The Software Toolkit of a Computer Repair Man

There are a series of different maneuvers and software applications that a computer tech needs to carry with him inorder to be prepared with going out to visit a job.
Tool box Items of Computer Repair:

USB jump drive, or External drive (to store data temporarily, or load the OS faster than a CD) 

OS disks (Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or 7)

Anti-Virus (Dr. Spyware, Avira, MS Security Essentials, Malware bytes, etc.)

Ophcrack (boots from linux kernel and cracks lost Log In passwords)

Internet Connection (Drivers for wireless, network, sound, video, printers, etc.)

Si Sandra (to search and identify components to know what drivers to look for)

Phone (customer contact, possible help from a friend in a pinch)

Do you know of other essential computer repair tools?

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Blue Screen Error Proves MS Disk the Culprit

I received a custom built computer from customer with the Windows install disk still in the drive. Along with the computer he also handed me the CD plastic with the original serial. Figuring it was easier to just start the install from the disk that was already in the drive, I went ahead and booted from the CD. It would load for less than a minute before showing a blue screen with an error: "0x0000007E (0xc0000005, 0xf748E0BF, 0xF78DA208, 0xF78D9F08). Shrug possibly a random glitch. Two tries later I started going through the BIOS and hardware to find the problem. The RAM chip was installed in the second slot away from the CPU. Switched it over to the first slot to receive the same error.
When I first started the computer it wouldn't recognize my USB mouse or keyboard. Using the old school mouse connection allowed me to at least click the user name to try to enter Windows. It wouldn't load at all, just display a solid blue screen no text. The OS may have some how been loaded from this broken disk only to support this broken system. Problem Solved: Finally ejecting this disk that came with the computer and inserting my own, the system loaded. Inspecting this faulty disk I found a small yet deep scratch in the center right where the data begins.

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Gateway M series Laptop Error 02FA: Main Fan Error!!

"Error 02FA: Main Fan Error !! !! Please turn off system and check your CPU fan !!"
 The fan on the Gateway M series laptop I was fixing was spinning up immediately the second after rebooting, then stoping cold. Since the fan did spin when the computer was turned on it was obviously still good. I flipped the laptop over removed the one screw and plastic panel covering the CPU fan and RAM. Removed and replaced the RAM, and it solved the problem. I received the suggestion to start it without memory installed and see if the behavior of fan goes back to normal. (computers do this when no memory is installed). 

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Fire? Water?? Data Withstands the Elements with IoSafe SoloPRO Backup Drive

Has anyone ever asked you: What's the first thing you're going to save in case there's a fire? As thoughts of family and pets are hopefully are the first to race though your head, your computer might just be second on that list. Think of all the time you've spent working on that excel file, or building your dream house out on Auto-cad. What about all the music downloaded before Limewire went down. On top of that the thousands of pics taken on your iPhone, but never uploaded to the cloud. Now your precious files can be one of the last items on the list of things to risk your life for. Introducing the IoSafe SoloPro waterproof, fireproof back up hard drive. With a 2TB max capacity, the SoloPRO is fireproof up the 1550 degrees Fahrenheit, and waterproof for 72 hours in 10' of water. Weighing in at 15 pounds with it's inches thick ceramic case, and one year of data recovery service included, Fort Knox is wondering where to get one. So when the next the nuclear holocaust hits your neighborhood, you can be sure as all hell fire that all your downloaded torrent and other unmentionables will be waiting peacefully inside it's silver plastic waterproof lining waiting to be opened on a computer that is more fortunate than the last.

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Accessing a computer Remotely.

Once in a while a customer will call asking for additional assistance on their computer. Although I want offer great customer service, it isn't always convenient to just show up in person. Considering the amount of time and money that could be saved, I decided to invest in a program called Logmein. It's offered free to try, and available for $30 as an iPhone app. If nothing else I figured it would be great way to access my home computer for files and other information as needed. First time trying out the software I wanted to control my wifes' laptop. Figuring it would be funny, I send her an email as an invite to the remote log in session. She accepted and was instantly in control of my iMac. ...Not quite the outcome I expected. After a laugh, I got to thinking how this program could be used to repair a computer remotely. Since then I've loaded the program on many computers to quickly help solve any problems they might have in the future.

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St Patricks day and the 40th Anniversary of the Computer Virus

Not only is today the celebration of our Irish forefathers but the 40th anniversary of the computer virus. The first computer virus was called The Creeper. The Creeper virus was first detected on Arpanet, the forerunner of the internet, in the early 1970s. Creeper was an experimental self-replicating program written by Bob Thomas in 1971. Creeper used the ARPANET to infect DEC PDP-10 computers running the TENEX os. Creeper gained access via the ARPANET and copied itself to the remote system where the message, "I'm the creeper, catch me if you can!" was displayed. The Reaper program was created to delete Creeper.

Back in the days when Apple was the major computer retailer another virus called the Elk Cloner was spread via floppy disk. The virus in the pic here shows an original BSOD. The virus was called Brain(c) and apparently gave an address to where the computer could be fixed. Funny how our business is called Brain Child Computer Repair.

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iMac Grey Screen of Death?!

Looks like no apples here. I booted my iMac this morning only to see a circle with a cross through the middle sign instead of the usual Apple logo. I could only compare it to the common Windows BSOD blue screen of death. I was stuck. I laughed figuring this was more of a photo-op. Luckily the OS install disk was available. After running a repair on the Mac partition with Disk Utility the computer was back up and running 15 minutes later.

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