| Being a good desktop technician means having the solutions to most problems that might occur wITh a computer, if the problem doesn't involve intricate hardware fixing or replacing. Because a desktop technician's job is to go around to clients and try to fix their problems there, he must have a developed toolkIT to carry around. The desktop technician's toolkIT includes a collection of software and tools to help fix things more efficiently. Here are a few tools that make IT easier to troubleshoot everyday PC problems.
A good desktop technician has an extensive collection of good and up-to-date software. QualITy software will help diagnose and fix many problems. What of a desktop technician whose client needs Windows reinstalled and no CD is present? One may want to purchase a CD binder to hold all your CDs in one place. You may consider having: boot CDs wITh diagnostics programs, Windows 95, 98SE, 2000, XP Home and Pro wITh applicable service packs and patches for each version on one CD, more versions of Microsoft Office, Linux live CDs. Also software such as benchmarking tools, Visual Studio .NET, utilITy CDs wITh antivirus/antispyware programs and commonly used applications should not be forgotten by a desktop technician. Norton Ghost, PartITion Magic and other random disks may be brought along. Desktop technicians also carry common peripheral interface cords like an USB cable, a Firewire cable, a standard PC power cord and an Ethernet UTP cable. Actually, a good desktop technician might want to carry 2-3 of these. Also bring along a wireless USB adapter because IT helps avoid having to run 30 feet of ethernet cable just to get a machine online.
Plenty of clients may want to save their data before installing a new OS, so be a truly inspired desktop technician and bring a way to move and store files. Some use a flash or USB stick on a keychain, but the size limIT of flash memory is too constrictive when working on a PC. Instead carry a firewire/usb external hard drive as part your kIT. These vary in size, up to 300 GB, so that way, if there is the need to backup someone's files or you just want to work on something from another computer, everything is at your fingertips. Every desktop technician carries their trusted Phillips head screwdriver at all times. The standard size fITs most desktop screws, but you should get a mini-screwdriver kIT to work on laptops. You could get a magnetized screwdriver and pick screws up wITh IT if you drop them in inaccessible places. And no desktop technician kIT is complete wIThout a small flashlight to help you see into the dark recesses of the case. Also, needle-nose pliers come in handy for hard drive jumpers. Useful testers that you can carry around are a Power Supply Tester, a Network cable tester or a Motherboard tester (usually PCI, outputs BIOS codes). That's pretty much stuff so make sure you get a good tough bag to fIT them and be able to support them all. If you're not just a family and friends desktop technician, that is if you're a professional, you might also find these ITems handy: a wireless router, a CD-RW Drive, a Standard ATX Power Supply of 300-500W, internal hard drives, a qualITy surge protector and some speakers. That pretty much covers ITems needed for day-to-day troubleshooting. As a desktop technician, don't forget about yourself, bring your iPod. IT provides an excellent source of entertainment while you're watching the progress bar creep if there's no one to socialize wITh.
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