Hello

[Logan]

Hi @Logan Don't give up or feel discouraged. You sound as though you have a positive attitude and are willing to learn.
You don't need a shop or store to get started, you can work from home - as I and many others on here - do.
You just need a workbench and few basic tools.
You can study for your certs as you go along.
There are many things to consider though, like what client base are you targeting?
Break/fix home users are on the decline (although not "completely dead" yet) as you'll see from the many discussions in the forums.
SMB/SoHo? You'll need some experience to be able to deal with this market.
Large business/corporations? Get yourself certified and try to gain as much experience as you can.
Your demographic. Can it support you with enough clientele?
Work for yourself or someone else?
Maybe start small from home with break/fix to get you started on the road. Word of mouth is a powerful advertising medium.
What about RMM/MSP services?

I'm sure my (more knowledgeable) colleagues will chime in with much more.

@Kraken

Thanks~
Well, I'd say it depends, I live in a small town, about 2500 (Well 3500, but 1000 is jail/prison), With No pc/tech store for like 50 miles (besides radio shack, but i don't count that). I'm not sure who my clientele would be though; I know our local library says that if i ever got business cards to give them some; There aren't any big companies or anything in this town, so i'd be relying on probably virus removals, etc *basic* things, but that's what i can think of atm, with my limited knowledge.

I was planning on opening a small building/store to do it, but after figuring the expenses, i don't think that would be feasible.

But i have a garage so working on them in there is fine, though i'd be part-time as i don't know how much i would charge for any services. (I have a list of possible jobs i could do with prices, but i keep thinking "That's awfully expensive for something so quick/trivial", but otherwise it seems "meh" , Like i don't know if it's better to charge $10 for a small job, so 10 people might use it, or $100 job, and 1 person might use it, etc (Though i do know, if i do this/something like this, it will be after i get a CompTIA or two, and this sites kit for the liability forms, etc.

So most can probably tell my thoughts are scattered, This is a part of my dream, but for now, I don't really need my thoughts to be in order, i should just focus on CompTIA i think?

(I'm thinking of CompTIA, as i don't have any college to lean back on, and if someone asks what experience/qualifications i have, i can list them off.)

[If worse comes to worse, i'll just have to work at best buy, lol]
[Though the best buy is out of that 50 miles, so i would prob have to move]

 

[GTP]

virus removals,

Windows 10 has almost killed that sector. I am an Emsisoft reseller as many on here are, so "virus removal" is almost unheard of now.

*basic* things

Basic things still need to be done and charged for. You should test the waters to see what is accepted in your part of the world. But, don't sell yourself short either. Charging peanuts will get you monkeys for clients and make you no better than the "Pizza techs" on Craigslist.
Don't be afraid to charge a good hourly rate for onsite and a set price workshop fee.
Everyone has different ideas about what they should be but something around $85+ p/h seems to be popular for onsite, depending also on whether you charge to travel or not.
Having a set price workshop fee gives clients a little peace of mind knowing that they won't be charged out the ying yang if you have the PC in for a few days, say.

"That's awfully expensive for something so quick/trivial"

But as I alluded above; set and charge your fee and don't compromise, otherwise you'll be working for nothing!

i should just focus on CompTIA i think?

Certs are nice to have but you don't really need them to start out. You''ll find that many on here (like me) got certs years ago and never updated them.
In almost 20 years in business I have never been asked about certs by a client; and I'm sure many on here would be the same.

 

[Logan]

Windows 10 has almost killed that sector. I am an Emsisoft reseller as many on here are, so "virus removal" is almost unheard of now.

Basic things still need to be done and charged for. You should test the waters to see what is accepted in your part of the world. But, don't sell yourself short either. Charging peanuts will get you monkeys for clients and make you no better than the "Pizza techs" on Craigslist.
Don't be afraid to charge a good hourly rate for onsite and a set price workshop fee.
Everyone has different ideas about what they should be but something around $85+ p/h seems to be popular for onsite, depending also on whether you charge to travel or not.
Having a set price workshop fee gives clients a little peace of mind knowing that they won't be charged out the ying yang if you have the PC in for a few days, say.

But as I alluded above; set and charge your fee and don't compromise, otherwise you'll be working for nothing!

Certs are nice to have but you don't really need them to start out. You''ll find that many on here (like me) got certs years ago and never updated them.
In almost 20 years in business I have never been asked about certs by a client; and I'm sure many on here would be the same.

I gotcha~
[Thanks for replying again~
(I don't know how to segment reply like that, so ima just space mine out)

I wonder if my state/town is just underdeveloped, as i don't think anyone i know uses win 10 atm, (i use 8.1 still) though i don't know if our radio shack has any usb keyboards >.> (i think they all ps2) [though not entirely sure] {Guess we'll find out if i ever start}

I don't think I'm knowledgeable enough to be on site [though it depends, like the library who wants muh business cards is probably an easy fix if something happens]. Most of my "services" would probably be flat rate-ish, which i think you said are dying in your first comment? (services being this pic/image, Price is what I would guess people would pay, as they are all fairly basic. [this image is just a ideas draft, that's why the grammer, etc is bad]

I understand they aren't necessary, but not to sound like a downer, but i feel my knowledge/experience is lacking. Like in the past my fam had a laptop where the screen wasn't working, but you could hear the fans and all, and i had to google it to deduce the problem (a ram stick was bad), So even though Google might house the answer, i'd like to have a higher understanding and all that. (i'd also like to learn to solder, etc) [and if a client was to ask "so why did X Happen?" I can't just say "i don't know" without personally feeling like i'd lose a customer]

I don't think i would end up being on site, though that $85+ sounds pretty cool, haha

 

[GTP]

Well, I'd say it depends, I live in a small town, about 2500 (Well 3500, but 1000 is jail/prison), With No pc/tech store for like 50 miles (besides radio shack, but i don't count that). I'm not sure who my clientele would be though; I know our local library says that if i ever got business cards to give them some; There aren't any big companies or anything in

But you would have residential clients small businesses yeah? Where are they presently getting support?
I'm sure if you printed up some 9professional looking business cards and handed them to all and sundry, you would be surprised at what business you would probably get. You only need a foot in the door to start off.
Experience will come as you learn on the job. Be honest with clients and tell them that you are just starting out and may not have all the answers. Research the symptoms. Build trust with your clients. Most people are very understanding.
Geez, even after 20 years I get stuck on jobs all the time and have no idea what/how/why etc. But there is always Technibble where you can ask questions. If Google doesn't link to a specific fix/answer it will sometimes point you in the right direction at least.
Get yourself an old tower PC (or laptop) and experiment. Set up some VM's for testing. Download trial versions of software to familiarise yourself with them.
USB drives are cheap, so download a Win 10 .iso using the download tool on this page and burn it to the USB drives using Rufus . Practise booting from them.
Get yourself a copy of PC Hunter, Process Explorer or similar and learn how to use them. In fact download the Sysinternals suite (it's free) and learn.

Some of the best (free tools) you'll ever have are created by members of this forum.
(WRT) Windows Repair Toolbox by @AlexCa is a must have in any tech's "toolbox."
@glennd 's SDIO (Snappy Driver Installer Origin) is your best friend when it comes to drivers. (And is included in WRT!)
One of the most important tools you'll need is a copy of @fab's Fabs Autobackup for backing up/restoring client data before/after an N &P. (or anytime really)
Emsisoft Emergency Kit (EEK) is a great tool for scanning infected systems offline. (Although you may have to have a mind to licensing if you use it regularly in a "business" environment)
Gandalf's PE is highly recommended as well, and is a must for diagnosing PC's that wont boot normally. (free)
And don't forget some Linux distro's for diagnosing/fun/learning etc

 

[Logan]

But you would have residential clients small businesses yeah? Where are they presently getting support?
I'm sure if you printed up some 9professional looking business cards and handed them to all and sundry, you would be surprised at what business you would probably get. You only need a foot in the door to start off.
Experience will come as you learn on the job. Be honest with clients and tell them that you are just starting out and may not have all the answers. Research the symptoms. Build trust with your clients. Most people are very understanding.
Geez, even after 20 years I get stuck on jobs all the time and have no idea what/how/why etc. But there is always Technibble where you can ask questions. If Google doesn't link to a specific fix/answer it will sometimes point you in the right direction at least.
Get yourself an old tower PC (or laptop) and experiment. Set up some VM's for testing. Download trial versions of software to familiarise yourself with them.
USB drives are cheap, so download a Win 10 .iso using the download tool on this page and burn it to the USB drives using Rufus . Practise booting from them.
Get yourself a copy of PC Hunter, Process Explorer or similar and learn how to use them. In fact download the Sysinternals suite (it's free) and learn.

Some of the best (free tools) you'll ever have are created by members of this forum.
(WRT) Windows Repair Toolbox by @AlexCa is a must have in any tech's "toolbox."
@glennd 's SDIO (Snappy Driver Installer Origin) is your best friend when it comes to drives. (And is included in WRT!)
One of the most important tools you'll need is a copy of @fab's Fabs Autobackup for backing up/restoring client data before/after an N &P. (or anytime really)
Emsisoft Emergency Kit (EEK) is a great tool for scanning infected systems offline. (Although you may have to have a mind to licensing if you use it regularly in a "business" environment)
Gandalf's PE is highly recommended as well, and is a must for diagnosing PC's that wont boot normally. (free)
And don't forget some Linux distro's for diagnosing/fun/learning etc

WOW
So many usefull tools
I have/heard of Process Explorer, But none of the others ones, Thank you soo much, On the advice and the software input!~
[btw are malwarebytes adwcleaner and the pc decrapifier any good, as i figured i would use those too scan for unwanted programs if someone chose such an option] [I see adwcleaner in wrt there, but i don't see pc decrapifier that much these days]

I've been looking for a driver installation program for a while, but all of them seemed to be sketchy, etc (Besides one, but it was on steam, so not a public thing), This list you gave me will be soo helpfull!~

 

[GTP]

I wonder if my state/town is just underdeveloped, as i don't think anyone i know uses win 10 atm, (i use 8.1 still)

Win 10 is still a "free" upgrade so maybe time to update yourself? Clients?

(i'd also like to learn to solder, etc)
Board level repairs etc are not for the faint hearted but by all means go for it. Only one way to learn, right?

and if a client was to ask "so why did X Happen?" I can't just say "i don't know" without personally feeling like i'd lose a customer

Hey I sometimes shrug my shoulders when clients ask "what was the problem?" I'm not a magician afterall, lol

I don't think i would end up being on site, though that $85+ sounds pretty cool, haha

Going onsite would be a must for some residential and business clients, so I you should get used to the idea.
If going onsite is not attractive raise you prices to what you (and your clients) are comfortable with.
With all due respect and IMHO, you should scrap your "price list" and start again.
These prices make you sound like a Pizza Tech that will do anything for next to nothing.
If you're conscientious you'll learn quickly and gain confidence as well.

 

[Logan]

Win 10 is still a "free" upgrade so maybe time to update yourself? Clients?

Hey I sometimes shrug my shoulders when clients ask "what was the problem?" I'm not a magician afterall, lol

Going onsite would be a must for some residential and business clients, so I you should get used to the idea.
If going onsite is not attractive raise you prices to what you (and your clients) are comfortable with.
With all due respect and IMHO, you should scrap your "price list" and start again.
These prices make you sound like a Pizza Tech that will do anything for next to nothing.
If you're conscientious you'll learn quickly and gain confidence as well.

I've never Heard of "pizza tech" lol
But i will scrap it, and look at it another day.
Though i might try to work on it later, maybe it's because i consider myself "cheap" that i think the prices higher wouldn't sell, Not sure. though maybe it's my family, as i asked them "if your computer got a virus, and i wasn't here, what would you do?" and their reply was "i'd buy another laptop"....

Which i guess is a fairly common reply these days? as laptops are decently cheap? and (i think) repairs are typically expensive. Though i think lots of people think that hardware degradation or aging, etc is the cause of slowness when in actuality a good cleaning could bring it back to life.

 

[GTP]

I don't use PC Decrapifier as I use Geek Uninstaller (paid version) to remove bloatware and it's detritus.
I also don't use Adwcleaner, preferring EEK instead.
For me personally, I don't like the direction in which Malwarebytes has taken Adwcleaner.
As for free antivirus, I dont/wont recommend free AV. if I had to use a free product I would stick with Bitdefender free.
If you do nothing else heed some advice and stay well away from AVG and Avast. Search the forums for problems with these.

 

[Logan]

I don't use PC Decrapifier as I use Geek Uninstaller (paid version) to remove bloatware and it's detritus.
I also don't use Adwcleaner, preferring EEK instead.
For me personally, I don't like the direction in which Malwarebytes has taken Adwcleaner.
As for free antivirus, I dont/wont recommend free AV. if I had to use a free product I would stick with Bitdefender free.
If you do nothing else heed some advice and stay well away from AVG and Avast. Search the forums for problems with these.

Ohhh, I didn't know (I've been using Avast a few years without probs, but i'll look into bitdefender)
And thanks~

 

[GTP]

Though i think lots of people think that hardware degradation or aging, etc is the cause of slowness when in actuality a good cleaning could bring it back to life.

Learn how to image drives and restore those images. Learn how to clone drives as well.
I image 99% of PC's that come across my bench. Image the drive before you work on a clients PC!!

Get some SSD's to keep on hand. An SSD can make a huge difference on an older PC. Try to get a reputable brand like WD, Samsung, Adata, Kingston, Crucial etc. I've used all these and have not had one returned.
They can be a cheap upgrade that makes a big impact on the client.

 

[GTP]

Ohhh, I didn't know (I've been using Avast a few years without probs, but i'll look into bitdefender)
And thanks~

Avast is garbage software and IMO worse than the malware it tries to prevent!
So many non booting computers can be attributed to Avast's junk!

 

[Logan]

Learn how to image drives and restore those images. Learn how to clone drives as well.
I image 99% of PC's that come across my bench. Image the drive before you work on a clients PC!!

Get some SSD's to keep on hand. An SSD can make a huge difference on an older PC. Try to get a reputable brand like WD, Samsung, Adata, Kingston, Crucial etc. I've used all these and have not had one returned.
They can be a cheap upgrade that makes a big impact on the client.

Do you have to add, that your going to image their drive onto the liability form they see/sign?
which probably gives them peace of mind?

 

[GTP]

Do you have to add, that your going to image their drive onto the liability form they see/sign?
which probably gives them peace of mind?

You could I suppose but I don't. It's just accepted practise to image drives to protect you and the clients data in case something goes wrong.

 

[Logan]

You could I suppose but I don't. It's just accepted practise to image drives to protect you and the clients data in case something goes wrong.

I see~
(I was just wondering, as i would think they could/would sue you for "copying their info/data with consent" or something like that

 

[GTP]

Hmmm. Good point. And with Australia's new "Cyber everything" laws I really should find out about that.
I would think if you were cloning as a backup that was deleted after the job was completed it would be ok?
I guess if you explained to the client that it was for their's and your protection in case something went wrong they would be ok with it.
I've never asked or been asked if I take backup/ or images. But clients (and I) are sure grateful when they (I) screw something up!
Not sure what rules/regs you would have in Missouri?

 

[Logan]

Hmmm. Good point. And with Australia's new "Cyber everything" laws I really should find out about that.
I would think if you were cloning as a backup that was deleted after the job was completed it would be ok?
I guess if you explained to the client that it was for their's and your protection in case something went wrong they would be ok with it.
I've never asked or been asked if I take backup/ or images. But clients (and I) are sure grateful when they (I) screw something up!
Not sure what rules/regs you would have in Missouri?

I have no idea, i figure if i did that i'd need to talk my insurance/liability person if/when i got one, as they prob know.

 

[GTP]

Maybe time to move this discussion to the forums proper?
Start a new thread in "Tech-to Tech Computer Help" perhaps.
@Kraken

 

[Altster]

@Barcelona

You iz a mitey smart person. Mebbie you should open up a computer repair shop or sumptin!



@Logan

Barcelona is a good person and is chocked full of good information - as are many others on this forum. Never be afraid to ask for suggestions, etc. while visiting here.

Cheers from Indiana...

 

[fencepost]

I haven't had a chance to go through everything, but you may be in a similar situation to Jacob at @Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe when he was first starting out, so he might have advice for you. He's in a more populated area though.