Your "Tech Repair Tool Chest"

[Matthew Marek]

Hello everyone!

I'm relatively new to the "house call" style tech service. I'm more used to working from my office, where I have access to a lot of tools that I simply can't have while I'm on the road (particularly for hardware, though I have a LOT of install CD's, access to things like Apple Services Tools, ect.)

I'm trying to get together my "field kit." I want some ideas of what I should have on me at all times, in order to reduce instances of "Sorry, I don't have the tools to fix that right now, I'll be right back." Software, hardware, tools, basically anything that will help me be as prepared as possible on the road.

[Matt T]

What I have for hardware tools is a box with extra cables, extra input devices, extra monitor, a flash drive caddy with all my bootable tools like Kaspersky Rescue Disk, Hirens Boot cd, and tools I use to put on customer machines such as CCleaner, Microsoft Security Essentials, and some generic drivers such as all linksys wireless adapters so I can get online to download the other drivers. 

I also have an extra PSU and a powersupply tester (rosewill) aswell as a USB DVD reader and HDD to USB caddy.  Pick up a Bestek 300W Inverter for your car too to charge all of these devices.

What I use to put an ISO image on a flash drive is called Rufus ISO where I can set the partition table as either MBR or GPT depending on the windows version I am using.  Also I have a field laptop which I use to store all my ISO images and then burn them to a flash drive when I am out in the field instead of carrying slow DVD disks for every version of windows.  USB 2.0 is around 60 MB/s which is much faster than optical media.

You definitely want to save the embarrassment of not being prepared, which is why I just use my field laptop which connects to my phone for data in case I ever need to look up something or download a small piece of software.  (I have unlimited Data)  I hope that helps.

[ssal...@afterhourscr.com]

Thanks for the suggestions

[rbar...@afterhourscr.com]

I am new to this forum and this company. I have been repairing computers for a long time and I have had to do a reformat or two. I know how to download an iso file and burn it to a disk, my question is,I downloaded the Windows 7 part 1 and 2 from the files anywhere site.When I unzipped them, there is so many different versions. I know I cant possibly carry every version with me on dvds, What do I need to do, create iso files and put them on my external hard drive? If I needed a certain version, would I burn that to a dvd on site?

[Joel Wilcox]

pick up a flash drive i'd say 8 gb is sufficient, use a program like YUMI, which you can download and create a multi boot USB drive, you will have all the tools you need.  One of the biggest I use is the offline nt password remover for deleting windows passwords.  Become associated with Linux and it's terminal commands.  There are also many live AV CD ISO's you can download and put on YUMI that will hunt and kill viruses on windows PCs  such as AVG live and Bitdender. Bitdefender is a life saver.  It may take a few minutes to load but it's worth it.  You'll have to wait after it boots to download all the current updates.  I have a kit i bought on amazon, made by ifixit:  https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Parts/Pro-Tech-Toolkit/IF145-072-1?gclid=CjwKEAiAo7C2BRDgqODGq5r38DsSJAAv7dTP3gcdSw-R75JGEwwFL4pZNGo4SV7tNWKtL5wpb5lafxoCD4fw_wcB  has every bit or tool you will need for a PC.  I find it laughable that generic toolkits on Amazon come with a chip removal tool... when's the last time you removed and IC chip from a mobo and thought... yeah i'll just get a prom programmer and reprogram this thing?  that small toolkit, a laptop for searching for answers, a bible, some holy water, and that stick should get you in and out of most places very quickly, with the exception of ransomware.  Ransomware is a bitch, lucky on bleeping computer there have been many many programs developed in order to combat that.  The java exploit that locks the screen and demands money can be taken down with bitdefender, but there's also an program developed to remove it.  Happy Hunting!