Readers Ask: What’s in My Computer Repair Tool Bag?

While I’ve been devoting most of my articles recently to the business side of computer repair, there is one topic which I’ve been inundated with emails about as of late. So much so that it nudged me enough to write a public response. It seems that more than a few readers have been curious as to what I happen to carry with me in my computer repair tool bag when I service FireLogic customers.

An interesting question, and while I took some time to get back to those who emailed me in the last few months, I thought it would be a good idea to describe what tools keep me nimble and effective when customers call. Being unprepared is one of the worst things that can turn a job upside down.

Here’s a rundown of the most important things I’ve been carrying around for a few years now. All of the items I’ve listed have been lifesavers in one way or another. For any software, I’ve included a link to download the ISO or title itself.

Hiren’s Boot CD – Hiren’s is not a sole piece program but instead a compilation of some of the most useful freeware utilities available to a computer repair technician. This disc is very similar to Ultimate Boot CD which I also find to be a necessity, but with the addition of two important pieces of software: Offline NT Password Changer and Mini Windows XP.

The former allows you to reset nearly any user password on a Windows system old and new (NT through 7) and the latter is a WinPE-powered edition of Windows XP that runs as a Live CD. It’s extremely useful for quickly backing up customer data from a hosed Windows installation. You can also use it to test out hardware that may be questionable in condition, like wireless cards, outside of a client’s local Windows installation. There have been discussions surrounding the legality of Hiren’s Boot CD, but since about version 13 of the disc, they have removed all of the shareware or commercial software that caused controversy.

Ultimate Boot CD – This disc is similar to Hiren’s which I talked about above, but does have some different hardware utilities that aren’t necessarily found on the former. The reason I keep this in my arsenal is because, even when there is overlap in software with Hiren’s, at times programs do not load correctly and just hang on Hiren’s. When this happens, you have no choice but to give the programs a try off UBCD.

This product has been in development for quite a few years, and was actually the first utility live cd that I ever used. It may not be as expansive as Hiren’s, but for what it offers, it’s a bullet proof tool that should be in your onsite CD collection.

CCleaner – If there was one Windows-based tool I could not live without, it would be CCleaner. This little tool is completely free and constantly updated for more functionality. It’s a swiss army knife for cleaning off temp files from a system; fixing broken/missing registry entries; and providing a fast central location for uninstalling all programs on a machine.

It also happens to have a clean startup list manager which allows you to trim down unwanted junk that loads on many of the PCs you work on for clients. I’ve been using this tool for years and have yet to be let down. Give it a try if you are still (*sigh*) using the Windows built-in tools for doing similar functions.

Reversible Flathead & Philips Screwdriver – The reversible Philips/flathead screwdriver is probably the single most used piece of hardware in my toolbag. Nearly every computer case uses a mix of large and small screws, all of which can (generally) be handled with this wonder of a tool. It saves space because it includes reversible bits that cover large and small screw types for each variety. A wise investment and a near necessity for any proper computer tool bag.

Inline Network Cable Tester – While a traditional network cable tester works fine, the level of detail and information afforded by something like a Fluke NetTool device is unparallelled. This device allows you to check a multitude of aspects of any Cat5/Cat6 cable or jack such as proper crimping, proper punchdown, continuity, and passthrough functionality of an entire cable itself.

I happened to pick up a Series I NetTool on ebay a few years back and consider it well worth the $300 USD or so that it cost me. Don’t bother spending the $1000+ USD on a new device – these puppies are built like tanks and generally last a long time. Save yourself time when dealing with network cabling & jacks and consider an inline cable tester.

Utility Knife – Brand or make does not matter as much here. There is so much competition for these knives that I merely recommend you have some sort of utility knife in your toolbag. I happen to carry around a Leatherman as I prefer their higher quality, but the choice is yours. These knives are very handy in cutting open boxes onsite, cutting cabling, assisting with smaller sawing tasks, and general everyday nuances that you come across onsite.

Trying to replicate the functions of a single utility knife across separate tools would be both a money waste and space loss. Plus, you can carry one of these in your pocket when you are onsite without having to lug a toolbag all over to handle separate tools.

Tape Measure – Who’s to say when you will need to get measurements of a short distance or when scoping out a job? I use one of these to measure boxes I may need to ship, as well as how long of a cable I’ll need for any type of installation. They are handy, accurate, and you can even get ones in different shapes that offer advanced features like lasers and the like. My recommendation is to stay with something cheap (but not the cheapeast) as to keep thieves at bay.

2 Gallon Air Compressor – Before I get emails from people asking me how I fit this in my toolbag, I’m going to say up front that I simply do not. It’s a companion tool that travels alongside my toolbag to most customer locations, and beats compressed air for cleaning out dust by a longshot. Not only does it provide for MUCH greater pressure, but it saves money in the long run.

For 5-7 packs of compressed air, you could instead purchase a small portable air compressor. My unit is a 2 gallon device and serves me well. Customers are impressed with the professionalism of having such a device, and truly cleans a PC better than any small can ever did. Works great on laptops too!

Floppy Disks & USB Floppy Drive – Call me crazy, but as a PC tech, you NEVER know when you will run into a situation that needs one or both of these items. I needed to use a USB floppy drive just this week. Many older PCs and servers made before 2004 still (sadly) require floppies to perform BIOS updates. I keep a pack of brand new floppies in my bag, along with a USB floppy drive that has a single disk loaded in at all times. You will be hardpressed to find new packs of floppies in any store, but online sites like Ebay still carry them in plentiful quantities for cheap.

USB IDE/SATA HDD Adapter – Don’t get caught onsite without one of these. I happen to use a Bytecc combination adapter, but there are many different types on the market today. This tool can be used to connect any IDE or SATA hard disk to a machine of your choice, whether it be for emergency virus removal or worse yet – data recovery.

Whatever the purpose, this little tool costs under $50 USD generally and is light enough to be stuffed into a side pocket of any toolbag. For my office, I have a HDD caddy that performs the same functions, but offers a drop-in bay for the hard disk drive itself. Costs a bit more, but great if you are doing a lot of workbench based virus removals or data recovery.

LED Flashlight – Cheap, portable, and super effective in low light situations. There’s no reason anymore to debate about carrying around police-quality Maglites. These LED powered flashlights that have become quite common over the last few years are just as powerful for directed-light situations that need just a small surface illuminated. Batteries last a long time in these flashlights so don’t worry about the need to keep spares on hand. Any hardware store should have a variety to choose from.

I could keep going about the tools that I use, but I’d need a multi-part article to handle them all. If you have tools that you like to carry around, feel free to post them in the comments section below. We can all benefit from other techs’ experiences with computer repair tools.