serial numbers, model numbers etc. especially if said test is between two PCI cards.

Saved me a lotta hassle when I need to check things and I don't want to power off the machine and remove other components to gain access.

memtest86

[cymen]

memtest86 - never leave home without it!

Re:memtest86

[dJCL]

I'd totally forgotten about that program, how's it working these days?

Re:memtest86

[cymen]

I don't actually use it very much but I showed it to one of the techs in the IT department and they were impressed. He had a machine in for a memory replacement and it detected the bad memory very quickly. I'm definately keeping it in my toolbox to run on any new computer I put together or buy.

Re:memtest86

[AvitarX]

It's great, there is a bootable .iso for CD.

I like it because it is non interactive and takes a while.

You can at any time be like, this needs to run over night, and let it do the complete cycle a few times. This is great if you need a break from doing free help.

I also tend to run it as a first check for random crashing (only had it give errors once, for a crap MB)

tools

[pbhj]

Small [head]torch for dimly lit aread and when the light source gets shadowed by your head ... and a magnetic screw lifter for locating lost screws (but make sure to keep it away from any magnetic storage media).

Oh and has anyone mentioned tomsrtbt yet?

Re:tools

[pbhj]

That should read "area" but it's twenty-to-one and I've been drinking. Nighty-nighty.

Tape

[2sleep2type]

Some not to strong tape / bluetack to hold screws that you have taken out. After slowly losing more case screws than I care to think I now tape/stick them to the side of the case till I put it back together. Even if I've just open it for a couple of minutes...

Re:Tape

[forsetti]

You know -- sometimes you hear an idea so simple, so basic, that you smack yourself in the head and shout 'Doh!! -- why didn't I think of that already!?!'
Thanks for the tip!

Re:Tape

[ColaMan]

I just store them on the speaker magnet inside the PC. Just remember to remove them before putting the case back on tho'

Re:Tape

[DancingSword]

Damn! Brilliant.

It Is Already There ( unlike the sticky-tape theory ), and it isn't likely to run away, either.

IWIHTOT ( I wish... )

Remembering to remove the magnets before putting the case back, though, yeah, that can be a problem...

Oh, wait! What about them new piezo speakers, that don't have magnets on 'em...

hmm..

Ah HA! just bring one's OWN magnets, and put 'em in the computer for sticking screws on! Goody goody .. I love magnets...

Re:Tape

[Bazman]

blu-tak is also useful for sticking screws to screwdrivers when putting them back into awkward spots. A blob on the screw head, stick it to the screwdriver, then it only takes one hand to get the thing in. Useful in awkward cases where you cant get two hands to the job, and you cant rely on magnetism..

I think Blu-tak/Blue-tack is a trademark, other tacky gooey things in different shades of colours are available!

Baz

PS I disclaim responsibility for anyone who tries this and drops a screw into a PSU that then explodes, igniting the nearby gas tank, killing everyone in a five-mile radius...

Re:Tape

[foog]

I think Blu-tak/Blue-tack is a trademark, other tacky gooey things in different shades of colours are available!

Bostik Blu-Tack is indeed a trademark. Some of the other brands seem like they're made of melty chewing gum, so I've learned to be picky and seek out the original...

Re:Tape

[Eristone]

Ah HA! just bring one's OWN magnets, and put 'em in the computer for sticking screws on! Goody goody .. I love magnets...

Hmm. I keep having these intermittent hard drive failures - data keeps getting scrambled for some reason.. dOH!

(sorry. couldn't resist)

Re:Tape

[RayMarron]

In a pinch, I believe a booger would make a fine substitute. ;)

Re:Tape

[KillerHamster]

Good idea! I should do that.

By the way, it never hurts to have a few extra screws on hand, for when the last guy who worked on the machine lost a few.

my toolkit

[zcat_NZ]

Hardware;
A few screwdrivers, wire cutters, electrical tape, multimeter, spare jumpers, spare screws.

Software;
Norton Systemworks, OpenOffice, knoppix, AdAware, SpyBot, klite, winMX, Mozilla, DixV, java, flash6, putty, WinSCP, RedHat and Mandrake.

I also carry warez copies of 98, XP, 2k and office, but I try and persuade clients to try Free alternatives first.

Re:my toolkit

[lowtekneq]

Wire cutters?! Electrical tape? Even the multimeter is a bit much, I know that its usefull for checking the PS, but how often will you use it. As for the wire cutters, what is it that needs to be cut in a pc? And electrical tape is a ghetto way to do things, use zip ties and folding.

Re:my toolkit

[jargonCCNA]

And electrical tape is a ghetto way to do things, use zip ties and folding.
Actually, if done properly, an electrical tape bind-back can look quite professional -- zip ties look like you just don't care and just want that shit out of the way. Put a little bit of effort into the tape and it'll look like you bought the machine that way.

Re:my toolkit

[Micro$will]

Even the multimeter is a bit much, I know that its usefull for checking the PS, but how often will you use it.

You'd be surprised how many times I've found what is supposed to be 110 ~ 120 volts AC is actually 90 ~ 109 volts, especially in the summer. What looks like a PS problem turns out to be an overloaded grid. Also, I'd like to have one of those nice but expensive ethernet cable testers, but the continuity tester built into my DVM works just fine, and it only cost me $30.

Re:my toolkit

[Anonymous Coward]

I also carry warez copies of 98, XP, 2k and office, but I try and persuade clients to try Free alternatives first.

Their question: Aren't warez free?

Oh well, if the choose the warez, you can always send the BSA after them.

Re:my toolkit

[kent_eh]

As for the wire cutters, what is it that needs to be cut in a pc?

Old zip ties?

What have you used?

[Naikrovek]

Hardware:
I'd say that anything you've ever needed in the past, you will need in the future. You answered your own question on this part.

Software:
I have no idea.

Baseball bat

[seinman]

So you can beat the shit out of the annoying bastards whom you're trying to help, but won't shut up about their stupid machine while you're trying to work.

Re:Baseball bat

[plover]

Nahh. You just need "my buddy Ernie. He's this guy who knows way more about computers than I do, and he'll be happy to come over and fix it for you."

Then you call "The Geek Squad" and have them send someone out to pretend to be your buddy Ernie. It'll cost you $100, but you don't have to go over there, eat their stupid tunafish casserole and listen to little Karla sing her first-grade song. It's money well spent.

I hate to say it this way but...

[Hungus]

If you honestly have to ask slashdot what to take with you, do your friend a favour and don't work on their machine.
Then go buy a copy of "Upgrading and Repairing Your PC" version whatever it is now.

It's called a "PC Tool Kit"

[Anonymous Coward]

...found on any CompUSA shelf, under twenty bucks. Software's going to depend on the job, of course. Jeez.

You know, if you can answer an "Ask Slashdot" in less than two or three lines, it shouldn't have been an "Ask Slashdot." This section has been really, really flimsy lately. Editors, if you don't have anything worthwhile to post, don't bother, please.

Check the previous Ask Slashdot...

[catseye]

This previous thread had a lot of good suggestions for toolbox goodies. My favorites include a Swiss Army Knife/Leatherman tool, and velcro straps/zip ties for organizing cables, etc.

-A.

Mod this -1 Redundant -- but it's true

[pv2b]

• A phillips head screw driver (OK OK, it's really JIS in most computers, but let's not nitpick here.)
  
• A wrist strap (a proper one with a resistor in series with yourself, so that you aren't electrocuted quite so efficiently if you touch a live wire with your other hand ;-)
  

Pillow

[Andy Smith]

If it's a Dell you're fixing then take a pillow. You'll need something to scream into.

Re:Pillow

[plover]

If it's a Compaq, you can use the pillow to muffle the shotgun blasts. But the neighbors will find out. They always find out.

Re:Pillow

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

Thanks for cheering me up. You got yourself a new fan, bucko! :)

Needed tools to successfuly fix computer

[Smartcowboy]

1- Bible
2- Holy water
3- Garlic
4- Sacrificial knife
5- Lambs

Re:Needed tools to successfuly fix computer

[Tumbleweed]

No no, son, wrong religion for working with things as unholy as computers.

Think more along the lines of chicken feet and pig's blood.

Re:Needed tools to successfuly fix computer

[cthugha]

I always thought that a pentagram, goat's blood and some dribbly candles were involved, and that 5 on your list was "Virgins"...but then I guess that would put the technicians themselves in immediate and deadly peril, so I can see why it was changed.

Re:Needed tools to successfuly fix computer

[rcw-work]

immediate and deadly peril

Well, peril does come from the same root word as experience.

A Hammer, that's all you need!

[E1v!$]

A Hammer, that's all you need! And when you're done, you can pretty much be sure you'll NEVER have a call back for that machine again!

Re:A Hammer, that's all you need!

[More Karma Than God]

The hammer is for you, not the computer, just thwack yourself in the head whenever someone asks you for free computer help.

Laptop

[Justin Ames]

I find a laptop with a CD burner, and both windows and linux installed can come in very handy. If you forget anything software wise in your tool kit, you can pull it off your laptop, or use their net connection to pull it from the net. You can also use your laptop to check defaults and to test any external hardware (like printers, mice, keyboards). -Justin Ames

Non-Essential Tools

[Inexile2002]

I used to work in a Future Shop with an in house repair shop. During some renovations, some contractor left some fairly heavy tools around that he took forever to come and pick up. (We had the damn things for almost 6 months.) These were serious construction tools like big ass drills with 2 foot bits, woodworking stuff, nail guns etc. For some reason, these tools were on the shelves in the repair area.

You could see into the shop through some bay windows, and every now and then the repair guys would haul out this old broken down HP desktop they had and "work on it" with the heavy tools. We'd get a kick out of watching customers watch our repair guys go at a desktop with a rotating saw and a nailgun.

Re:Non-Essential Tools

[Anonymous Coward]

wish I had mod points. Laughed my ass off.

Re:Non-Essential Tools

[Jellybob]

Great timing there... I'm trying not to laugh as someone reports a mugging they were involved in next to me ;)

CyberTool 34

[lsommerer]

I find that since I started carrying a Victorinox CyberTool 34 I very seldom have to go searching for any other tools. It has a built in socket set with a variety of Phillips and Torx bits, a pliers and the various other sundry clever things you'd expect to find in a Swiss army knife (ballpoint pen, straight pin, cork screw...).

It also happens to be the smallest Swiss army knife that has both a pair of scissors and a pair of pliers (make sure you get a pair, neither is worth a hoot singly).

Finally, since I'm posting anyway, does anyone know what that crazy hook thing is that appears on the "back" of most Swiss army knifes? I've been wondering for years, and the only thing I can figure is that it is very common in Switzerland to get from the top of a building to the ground by sliding down a thin wire.

Re:CyberTool 34

[Seraphim_72]

I was told it is a package hook. In europe I guess it is still fairly common to wrap a package in string - so when you get the mail, you open up your swiss and hook the strings and acrry it back :)

My brother got me one of these for getting my CS degree...you are right there is not a more useful computer tool -Seraphim

Re:CyberTool 34

[Anonymous Coward]

> Finally, since I'm posting anyway, does anyone know what that crazy hook thing is that appears on the "back" of most Swiss army knifes?

I think you can use it to remove hooks from fishes' mouths, besides as a parcel hook.

I also discovered that the screwdriver with exchangable Phillips and Torx bits can be used to remove the nut-screws on serial ports! Without a bit, it's just the right size.

Andy

Re:CyberTool 34

[Jellybob]

I miss my CyberTool... you've gone and reminded me of what excellent tools they are.

I went and put it down one day, and when I went to pick it back up again, it was gone. Guess it'll teach me to work in a school.

Well, there's the problem...

[hcetSJ]

Also, keep in mind that most folks are running Windows.

A good Linux distribution usually does the trick.

Windows

[rf0]

From expierence I suggest a Windows 98 disk as this can boot to a Dos Ram Disk, also W2K and XP. For hardware flat head, phillps screwdriver, anti-static wrist strap and needle nose pliers. Also knoppix as others have suggested

Rus

Re:Windows

[llamaluvr]

I'd echo the 98 boot disk - especially if you have to reinstall software, and the computer can't boot from CD (rare nowadays, but still). Having a 2000/XP bootdisk is handy for the recovery console.

A great tool to have is an NT password cracker. There's a linux-based one, but I don't have the URL...

I hear a lot of people mentioning Windows OS discs...I'd hope you'd all be using non-warez copies. Some people might take offense if they know that you're using stolen software on their computers.

one word - Leatherman

[TheSHAD0W]

I've used my Letherman super-tool (old-style) for just about everything, not just repairing PCs but for everything from furniture to my car. I've tried the newer-style ones, but prefer the old ones, with the hokey lock you have to open another blade to get loose.

Re:one word - Leatherman

[plover]

I think the Leatherman Wave is much nicer than the older ones.

With the round handles, I can really get a grip with the pliers, and it doesn't hurt my hands. The four main blades are all locking blades, and easy to get to even with one hand.

The only complaint I have is the difficulty in opening the inner screwdrivers (the side with the phillips and large flat blade.) There's so much friction that the thumbnail indents just bend my thumbnails.

Re:one word - Leatherman

[jshare]

Try spraying it (the pivot point) with some WD40.

When I first got it it was quite difficult to open, so I opened and closed it a lot until it loosened up. It was then fine (easily opened with thumbnail) until I let someone use the can/bottle opener at a party, and it came back hard to open. :( WD40 fixed it tho.

Re:one word - Leatherman

[Carnivore]

I have a Gerber multi-plier. The jaws slide out of the handles so you can open it with one hand. All of the tools lock. I got a custom one, but apparently they don't do that anymore. Mine is going strong after 3 years of abuse.

I also got a little adapter that slides over the phillips screwdriver which allows you to use any standard screwdriver bit.

My most interesting tool?

[NanoGator]

Bootable Knoppix CD.

Here's a few tool ideas...

[speleo]

Here's a few suggestions from my toolkit that I've put together over the years. I might work on anything from a Sun server to a Wintel or Mac so the tools are pretty generic.

A power screwdriver. Most PCs have a large number of screws and doing them all by hand is (literally) a pain. I like the Milwaukee 2.4-Volt 2-Speed Cordless Screwdriver -- it's more expensive than some but is a quality tool that'll last. Get several extra batteries and an extra-long driver bit for easier access to motherboard screws.

A set of nut drivers. These are screwdrivers for nuts, especially those little nut-screws on the back of the PC that hold the serial and video connectors on.

A multimeter. Useful for all sorts of things from checking power at the outlet to grounding. Skip past the Wal-Mart cheapies and get a quality instrument like a Fluke.

A set of ball-drivers. These are hex (a.k.a. Allen head) driver tools with a ball on the end so you can work at an angle.

Torx drivers. Handy for working on laptops or newer machines. When you need it you need it -- no other tool will work.

A DOS boot disk.

An assortment of cables: a normal Ethernet, a cross-over, IDE, Floppy, USB, and serial. If you work on Unix or Linux servers or routers you might need to be able to hook up a serial terminal connection. I also like to have a set of extension cables for keyboard, mouse, and video for hooking up to equipment on racks.

Several extra PC power cords.

A cordless soldering iron (and the knowledge to use it). Not used very often but you never know...

And, last, a book: "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller. This books is an amazing resource -- it'll tell you the pin-outs for everything from an ATX power supply to an IDE hard drive. It's handy to have when working with old or odd hardware.

Re:Here's a few tool ideas...

[foog]

A set of nut drivers. These are screwdrivers for nuts, especially those little nut-screws on the back of the PC that hold the serial and video connectors on.

Get hollow-shafted ones. If you do anything more than fiddle with PCs, these are the Right Tool for removing and installing pots, rotary switches, etc...

Klein makes a nice set than most Sears stores carry.

that crazy hook thing

[Hubert_Shrump]

I was curious, so I looked it up.

They have it simply billed as:
multi-purpose hook (parcel carrier)

Re:that crazy hook thing

[Hydro-X]

So THAT'S what that's for! I got a Victorinox knife as a gift at the World Skills Competition in Switzerland and that hook was the only thing what's purpose I didn't understand. But I reasoned that since it was so bloody difficult to deploy, it wasn't that important anyway. There's no fingernail indentation to pull it out, so you kinda have to wiggle your nail under it and lift till you can get a finger under there, hoping all the while it won't just rip off your nail. Screw it, I'll just carry my parcels in my hands.

Re:that crazy hook thing

[Hubert_Shrump]

I looked at that explanation for quite awhile.

I have a feeling even they don't know what it's for - like the engineer that thought it up was lost in the alps before he could explain its true meaning.

Future archaeologists, beware!

The reason I looked it up was because I figured - heh, it's for buttoning swiss boots. Boy, was I wrong.

yikes!

[Tumbleweed]

If you can't keep track of a few screws for a few minutes, I wouldn't want you anywhere _near_ the inside of my computer...

Swiss Army knife? Get real...

[Tumbleweed]

Get duct tape!

If it was good enough for MacGuyver and the A-Team, it's more than good enough for the likes of anyone _here_.

You never losing *anything*?

[fm6]

What magical "keep track of everything", "Murphy's law doesn't apply to me" thing do you use? Marzipan in pie plate?

Re:You never losing *anything*?

[Tumbleweed]

I call it a 'brain'. Put the screws off to the side of your work area where moving the computer around won't interfere with them. It's not that hard.

If all else fails, yes, marzipan in a pie plate works wonders, though application can be tricky.

Re:You never losing *anything*?

[fm6]

Aha! Smart people never forget things! And when they put a screw down, it stays where they put it! Must be the force of their mental energy!

Re:You never losing *anything*?

[Tumbleweed]

I'm sorry for you if you can't remember where you put some screws after just a few minutes, and it must be hell for you that screws move of their own will. If I were you, I'd capture some of them and breed them. I $mell profit! "Self-moving screws!" Oh yeah.

Re:You never losing *anything*?

[fm6]

Scoff if you must, but the ability of small metal objects to wander off if not closely watched is well known!

Skil nuts

[fm6]

A Skil 2207 is a lot cheaper, and not that bulky.

Why do you own a separate set of nut drivers? Wouldn't it make more sense to have nut bits for your electric screwdriver?

Several extra PC power cords.

I once needed one of these in a hurry, and had to spend way to much for it. Then I saw a pile of them at a computer surplus store, and bought about a dozen of them. I'll never use them all, but better to have too many than...

Re:Skil nuts

[speleo]

A Skil 2207 is a lot cheaper, and not that bulky.

Other folks that know tools will make fun of you. A Milwaukee is a Real Man's(TM) tool. Seriously, it make little difference -- working on PCs isn't like driving screws through hardwood so any tool will get the job done.

Why do you own a separate set of nut drivers? Wouldn't it make more sense to have nut bits for your electric screwdriver?

I don't remember why I have them, but yes, a bit set for the electric screwdriver would do the job, too. But I don't use the nut drivers too often and usually have just a few fasteners of that type to do so it's just as easy to use a manual tool instead of swapping out the philips bit in the electric driver.

5 Years repairing computers

[Slick_Snake]

A dremel comes in really handy when you don't have the specialized screw driver that is needed for brand XYZ cases. You just make it into a standard flathead screw and everything is fine.

Don't you just love how they make it so that you have to have umpteen different screwdriver heads to do a simple repair. I now only have two (philips and flathead) and a set of allen wrenches and a socket set. If none of these work out come the dremel. I've even had customers thank me later when they needed to take one of my modified screws off.

Re:5 Years repairing computers

[sarahbau]

Wouldn't this risk getting metal filings on the motherboard? What do you do to prevent that?

Re:5 Years repairing computers

[plover]

It's a bad idea for inside-the-case components or anywhere near circuit boards. A grinding wheel (or any cutting head) on a moto-tool generates dust so fine you really have no hope of ever getting it all even with a vacuum. Especially the bits that get beneath or behind SMD components.

An ordinary hand drill with a standard bit won't fling such tiny bits around. Yes, they're still metal chips, but not nearly as problematic as conductive dust.

Hey, I have fun with my Dremel, but I don't use it on circuit boards I'm interested in saving. If you must, may I suggest masking EVERYTHING else in the vicinity with masking tape and heavy paper (grocery bags work great) first? You can even put the masking tape right over the screwhead you're slotting (it won't hurt the dremel at all.)

For Macs

[sarahbau]

I realize that most computers out there run Windows, but if you work on any Macs, a bus powered firewire hard drive with OS X and OS 9 installed on it is very useful, especially if you have to format their drive, and they want data backed up. Some other useful tools for any computer are a telescoping screwdriver with magnetic tip, and swappable heads, torx drivers, hex drivers, a very small philips, a large flathead for prying, multimeter, etc.

Windows re-configures without notice.

[Futurepower(R)]

That's one of the things I dislike most about Microsoft Windows. It will re-configure itself with no message to the user whatsoever.

Re:Windows re-configures without notice.

[GlassUser]

That's because most users neither need nor want the messages. If you do, check the event log.

Re:Windows re-configures without notice.

[Hatta]

Windows has a log? Where?

Re:Windows re-configures without notice.

[Drantin]

It's only on the NT-based versions: NT, 2000, and XP

A few more items you might want...

[scj]

This is probably more junk than you want to haul around, so pick and choose what will be most useful to you.

• Try to keep a known-good video card handy. Then if the computer is really messed up you can pull everything but that video card and one stick of memory to see if you can boot.
• It's also a good idea to keep a known-good network card handy along with driver disks.
• Get a good DOS bootdisk. Try to get one that will let you mount SMB shares from DOS.
• I seem to recall utils to let you read NTFS from DOS too, so try to get that on a disk or CD.
• Copies of Norton Ghost and Parition Magic can come in handy sometimes.
• Is there a way to write to CD-R from DOS? Or maybe Knoppix will work for that. Might be useful for backing up stuff before major surgery.
• Heck, CD-R drives are pretty cheap now ($50-60, I think), so bring one along if you want a very complete kit. Or maybe just pack a cheap 30GB hard drive (I recommend you keep it at 30GB or less so it will work with older BIOSes).
• Knoppix and Memtest86 (as others have mentioned) are very good. Tomsrtbt is also good.
• Pack some zip-ties for making wires and cables neat. And bring something to cut out old ties.
• Bring a paper clip for ejecting stuck CDs.
• Super glue. Duct tape. Thermal compound.
• An "L" shaped phillips screw driver for when a longer one won't fit.
• Bring a hex-head screw driver for removing case screws that have been stripped.
• Something long with a magnet on one end for fishing lost case screws.
• A pair of long, thin "pliers" that lock tight when you close them for gripping things. I forget the name, but they almost look like a medical instrument for clamping veins and such.
• IDE cable, floppy cable, phone cable, ethernet cable. Extra screws of the normal type for computer cases. Extra jumpers.
• A kit to mount a 3.5-inch drive in a 5.25-inch bay.
• I think you can fit the install files for win95/98/Me all on one CD, so burn one and keep it handy for when windows demands the install CD for drivers.
• It might also be a good idea to burn all the service packs and bug fixes you can find for old versions of windows. Include the latest version of IE and DirectX.
• A pair of cheap headphones for testing sound cards.
• A can of compressed air and maybe some of those moistened towels in packets for cleaning stuff. Get some Goo-Gone if you want to be extra prepared.

Re:A few more items you might want...

[jonadab]

> Try to keep a known-good video card handy.
Good advice. I really should add one of those to my kit.

> It's also a good idea to keep a known-good network card handy
> along with driver disks.
This is even more important, _especially_ if you have to work
with old Compaq models that have lost their OEM install.

> Get a good DOS bootdisk.
I keep several of those...

> Try to get one that will let you mount SMB shares from DOS.
Is that even possible? Do you have any idea what I would go
through to obtain such a disk?

> "L" shaped phillips screw driver for when a longer one won't fit.
I've been making do with a regular driver bit and needlenose pliers.

> It might also be a good idea to burn all the service packs and
> bug fixes you can find for old versions of windows. Include
> the latest version of IE and DirectX.

While you're burning important updates, burn the following:
* PowerToys and/or TweakUI for every major Windows version.
As far as I'm concerned, you're not done installing Windows
until you install TweakUI and change certain settings (most
notably, the ones under Stuff That Happens Behind Your Back).
* AdAware and some other similar diagnostic/repair tools.
* wget for Windows.
* If you want to go the whole way, burn a copy of cygwin.
* MS Core Fonts. Older Windows versions don't have them.

Re:A few more items you might want...

[SyFryer]

Have a look at this for seeing network assets.

Someone tells me Adaware is no longer worth using, so I switched to 'Spybot Search and Destroy', it appears to work and is updated regularly.

Re:A few more items you might want...

[scj]

> Try to get one that will let you mount SMB shares from DOS.
Is that even possible? Do you have any idea what I would go through to obtain such a disk?

There is a section at bootdisk.com for network enabled bootdisks. I haven't tried any of them, but Bart's Network Boot Disk claims to have this feature along with SSH and SCP which would be very useful as well.

My Suggestions

[dasunt]

This might be overkill for the average hobbiest repair kit, but I find that it works well.

First, a binder of software:

• Knoppix - Operating system in a bottle with the tools you'll use.
• Partition Magic - Being able to shrink a partition just to be able to make another partition and do a clean OS install is invaluable.
• Norton Ghost - The best in drive imaging.
• CD with DOS boot floppy images (and some spare floppy disks stuck in the back) - You will need dos floppies to flash most bioses.
• AV software - There are free AV scanners out there.
• AntiSpyware software - Make machines run cleaner/faster.
• filemon, regmon, etc - Small apps to figure out what applications are doing what to the system.
• memtest86, burncpu - memory tester and cpu heat tester - keep images on a CD and spare floppies to dd them to.
• GNU software disk - Latest stable releases of OpenOffice, Mozilla, CDex, etc for obvious reasons (e.g. "What can I do to stop pop ups while browsing? How can I write papers? How do I make mp3s?")
• Free proprietary software people would be interested in - For example, Trillian.
• CD copies of any legitimate OS CDs or utility CDs you own - Never, ever take the actual CD with you, it will be destroyed sooner or later. Make copies.
• CD of windows updates and patches - Many people have 56k connections - you don't want to wait for the downloads.
• CD of virus definition updates for common AV software - Again, you don't want to wait for software to update over 56k connections.
• CD or reference materials - I find that a good set of hardware documentation works wonders. Of course, you can always use dead-tree format, but a CD is a lot more compact.

Now, the tools:

• A phillips screwdriver.
• A flat head screwdriver.
• A collection of nut drivers, good for badly stripped screws.
• A collect of torx head screwdrivers for those damn Compaqs!
• A collection of small phillips and flat head screwdrivers - useful for laptops and the occasional rewiring of LED and USB connectors (use the smallest flathead screwdriver to pry up the tab, slide the metal wire out of the connector, then push the wire into another connector.
• Needle nose pliers.
• Tweezers.
• Bright flashlight.
• Small container of common computer screws.
• Container of compressed air.
• Bandaids (some [usually cheap] computer cases have sharp edges).
• Cable ties.
• Some people suggest a small dental mirror as well, and a screw retriever - I've never found either to be that useful though. :)
• Digital multimeter.
• Outlet polarity and ground tester.
• Small tablet and pen for notes.

Now, replacement parts to be able to swap in and out:

• A run of a mill ethernet card (ne2000 compatible or common 3com card seems to work best - try to get one that is DOS, Novell, Windows and Linux compatible)
• A boring soundblaster sound card (cheap soundblasters are far from being the best cards out there, but they tend to be well supported by OSes)
• 33.6 or 56k hardware modem - you can find the 33.6k modems dirt cheap used, but the 56k hardware modems will run you $50 or so new - either works well for testing out bad internet connections.
• Known good PCI video adapter.
• Working floppy, and 80-Wire IDE cable.
• Known good older HDD (2 GB should work for testing)
• Printer and serial cable.
• 100mbit network cable.
• Quality USB 2.0 cable.
• 8' AC power cable.
• Y power adapter and molex-to-floppy power adapter.
• Known good CD drive.
• Known good floppy drive.
• Headphones or small speaker set.
• Small ps2 mouse an

Re:My Suggestions

[ameoba]

You forgot to mention a stack of invoices so that you can offset the cost of building up that toolkit.

Re:My Suggestions

[isorox]

Slight overkill, depends on how much you use it I guess, and where you do the fixing. Most of us have time to take the box home, where we already have pretty much everything there. If you are doing onsite repairs, you need everything on hand or in the car.

I'd include a crossover cable too, and any slow laptop (P166 etc) which is powerful enough to run a post 97 os should be useful, even if the battery's gone (testing network for example). An AGP card might be useful to check the slot works, and a USB device (camera or something). If you have one, a working ISA card for those old PC's.

Magnetize screwdrivers ...

[Bazouel]

You should magnetize screwdrivers if they aren't already. It is not dangerous and it saves the day when you drop that damn little screw into the case, especially if it's a laptop :)

Re:Magnetize screwdrivers ...

[The Iconoclast]

But then it ruins the the day again when you start waving it around floppy disks or if you leave it near a CRT and you screw up the tube's focus.

Re:Magnetize screwdrivers ...

[menscher]

But then it ruins the the day again when you start waving it around floppy disks or if you leave it near a CRT and you screw up the tube's focus.

No, they aren't really strong enough to damage anything. Magnetize it so it's just barely strong enough to hold a single screw. It really makes your life a LOT easier.

An alternative is to gum up the end of your screwdriver with something sticky. That way screws will stick to it. But personally I prefer the magnetic approach.

Essential Tech Tools

[Whatchamacallit]

Ratchet Screwdriver - Buy a Snap-on along with a large variety of different bits (phillips, flat, hex, torx, etc.) It will last a lifetime and if it should ever fail (even the bits) you can get them replaced for free. The screwdriver without any bit can be used on the standard PC style case screws. Most cases are tool free nowadays.

Needle nose pliers, 2 or three types, small precise snips, butane solder iron, electronics solder, RJ-45/RJ-11 crimp tool (cat5 and phone cable), cat5 cable tester. Quality multi-meter. Laminated cards with cabling pin-outs. Long flexible screw retriever (used to pick up small screws dropped in hard to reach places. Fox and Hound cable tracer (clip transmitter on one end of cable and then detect the other end of cable several hundred/thousand feet away).

Spare parts, including an assortment of cooling fans, a couple of power supplies, floppy drive, CD-Rom drive, hardisks, etc. Couple of different NIC's and some wireless cards. USB Zip drive (still have parallel model for older PC's), Firewire/USB2.0 external disk for backups.

Laptop IDE to Desktop IDE cable adaptor. i.e. remove laptop hard disk from mounting system and attach this cable to a desktop IDE chain and you can boot a desktop to read the laptop hard disk. This makes life so much easier!

A very compact and portable desktop system. Can be a very low cost system, useful for mounting a customer's disk and getting their data backed up. A small lightweight portable laptop with a CD-RW drive so you can create new CD-R/RW tool discs from ISO images. Include wireless on the laptop so you can test their network. I have an Apple PowerBook for this task. I can plugin or attach to any network in seconds and test a system and I don't have to reboot the laptop to do it. i.e. slide out PowerBook from backpack and flip open the lid to wake it, plugin a cable or detect the wireless network and then test. When done, close the lid and put the laptop back into sleep and back into the bag. Easy as pie. Also handy for remote serial consoles on those systems that support it. ie.. Headless Unix servers (USB to Serial adaptor).

Software:
Boot floppies, Bootable CD-R (http://www.nu2.nu/bootablecd/), command line virus scanner, Partition Magic, Norton Ghost. Winternals Admin Pak (absolute best emergency repair disk for NT/Win2k/XP! worth every damn penny - not cheap $699) Boots and networks any dead NT/Win2k/XP system and can read the NTFS, registry, etc. Can recover damaged lost partitions, NTFSPro, etc. Buy an MSDN Subscription and you get just about everything Microsoft makes. Yeah, it's not cheap but it will save your ass sometime down the road. At the very least you can use it for what it was intended for; testing and gaining experience with their platforms and applications.

Build a few driver CD's; i.e. download as many drivers as you can and load them onto a few CD-R's. I have HP, Epson, Lexmark, ATI, Nvidia, IBM, Intel, etc. You might not be able to download them and some of them are quite large. I generally find out what a customer has before I get there and download all the drivers ahead of time.

I have a variety of soft cases loaded with gear that I can place in my car's trunk on a moment's notice. I have a road warrior's bag full of things like extension cords, every adaptor known to man, and 2 or 3 of everything! I have CD-ROM cases holding hundreds of CD's. I have toolkits full of tools. I have spare equipment up the wazoo. I have tools to fix tools.

Bottom line be prepared. These systems take years of experience to figure out all the different things you can bring with you. You never know what might come in handy in a pinch. I constantly add to my bag of tricks with new items.

Of course, all of the above is mute if it's Linux! I have Linux/Solaris/Darwin/OSX software tools as well. Nothing is as easy to fix as Unix based systems. I started buying Mac's because of all the pain, suffering, and expense of supporting Windows systems

Corproate ModBoot (CD)

[antdude]

Link: ...all the tools you need on one Bootable CD-Rom... ...or from a network share... ...single point of maintenance... ...cleanboot and scan or clean ntfs volumes for virus... ...burn it from any workstation... ...and more...

Customize your own boot CD. I have MemTest86, PartitionMagic, Norton Ghost, etc.

It works great. No more 3.5" disks for each program.

For those pesky jumpers...

[dotgod]

Keep a pair of needle-nose pliers and a pen light. Saves you from having to take stuff out to move jumpers.

Re:For those pesky jumpers...

[plover]

I like to use a pencil and paper to write down the jumper settings before I start changing things around.

Also, it helps if I can learn the model number of the drive and look up (and print out) the jumper settings from the web. I hate having to remove drive cages, cables and drives just to learn the stupid MASTER / SLAVE settings. Plus, I make the notes about the current jumper settings right on the printout.

KEY-GEN?

[Ayanami Rei]

You mean you don't have a "corporate volume licensed" edition of XP or Office? Tsk tsk.

Re:KEY-GEN?

[Anonymous Coward]

At least he's honest. Unlike most Slashbots...

Re:KEY-GEN?

[rkz]

I have a VLK Key gen. Because using a FCKGW was blocked by SP1 so I'm assuming that other popular keys used now will be blocked when SP2 or SP3 comes out therefore I use the VLK generator!

A few essentials

[webscathe]

H/W...
-I picked up a screw driver with replacable bits (standard size) that has an extendable magnet and a flash light with 2 little lights. Awesome tool, found at Pep Boys (automotive store around Philly) for about $7.

-Cat-5 crimp tool and a couple of rj-45 connectors.

-A 4 or so chamber pill carrier for screws, jumpers, and rj-45 connectors.

-Other replaceable bits for the screw driver including star bits.

-Needle nose plyers

-A paper clip or two for opening cd-roms.

S/W...
-Copies of whatever o/s you use normally and associated codes

-WinZip or some equivelant

-Adobe Acrobat

-Major patches for your s/w that are too annoying to d/l

-Some kind of h/w diagnostic s/w as mentioned above

Anything more is just overkill if all you're doing is day to day stuff with pc's and servers. Add a cordless drill if you work with servers and racks esp.

Tsk tsk..

[Ayanami Rei]

I wish - Dells are one of the NICEST machines to have to splay open, compared to other crap out there or some idiot's whitebox.

Cables are always neatly organized, case doors that swing to expose all components, slide out PCI and CDROM trays, swing down hard drive bay. You almost never need more than a #3 phillips head.

My only complaint is the non-standard power connector, and certain inflexible BIOS configurations.

So what do you have against fixing Dells?

Re:Tsk tsk..

[Andy Smith]

So what do you have against fixing Dells?

Honestly I have nothing against the hardware, but if you ever have to call their tech support people... OH. MY. GOD. And this company has won awards for its after-sales support! They're appalling.

Re:Tsk tsk..

[GlassUser]

A, learn to speak Hindi?
B, buy gold tech support so you get to talk to someone in Austin first.
C, just tell them what they want to hear to determine that a part is broken and to send a replacement.

Handy-Vac

[Ayanami Rei]

And jeweler's brush.

Invaluable.

Hammer

[DrZaius]

If you can't fix it with a hammer, throw it out!

parcel hook, insider's take

[Anonymous Coward]

In Switzerland, virtually all mail goes through the federal post office (i.e. no UPS, DHL, etc). The post office provides standard parcel boxes: they start out flat and you fold them into shape when needed. It's common to tie them up with string.

When you buy something at a store (a set of wine glasses, a stereo, etc) that is packaged in a box, they tend to tie it up with string.

The hook is meant for lifting / carrying parcels wrapped in string.

That said, I've never seen it used for that.

The thing about swiss army knives nowadays is that everyone wants the "mega" version, which is great 'cause it has all kinds of stuff, but it ways half a pound and there's no way you can reasonably carry it in your pocket!

The REAL swiss army knife has the following attachments:

1. large blade
2. small blade (kept very sharp)
3. awl (for puncturing things; has an eyelet, so you can sew leather or other tough materials)
4. Large screwdriver
(serves as bottle opener; has a special groove for stripping wire, works better than most wire-strippers!)
5. Small screwdriver
(works as can opener)

AND THAT's IT! The officer's version of the above knife also has corkscrew.

These standard versions cover 90% of the things you'd want to do; you can buy a much bigger, more expensive version that might cover 95% of the things you'd want to do. But the knife'll be so heavy you probably won't have it with you when you need it.

If you insist on getting more features, you should get the saw blade -- it's freaking awesome. You can also choose to replace the corkscrew with a Phillips head screwdriver.

Enjoy!

Robertson-enabled Multi-tool?

[Vagary]

Apparently the multi-tool manufacturers have yet to catch up to Canadian screw technology, so I find myself unable to buy a multi-tool equipped with the obiquitous Robertson bit. Does anyone know of a multi-tool that does away with that stupid slot in favour of a real screwdriver?

AVG free anti-virus sw

[Sebby]

www.grisoft.com - free, definitions updated frequently, and I've been quite satisfied with it.

Hardware Kits for general and network repair

[MindNumbingOblivion]

I work on a LAN that services somewhere around 300 students at an off-campus residence hall, and run into just about everything. I've found I always have a use for screwdrivers, preferably one with interchangeable bits, but at least one phillips and one slot-head. Torx drivers are also useful on computer hardware, now and again.

A static build up preventing wristband, the type that hooks up to the case is a must, especially when working with other people's equipment. Pliers come in handy, especially with some of the new ethernet receptacle types. If you are doing extensive work on a card or something, a chip grabber will do. I always carry spare screws, like from where I've had extra from installation kits. RJ-45 jacks and spare cable/spare straight through cable already made out for when you have to test a NIC and the client doesn't have any cat-5 patch cables (for whatever reason...had a guy a week or two ago who had lived at the property for three years and had never had a computer in his room).

Tweezers to grab small parts, nut drivers, place to store odds and ends (I hate losing screws, brackets, chips, or any electronic components while I'm working).

That about does it...For working on networks I have a laptop to verify port conectivity, but you can also use tone and probe testing kits...Fluke makes some good testers for everything...Oh, I shouldn't forget a punch down tool, which can basically be anything that will wedge a wire into place on a panel or such.

Defeating "security" TORX screwheads

[plover]

I've found I don't "need" a security TORX driver.

A standard TORX driver plus a needlenose pliers (or other small-tipped, hard object) is all it takes. Use the needlenose or screwdriver to push the security pin off to one side or the other. They're just spot-welded in and break out really easily. Once the pin is gone, the standard TORX driver works just fine.

At least TORX bits are analog and I'm not violating the DMCA by telling you guys this. Of course, there's probably something in the USA PATRIOT act that prevents me from telling you how to open a power supply case... sigh.

In Canada...

[jo42]

We bring:

0. Duct Tape
1. One Toque.
2. Two Snowshows.
3. Three Prophets!

Re:In Canada...

[xsbellx]

and the two-four is always available on-site!

NB: For those unfamiliar with Canadian culture, "two-four" is a case of beer containing 24 cans or bottles.

what you really need...

[Parsec]

... is this shirt.

Tape. Preferably of the duct variety.

[WoTG]

Tape always comes in handy. What's the rlie? Duct tape to make things stop, WD-40 to make things go.
I generally keep the WD-40 away from the PC's, but tape has all sorts of uses. Such as:

• taping up (network) cable ends so they don't snag or fray whlie pliling them through walls or other tight spaces
• bunching up cables inside a PC to make things neater or have better air flow or stop jamming the CPU fan(!)
• strategic placement to prevent or minimize rattles and other noises in the case. A little tape here and there can often prevent annoying resonating vibrations.
• holding things in place temporarliy (or permanently). Especially handy if it's a real hassel to put things together with only two hands.
• labeling stuff!
• the list goes on...

Bart's Boot CD

[silvwolf]

A nifty tool I've just discovered is Bart's Boot CD. I'm using the CD that has multiple boot images on it. Boot with CD-ROM support, boot with network support, and an offline NT password recovery tool. The network support image will autodetect the network card and load the driver for it. Pretty neat.

I did a little hacking on it this week so that we could use it for drive imaging the computers in our labs at school.. Two key strokes and my brain dead co-workers are at the Drive Image screen. We have three different network cards in our computers, so that autodetect feature is really nice.

We only deal with network problems for students, and only then with software. We aren't allowed to open the computer to check things out, so I don't have to carry any screwdrivers or anything. I carry along a Knoppix CD and a CD filled with software.. School's Norton AV Corporate client, Adware & Spybot, latest IE setup files, lasest Mozilla & Netscape for Windows and Mac, a ton of NIC drivers, Win98 CAB files, Wink2k SP4 and XP SP1A, and some other random software. Also has some of Symantec's cleaners -- Klez, Nimda, etc.

One particular piece of software I carry is LSPfix. Basically, it'll fix what Net.net's spyware crap screws up. We had a quite a few problems with New.Net's crap last year, so this little program saved me some time quite a few times.

Memory testing - memtest86

[Myself]

For some reason, I always want to call it memchk86, but it's memtest86, and it's indispensable. Memtest86 boots from a floppy and begins running immediately. It's got several types of test, and runs in a loop so if you have an intermittent problem, you can just boot it and leave it for a while.

The author has finally given in to popularity and set up a site for the program, MemTest86.com. I encourage anyone who's found bad ram with memtest to throw a few bucks his way. ("Professional" memory testers are nowhere near cheap!)

There's also a bootable CD .ISO for machines without a floppy drive. Some of my favorite machines don't have CDROMs either (subnotebook with a network card and nothing else), so I'd love to see a version I can download and invoke with Loadlin, but hey, there's only so much I can ask.

Re:Memory testing - memtest86

[Qzukk]

I'd love to see a version I can download and invoke with Loadlin, but hey, there's only so much I can ask.

When I compiled it, it created a .bin file you can put in your lilo.conf to boot with lilo, so I would assume that you could loadlin that image as well... maybe loadlin is more careful in what it loads ;)

What I would like is an SMP-capable version of it which will let me test the cache on multiple processor systems.

Toolkit

[Plake]

For a toolkit you'd bring around the home/office I use/have a $15 toolbox that has a main bucket with a top compartment section with various smaller notches.

What I put in it is:

IDE/Floppy Cables

Power Drill (About $25 bucks) with flatheat/phillips/robertson bits

Ethernet cables (crossover included)

Various nuts/bolts for cases/drives/periferals

CD-Rom they're great, I've had my troubles with em so it's worth having an extra

Floppy disks/CD's: Linux BBC/Memtest, Maxtor PowerMax (for drive testing), Windows password recovery, ghost multicard boot disk

That should cost all about $50-$70 bucks and is a great addon for any helpdesk/sysadmin/home machine worker.

Re:Toolkit

[SomeGuyFromCA]

Oh, and also an empty tin of icebreakers or altoids mints - for screw-keeping.

The pliers above should be needlenose.

Drive copier

[Bushcat]

I have a hardware disk copy unit: plug the old drive in one side, the new drive in the other, push the button, and the drive is cloned to the new one in 5-20 minutes. I upgraded 5 disks in an office from 10GB to 180GB in a relaxed 90 minutes. It will also clone from an internal drive over firewire or USB2.0, so I simply back up a disk whenever I work on a PC now. It also seems to copy drives that Partition Magic won't touch. Details in Japanese here but there's got to be a US equivalent somewhere. $120.

All this other stuff is fine to have but...

[Zarf]

you absolutely need a paper-clip and a bic pen. You can't work on computers without a paper-clip and a bic pen!

You need the paper-clip to eject jammed disk drives and you need the bic pen to squeeze the plastic fish-hook-like motherboard fasteners together so you can pop them backwards off the motherboard.

I suppose you don't need the bic pen if you've got one of those snazzy new cases that use screws for everything.

Boy you kids have it easy today. When I was a kid we had to edit the inodes by hand on a giant kick drum. We had two large dumb-bell shaped magnets that we used, one for zeroes and the other for ones. So writing to the disk was like beating out a rythm... one *whang*, zero *whang*, one *whang*! If you wanted to erase the drive you just held one magnet down while kick-spinning the drive.

You'd get enourmous legs and fore-arms from this activity. Kinda like Popeye.

Re:All this other stuff is fine to have but...

[JamesP]

You can't work on computers without a paper-clip

Yes, I can work in a computer without a paper-clip, thank you. Especially if it's a snoopy paper clip that give stupid suggestions every 10 minutes...

Great Ask Slashdot

[SyFryer]

I have picked up some good tips!

One of the things I do is to keep details of post error codes from different manufacturers.

Most are standarised though, e.g constant tone for RAM, two tones for graphics adaptor.

Free as in Pot

[Vagary]

At first I thought you were just a misguided troll, as Robertson's patent was filed 28 years before Phillips'. However it turns out that Robertson rigorously defended his patent including refusing to sell it to Ford whereas Phillips patent violations were so numerous that the patent was declared void in 1949. So I guess you're right, thanks for illuminating me.

Both worthless

[bluGill]

Both of your suggestions are worthless. Common, but you are better off with better tape, and oil.

WD-40 is for water displacement only. If you have water in the case, WD-40 is perfect for getting it out fast. Otherwise don't use it, the oil is designed to evaperate quickly and then you are back to where you started. A bottle of liquid wrench, and a bottle of sewing machine oil will not only be the same price, but work much better. (Don't get the spray cans, you don't want to spray the stuff all over anyway).

Duck tape (not duct tape despite popular belief) is for applications where you need a waterproof tape to hold for a short time. The glue doens't hold well to long term use, yet becomes a sticky mess when you do try remove it months latter. There are better tapes for the purpose. Or do what we did before duck tape, get some baling wire, that stuff was deisgned to hold things for a long time, yet be easy to open latter.

Re:Both worthless

[BlankTim]

Duct Tape is the proper name for the silver tape used by the HVAC technician.

Duck Tape is a brand name.

Re:Both worthless

[bluGill]

If you ever see a HVAC technition using duck tape fire him immeadiatly. The stuff does not hold up to use in duct work. (Exception: a temperary fix not intended to last more than a week) The glue will let go and then you have unsealed ducts. There are ways to seal ducts, but they are not tape.

Duck tape is not just a brand name, according to snopes.com's duct tape page:

By the by, although everyone (including us) calls that all-purpose handyman's necessity "duct tape," it is more properly styled "duck tape," which was the original name of the cloth-backed, waterproof adhesive developed for the U.S. Army to keep moisture out of ammunition cases.

Better than any electric

[xrayspx]

The only tool I always keep nearby is a Snap-On ratchet screwdriver. Sure, they're a bit more expensive than your Home Depot Ratchet Special, but they're much smoother and not made out of some crappy aluminum looking alloy that's easily gouged up.

They're meant to work, hard, consistently. And they do!

Re: Tools are usually unnecessary

[gooru]

I work repairing computers and offering on-site tech support, and I always go on housecalls with a bag that contains an Ethernet cable, a crossover cable, a book of CDs such as Mac OS, Windows installs, etc., a small Belkin toolkit, an external USB 2 2.5" hard drive enclosure, and sometimes my Toshiba Libretto L5. The kit gets mixed up for specific housecalls, but usually, I find that I don't need any of it!

The most common problems can usually be solved without opening the case or touching any tools. Most of the time, you simply need to zip around in Windows checking/unchecking stuff, making sure cables are plugged in, and offering advice to the user.

This may sound corny, but I would have to say the best tool is just general knowledge of computers. So, screw around with them more, try new things, break your computers, buy obscure hardware and get it working, etc. Experience and knowledge are the only real tools you need. Everything else just kind of helps you along a bit.

Don't forget

[Anonymous Coward]

A dialup account! You'll be very upset when you can't get at something and need internet access but don't have it.

Plastic boxes with partitions

[core plexus]

I bought some of those plastic boxes with partitions in them and tightly snapping lids. One side has spare screws and misc. other small parts, and the other side is where I keep other loose stuff, like small parts I'm removing.

-cp-

My Toolkit

[Anonymous Coward]

A portable with a working internet connection (telephone line) and a cdwriter. A spare cdrom. A spare HD to be able for Backup. Some screwdrivers.
@ home a server with most software I need. Including images of most OS booting diskettes like win98. Easy to create a boot diskette with rawwritewin.
Knoppix sometimes handy cause it can use the high speed connection of a client
A set of loopbackplugs to test a serial port.
USB memory stick.
http://www.google.com

Anti Static strap

[Anonymous Coward]

Nothing sucks worse than when you get in a hurry to install that nice new expensive piece of hardware, only to zap it with a static discharge. I've killed two raid cards and a vid card that way. Damn dry air here.

good quality screwdriver

[glsunder]

Don't skimp on the quality of the screwdriver (such as SK), you'll just end up with stripped screws.

Firewire is your friend.

[dadragon]

For various repairs I've had to do over the years, I've developed a nice toolkit that will handle anything I've seen so far.

* a firewire-ide bridge (here, look for firewire drivedock)
* an IDE cable
* a floppy cable
* a network cable
* several usb/serial/parallel cables
* a laptop with firewire and a cd burner, IE a Sony Viao or Apple iBook with windows or mac os and linux installed
* a hard drive full of cd images for various operating systems
* a hard drive full of windows updates/mac updates/updates for whichever UNIXy os you carry with you
* a phillips scredriver
* a slotted screwdriver
* a torx t9 and t8 screwdriver (for laptops)
* an external firewire drive to do backups
* a USB NIC (here's one)
* drivers for the aformentioned USB NIC.
* alternatively, a $10 PCI ne2000 NIC.
* a stack of cheap cds.
* a modem for your computer if it didn't come with one

I also use a Palm m515 with a serial cable and a program called pTelnet wich will act as a serial console program for Linux/BSD and non-free unix machines.

Tom's Hardware article

[llzackll]

How to Assemble the Ultimate Toolbox

GOes into a lot of detail on the various tools needed for PC repair.

Gotta have a Wiha

[Stonent1]

http://www.wihatools.com

High voltage insulated, hardened steel bits, German engineered. I've had many screwdriver bit sets that the bits just got destroyed but these are pretty much indestructable. Also a few years ago I picked up a Micronta (Radio-Shack) multi meter with serial port interface rather cheap. The manual contains sample code in BASIC on how to write your own software. If you were testing a flaky power supply, you could write a program that you could leave running for a long period of time to log the data. Of course many computer systems can do this already but some don't.

some additional repair tools

[Anonymous Coward]

VOM with tone continuity indicator

IDE cable to allow connecting laptop hard drive to desktop motherboard

peer to peer NW SW and cables

blank FD's

(for dust)
compressed air
paintbrush

roach spray ;-)

I hate to give up mod points for this but...

[lpret]

STFU. We're talking about hints/tips for fellow techs. Little things that make a big difference (such as the tape for the screws) especially when working with other people's computers.

Re:I hate to give up mod points for this but...

[Hungus]

No we are not we are talking about some kid or person of similar experience who doesnt't know and so I gave him/her some very practical advice. If you don't know don't do it on someone elses machine for starters and secondly go learn. Upgrading and repairing your PC release 8 is the last version I used in the classroom when I TAUGHT. This person didn't ask for tips and tricks they asked for the whole shabang, So grow up and quit rtaking things personally. Normally I wouldn't even bother replying as I make it a point to not argue with fools, you however seem to have simply misunderstood my post and have some modicum of hope.

Users easily accept Microsoft's abusiveness.

[Futurepower(R)]

This statement shocks me. It is amazing how easily users accept Microsoft's abusiveness. There are many configuration changes that are made but not entered into the even log. One example is when a critical bug fix from Microsoft sets network security to a less secure state than before the fix.

When a CD-ROM drive stops working because it has become disconnected due to oxide on the connector contacts, the user needs to know, immediately.

tools

[foog]

I'll echo the recommendation for a power screwdriver (Milwaukee and Panasonic supposedly make the best, I like my Milwaukee)---I never realized that turning a screwdriver was tedious until I got a power screwdriver.

Another gadget that's nice for working with any kind of electronics, especially in the field, is made by Ideal: it's a electrical outlet tester with a socket for a grounding plug. So you know that the socket is wired correctly before you ground yourself to it. Model 61-051. 10x the price of an outlet tester without the socket, though. If you're frugal and competent, you know what to do.

Combine with the 3M 8501 field service kit, and you're about as ESD-safe as you're likely to be.

Also, for general electronics work, there's usually a good list of tools in the ARRL Handbook.

Get a catalog from Techni-Tool, there's all kinds of stuff in there you didn't know you needed...

How To Store It

[inertia187]

When you do finally get the right software all in once place, make sure you put it on one of these so you look like an Uber Geek when you waltz in without media.

Angle grinder

[Anonymous Coward]

For when you need to get a screw out that some idiot has put in with a power tool so tightly that it can't be removed with a screwdriver bit on a power drill.

Dont forget Network tools

[nurb432]

Dont forget your punch down tool for closets, wires often work themselves loose over time.

Something to test for wiring problems in ethernet cables/ports. ( yes a multimeter will suffice, but will save you hours having a cheap tester of some sort )

A toner set to find 'the other end of this damned wall jack '....

A butt phone, if you do ANY analog telephone work.

Small breakout box is nice too.. just in case..

IBMs...

[llamaluvr]

If it's an IBM 300PL (and some NetVistas), I seriously keep a hammer handy - those cases are a bear to take off/ put back on. Metal tabs are always bending 'n stuff.

If it's a NetVista (new circa 2000-2001), then I'd just go ahead and order the new motherboard and hard drive before I even check the thing. At work, we had 6-8 NetVistas in our computer room that wouldn't work and we didn't know why. One of our help desk guys called IBM for parts, and the guy said that all the motherboards from a particular batch had bad capacitors and would eventually fail. Well, we have 60-80 of those NetVistas at our site, so I guess we're screwed. About half of those PCs had hard drive trouble, too.

A Hammer, a Hacksaw, and a Power Drill

[quinkin]

A strong hammer - for when you finally decide to "fix" the piece of cr*p permanently!

The type of hammer is a matter of personal preference. I always find a fairly weighty claw-hammer does the job.

(I almost hate to admit it but I have now fixed a CD burner, an old laptop, and a 2" rackmount server - all using only a hacksaw... and a power drill... sometimes it's the direct approach that works...)

Disclaimer: Powertools and the like are bad for computers.

If you are going to drill a computer component, I recomend using several weak magnets and slightly moist cloths to prevent wonderfully conductive metal shavings from exploring your machine. (Beware: Magnets are the natural enemy of magnetic storage media...)

Q.

The Hook

[Luinitari]

The hook is used to carry packages and parcels which are wrapped in yarn or string. So that you don't get red marks on your palms from having the string dig into you. It's kind out outdated and silly, but hey that's what it is for.

Diagnostics

[llamaluvr]

It's a not a bad idea to keep disks of diagnostic tools from various manufacturers. For instance, IBM wants you to test stuff using PC doctor before you call in for new parts.

The funny thing about IBM's website is that their floppy disk images for basically all downloads DON'T WORK. I've downloaded self-extracting programs for various diagnosic tools from them, and the program hangs every time without fail. Fortunately, they offer CD images for most models that do work.

Of course, they DO NOT offer CD images for Thinkpad T20, T21, T22, and T23 Laptops. That's ironic, considering the Thinkpad doesn't even come with a floppy drive (you order it separately)! Not only that, but, of course, the disk images are useless, just like all the other disk images, so you can't run diagnostics on Thinkpads (unless you have an older version from before they screwed up the images).

One guy at work called in parts replacements to IBM, and asked them how to get the disk images to work. They didn't know, so the very same people that demand we use diagnostics don't know how to get ahold of them on floppy!

My toolkit...

[Vrallis]

I do significantly more at work, but here's what's in my toolkit. Note that I do a lot of PC, phone, networking, and custom cabling work.

- 16-piece screw/nut driver set (one handle w/interchangable driver types, including the shaft) - Standard bits and nut driver sizes
- A couple Torx bits (we deal with a lot of HP stuff)
- An adjustable wire stripper
- Small pair of diagonal wire cutters
- Molex crimper
- Crimper w/RJ45, RJ50/MP10, RJ11/RJ12, and RG6/RG6U/RG6Quad/RJ58 interchangable heads
- A telescoping mirror (small 1" mirror)
- 110V AC outlet tester
- Digital multimeter
- Mid/high-end telephone test set, w/full set of leads, break-out leads, piercing leads, etc.
- 66 and 110 block punch-down tool
- CAT5 cabling tester w/remote
- A cheap canned air-duster
- Needle-nose pliers
- A large cable tester (DB9, DB25, Centronics, HD15, HD38, CAT5, BNC, USB, etc) -- includes featuers useful for quickly finding out the pinout for an unknown/custom cable
- Serial break-out box (large jumpered break-out box with testing, power jumpering, etc.)

Also: My toolbag includes a pocket for one of those large compartmented plastic parts boxes. I keep various screws, nuts, fan screws, molex parts, extra wire, rackmount screws, serial modules, gender changers, RJ45/RJ12/RJ50 connectors, RJ12/45 couplers, RJ45 keystone jacks, crimp buttons, etc, etc.

Of course, I could also include my (seldom-used) $19k Fluke NetMeter, and my much-more-often used laptop (running Gentoo, of course).

As well

[freeweed]

I've noticed a pretty good correlation between bad ram and Red Hat's media check. Boot a Red Hat CD, run its media check - every ram stick I've ever had problems with fails it every time, and vice versa for generally good ram.

I assume it does a pretty good amount of calculation doing the md5 checking, and uses a fair chunk of the available ram to do it.

Call it superstition, but I've never seen bad ram that passed this test, nor good ram that failed it.

I'm suggesting...

[Ayanami Rei]

that there exist editions of Office and XP which are "declawed" and only require a specific type of product code. Smart weenies modify the setup.inf files to automate the entry of said volume licensing code on the boot image so you don't have to be present during the install, to run the keygen or type in anything otherwise.

Wheee!

Windows 2000/XP with integrated Service Packs

[FIRESTORM_v1]

I used to work at a rather large firm and would have to do at least 30 installations a day. I used the link below to learn how to merge the latest service packs and hotfixes into the source CDROM for installation. Saves about two hours having to do the post-install installation. I would recommend that if you are a high-volume installer or simply hate having to do that post-install patching that you do this and save some time. I have my copy on a CDRW so all i have to do is reburn the CD and i'm ready to go again..

http://www.bink.nu/Bootcd/default.htm

To fix computer problems...

[slart42]

All you need is this link.

(Ducks and runs..)

Lots of good suggestions...

[ebbe11]

So I'll just add this:

A Maglite and a Niteize headband.

My Toolkit

[smoon]

I've had pretty much the same thing for the past 10 years. I started with a very simple one like the(Belkin 11 piece toolkit. This is a good start since you get a nice case, a box with compartments to keep extra screws etc. in and crappy tools that you can use until you get better ones.

I chucked the IC extractor, and the elastic loop is perfect for a small wirecutter and a smallish (very cheap) pair of needlenose pliers.

The socket drivers and torx T15 were good enough. You have to use them once in a while, but not so much that it's worth investing in better ones.

I found that I often need both large and small phillips and flathead screwdrivers, so I chucked the 'large' phillips from the kit and put in a 4-in-1 type where the shaft pulls out and reverses to switch between flathead and phillips, then each bit pulls out to switch between large and small. Nice comfortable handle too. The large flathead was removed to make room for other stuff.

The small phillips and flatheads in the kit are really lousy, but servicable. I chucked one in favor of a two-in one unit offered as swag by many vendors. Longer shaft has a flatheat, on the other side is a shorter shaft with a small phillips. Most versatile tool in the kit since the flathead can work larger phillips screws. (one of these is pictured in This kit.)

I chucked the other small screwdriver and used the loop to hold a small maglite flashlight (AAA size I think). This also holds 1-2 slot covers.

The parts box has an assortment of screws, jumpers (small and large), some twist-ties, etc. that I've picked up over the years.

One piece of paper and a pen for notes.

Static strap stored under pliers and wirecutters, static strap lead bundled with a twist-tie shoved next to something so it doesn't fall out.

Tweezers were useless - trashed. Needlenose pliers are much better.

The 'three pronged parts retriever' is almost worth the price of the whole kit. Very useful for holding small screws and 'getting them started' in a tight spot.

Over the years other parts have come and gone -- panduit jack crimper, mirror, cage nut tool, etc.

I've found that most of the commercial kits (e.g. the $60 toolkits) are filled with useless things like soldering irons, or tools that are too low-quality for regular use (e.g. bad wirecutters) and the larger cases are too bulky to carry around casually. Much better to spend 12-20 bucks to get a case and some basic tools then spend the other 30-50 bucks on good tools. It's worth it to spend a few bucks on the tools you use a _lot_ (e.g.: screwdriver), while the junky tools (like the included T-15 torx) are OK since you only need to use them once in a while.

LED Torch

[FlexAgain]

Whilst you can normally find any number of screwdrivers, pliers, left handed widget drivers, it's impossible to find a torch, with working batteries, when you need to hunt around on the floor in the back of the server room with bugger all light.

I've got a small LED torch permanently on my work keyring, it's invaluable, even if its just for rooting around the back of PCs, trying to read serial numbers and plug mice back in.

GnuWin - Free/OpenSource Software for Windows

[Joey Vegetables]

http://www.gnuwin.org/index.html

Cybertool

[MyGirlFriendsBroken]

I would definatly recommend a Swiss Army Cyber Tool. It has been the most useful bit of kit I have for working on PCs and you can do a lot of things just with it yet it still fits in your pocket. Granted its no substitute for a proper tool kit but a good quick tool.

MemTest86 Home Page Link (for the lazy)

[BIGstan]

Memtest86 home page

Step 6 and 7...

[BIGstan]

6- ???
7- Profit!!!

Yes, SOG Power Pliers Deluxe

[oneiros27]

The SOG Power Pliers Deluxe (SOG model S45) has a robertson drive on it. They also have a hex bolt to hold the tools in, and I switched out my hack saw with a line cutter.

Unfortunately, I can't find places online selling the replacement kits. [I got mine when I was still a student, and had access to military bases, as I was a dependant.... the line cutter is used in the paratool to cut yourself down if you land in a tree]

It also has a philips #1 on it, which is useful for pulling cards out of computers... I also carry a Gerber, as it has a philips #2, which are useful when racking systems.

Re:Yes, SOG Power Pliers Deluxe

[goldfndr]

It also has a philips #1 on it, which is useful for pulling cards out of computers... I also carry a Gerber, as it has a philips #2, which are useful when racking systems.

Unless you want to wear out your screw heads, you should be using #2 instead of #1 in the computers. Also, here the rack screws are Phillips #3 (although I think I've seen #2 on some racks).

Isn't using the wrong screw size like using the wrong socket size?!

Bart's Boot Disks

[Stavr0]

Compressed DOS boot disks that auto-configure most Ethernet / SCSI / CDROMS automagically.

Re:Bart's Boot Disks

[Stavr0]

Doh. forgot to link.

Re:Tape (or even better...)

[gosand]

Some not to strong tape / bluetack to hold screws that you have taken out. After slowly losing more case screws than I care to think I now tape/stick them to the side of the case till I put it back together. Even if I've just open it for a couple of minutes...

I have a small, stainless steel dish that has a good magnet on the back. It is meant to be used when working on your car (which I do) so that you can toss nuts/bolts into it and they stick. It works well on the car because you can stick it to the frame and it works upside down.

I use this thing all the time when I am working on PCs. I suppose you could just use a small magnet instead. Just keep it away from your magnetic storage devices. :-)

I agree with the aforementioned toolsets, but...

[vudufixit]

I find that an amazing number of problems can be solved with the knowledge in my head, a win98 boot diskette and a Leatherman Micra.
Especially that Micra, since it's small, elegant and has many many tools.
One item I think everyone should have is an 8.4 gig hdd, in case they have to work on a machine that only recognizes drives in that capacity.
It's also enough to reinstall an OS and many apps on a machine that can accept larger drives.

Timo's Rescue CD Set

[Korth]

Take a look at http://rescuecd.sf.net/
Excellent toolkit, and it can be adapted to create your own rescue CD. Based on Debian.

You Forgot...

[Anonymous Coward]

You've forgot the ultimate in repairing computers! SCSI cables, especially ones with a metal connector. Theyre main purpose is to whip the customer while your working so they shut their mouth.

Linux CRK also good

[fredz]

The Crash Recovery Kit for Linux is a bare bones Linux system with a lot of useful utils you might need for crash recovery. It is useful for both Linux and Windows. Following the directions in their how-to, I was able to boot a crashed system, get networking working, and copy a bunch of NTFS files I really did not want to lose to another PC. It can also do a lot more, see their how-to for details.

Fred

Awesome screwdriver...

[BIGstan]

Go to Allway Tools and check out this baby.

magnetized head, bit-holding handle, and it is small enough that it fits in your pocket, but large enough that it gets the job done easily.

Toolkit

[SomeGuyFromCA]

Tools:

* Flathead screwdriver
* Phillps screwdriver to deal with the ubiquitous "hexhead" screws on PC-compatibles.
* 1/4" socket driver in case those screws get stripped. By, say, someone wielding a power 'driver.
* A long thin pair of forceps for dropped screw retrieval - also can be used to hold a small magnet for tough retrievals. Don't look at me like that, pull the hard drives first and it's safe.
* Pliers
* Flashlight, LED preferred, or snake light.
* Mirror
* Jumper puller
* Paper towels
* Rubber gloves (non-medical, for things like Arctic Silver application)
* Compressed air
* Tape or twist ties (cable routing etc)

Hardware:
* 15' xover utp cable
* 3 known good blank 3.5" disks
* Laptop with CD-RW drive, modem/nic (with cabling, obviously)
* Blank -RWs

Software:
* Win98 boot 3.5" disk
* Knoppix CD
* Windows utilities CD

In a couple years, I might have to add a USB floppy drive to that list; experience shows that even if someone's computer has a floppy installed (rarer and rarer), it doesn't work half the time. Also, if you're going to be working on a laptop, smaller screwdrivers are indicated. Power drivers are for removing screws, **not** putting them in.

A Mirror!

[prozac79]

I have found a small pocket mirror to be very helpful. I have worked in a lot of small dorm room environments where you can't move someone's computer very easily. Having a mirror to see the back of someone's computer is helpful to check that cables are plugged in correctly and such.

I also like a can of compressed air. People are always surprised to see just how much dust collects inside a computer after a year. If I'm opening up the computer, might as well give it a quick brush of air.

Depending on the type of work you usually do on computers, a cable tester might be a good investment. This is particularly important if you make you own ethernet cable. They cost about $50, but if you're dealing with networking issues all the time it is worth it.

SCSI?

[sharkey]

If it has a SCSI chain, for $DEITY'S sake remember your chicken!

What I keep in my car at all times

[dlur]

I've been fixing PCs and printers for 8 years professionally for a small company. I keep these things handy at all times whenever I go on a service call:

In my pocket: Leatherman Micro

In my Toolkit:

Mutli-screwdriver with 3 phillips, 2 regular, and 5 torx bits.

Needle nose pliers

Side Cutter

Wire stripper

RJ-45 crimper/stripper

Bag of RJ-45 ends

Bag of Misc RJ-45 Keystone jacks

handfull of misc keystone wall plates

Couple of surface mount keystone jacks

Misc assortment of known-good RAM

allen wrench assortment

Assortment of mini-screwdrivers

10 blank floppies

CAT-5 cable tester

Toner Generator/Signal Tester
Small compartmental box with:

RJ-11 ends

Screws

Screw-down wire holders

jumpers

Windows 98 boot disk with oformat

Bootable QuickTech floppy

Bootable Norton Ghost floppy

Bootable USB keychain drive with most common utilities

CD Case with:

CD with .cab files for all version of Win 95, 98, and ME

CD full of drivers for network cards, video cards, sound cards, motherboard infs, etc.

CD full of utilities: Many of which are in .img format that can be opened by WinImage and extracted bootable to a floppy. Winzip, various software utilities, service packs for common OSes

IE versions CD - CD with zipped versions of IE on it from 4-6a

Windows 2k Pro CD

Windows XP Pro CD

Windows XP Home CD

CD of /i386 dirs for WinNT 4.0 workstation and server

2 disc set of current version of Redhat

3 disc set of current verison of FreeBSD

Norton Antivirus 2003 CD

Symantec Antivirius Corp Ed CD

CDs of Office 97 Pro, Office 2k Pro, Office XP SBE and Pro

2 blank CDs

In the trunk of my car:

1 ATX Power Supply

1 AT Power Supply

Assortment of Socket 7, Socket 370, Socket 4xx and Slot 1 and 2 fans along with a chassis fan

1 known good pci network card

1 known good pci video card

1 known good agp video card

1 10' printer cable

1 10' usb cable

assortment of patch cables

1 500' spool CAT-5e

assortment of cleaning rags and supplies for printers such as dish towels, rubbing alcohol, and rubber rejuvinator

This covers most everything I can possibly need to have onsite. Some times if I know what's going on ahead of time I'll also bring along a spare HD and a few other things, but generally this list always gets me by.

Here you go

[Idealius]

Free Software:
AdAware
AntiVir (Though it looks a little cheaper, in tests it's better at catching viruses than AVG)
OpenOffice

Hardware:
Thumbscrews, ribbon cables, screwdriver, compressed can of air, maybe some spare jumpers for HD's, and that's all you need! (Not counting major hardware upgrades)

Documentation:
A quick primer on how to search for the answer to their computer problems, but don't stop at Google. Mention Computing.net, Microsoft KB, and Forumulating their searches (adding forum to the front of their keywords before searching.) If their OS supports it you may want to show them how to use System Restore too, hell just put a shortcut to it on their Desktop. Make sure they know about msconfig (Start > Run > msconfig) and specifically the Startup tab. Here's a few sites on the net that they can search those obscure startup names in a DB to see what they actually are:

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/start up _full.htm

http://www.lafn.org/webconnect/mentor/startup/PE NI NDEX.HTM

http://www.greatis.com/regrun3atyouroption.htm

ALCOHOL.

[BillX]

'Nuff said.

One word: sawzall

[bearl]

It does what's needed, and sometimes things that aren't needed, or that you think weren't needed, or... http://www.milwaukeetools.com/sawzall.html

One thing everyone else has forgotten:

[DerekLyons]

A steno pad and a pen to keep track of what you have done, make lists, note serial numbers, etc..