XP/VISTA/PC Repair Guides?

Hi i am looking to start repairing/upgrading computers as a local business wondering what tools id need.

And as ive never done it professionally and only learnt stuff through trial and error would like to know whether theres any dvd's/books i can buy?

Thanks!

 

a huge stock of computer components, hard drives,cpus etc...
the general sort of things like screwdrivers etc...
i greatly suggest the ultimate boot cd from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
it is good for diagnosing pc problems

 

You'll need things like GAG, gParted, System rEscue CD, HDDs, CPUs, possibly a linux distro or two.

 

I do hosue calls, and my bag of tricks includes...

Software:

Hiren's Boot CD, ERD Commander, a copy of every Windows version (Windows 2000 Pro, XP Home OEM, XP Home Retail, XP Professional OEM, XP Pro Retail, Vista Ultimate X64 (as you can install any version of Vista from this) and so on... a copy of every office version you can get your hands on..

Magical jellybean keyfinder
installers for bitdefender trial, spybot sd, spywareblaster, EMCO malware destroyer, ccleaner, ad-aware 2007, avg antispyware... pretty much every antispyware you can think of
firefox installer

norton remover and mcafee remover, they're horrible antiviruses, become a BitDefender reseller, it's 40 bucks for a copy of it for like 2 years of service and much better.

Hardware:
USB DVD-ROM drive
crossover network cable (CAT-5E)
straight network cable (CAT-5E)
mini USB keyboard with PS/2 adapter
mini USB mouse
laptop of your choosing with USB 2.0, wireless, wired ethernet
small assortment of USB thumb drives and a 160GB external drive (I could really really use a 500GB+ though hasn't been a problem yet)
USB hub
a USB to SATA/IDE converter as well as a 40pin to mini 40pin adapter


Tools:

A nice set of screwdrivers, including jewelers screwdrivers for laptops. Mine is a zipper sleeve of small screwdrivers and one screwdriver with interchangable heads, including torx wrenches (VERY IMPORTANT!)
A nice plier set including 2 needlenose and wire cutters
electrical tape
LED headlamp
small plastic containers for screws
assortment of ESD bags
hemostat
legal pad and several pens (to write everything I do and how long it takes, makes writing bills much easier)
electric chemistry thermometer

CLARATIN, I'm allergic to cats

got a PC built into my dash which is hooked to a printer in my trunk, write up a bill real quick and print, nice and professional looking

that's all I got off the top of my head. I'll post em if I think of them

I know it's a lot of overhead but doing jobs is a lot easier if you have the right tools.
FYI, I've collected almost all of this stuff over the years, never went out and bought stuff really, save for the screwdriver set

 

Excellent! Anybook's dvd's i can buy?

PS How important is having a car? As I dont drive but i live in a town full of hippies and everywhere is easy accessible through buses. Hippies bit is relevant since id be a ''GREEN COMPANY'' as id be using buses haha.

 

I'd say it's important, just to carry around the stuff.

 

Yeah the car is pretty important, all the stuff can get pretty heavy. Though I'm currently looking for ways to reduce it... trying to make an XP DVD that will have all versions of XP so I only need maybe an 8cd wallet, not this 32 CD wallet, going to replace my aged latitude CPxH with an eeePC probably, or perhaps just my XPS M1330. How do you plan on billing? Either mail your bills (I used to do that before I had the printer in my car) or get one of those small printers. Books? If you need to read books then you probably should not be doing house calls
Get an A+ certification book and read it (they're about 1000 pages usually but have pictures). Lots of good info in there about general PC stuff. Other than that, just use your senses (I'm sure you know the general cause of many problems) and also use GOOGLE.

I suggest you offer packages at a flat rate (IE, spyware and virus removal for 100 dollars, reformat with data transfer for 140, etc) and then charge an hourly rate for troubleshooting of more obscure problems. Well, I charge hourly for all house calls regardless of what service people want (I charge 35/hour + 35 dollar fee for a housecall, minimum of 1 hour) but for stuff where people bring their PCs to me I charge flat rate packages, since I rarely am working JUST on their computer... more playing TF2/GTA and have their PC on the backburner

that said, get a KVM or extra keyboard/mouse/monitor by your home computer for when people bring you computers

 

A car is extremely important. As mentioned you need many CD's and a few tools. Plus testing equipment. I keep all my stuff in my trunk. It would be way to much to lug around on a bus. So house calls are out.

That means you would need to pick up the customers computer. That's is a big pain to lug around, but not impossible.

Personally I have never used any "manuals". The best manual is an internet site like this. What you don't learn yourself by tinkering around, you can learn by other people tinkering around.

 

The problem with starting a local business is there are people that won't go to a local business. I have people that will drive 20 miles to me or bring the computer to best buy and then me (i'm cheaper for the repairs) rather than bring it to their "local guy" pc shop. For some reason, it seems that people only trust people they know or the national chains.

I have a 18 gallon rubbermade tote filled with tools, parts, software, etc that I have to carry around.

 

millermagic, do you have competetive enough pricing? I find you hook people in with cheap hourly rates and just be smart where you mark up your prices. I can easily make 100 bucks an hour if I do it right... it's the walmart approach.. get people in the door on very cheap baseline models, then mark up the next step up past what other people sell for (few people know that they do that)

 

That's only true the first few times they go to Best Buy. I can't count the number of people who have brought me their computers after Best Buy messed it up!

Plus with all the law suits that have went on with Best Buy, many consumers are looking for something better. Still though, true with many people. The OP will be best off not advertising broadly and hoping for customers to call, but to advertise directly with specific people and companies. Advertise your services to local businesses. If they like you they will recommend you to other businesses.

Dealing with businesses is the best way to make some cash because you can charge twice as much!

 

i was gonna post something here,,,, but i think Hep has covered the major points...

A+ certification and even Network+ will look really good and give the average user an idea that you have knowledge about PCs and PC repair,,

to take the A+ test is not that much,,, don't fool with any of those expensive training seminars.. they tend to only teach you the test,,

kind of a waste unless you just want the paper and not the knowledge

read an A+ book 3 to 5 times otherwise

later,
bigO

 

I've never charged more then $30 an hour for anything. I'm in college and right now I'm really not looking to make a buck working 2-3 hours a week at this. When I graduate college and start doing this as a full time job ... For the most part, it is just doing stuff on the weekends or over the breaks. But if/when I do consulting in a few years on the side, I'll start charging the big bucks.

What does walmart markup? I don't buy anything but food from there so I don't even pay attention to walmart's prices.

I can't do businesses because I don't really have the time for it and I go to college in the middle of nowhere so everything is at least a 50 mile round trip.

What I have seen is people bring it to bestbuy, find out the problem and the rate and bring it to me. Best Buy also can't diagnose stuff that well either ... but that's a different story

 

Forgot to mention a PSU tester, that's really important too. Mine's actually dead and I need a new one


Anyway, what WalMart will do is put out a microwave, the lowest model, for like 30 bucks, while competitors will have it for say 45. So you get pulled into the microwave aisle by that really good deal. The next model up on the microwave is for sale for 60 bucks, but that model is 50 bucks at the competitor. You get the impression that everything is a good deal because of how insanely low that first price was, but once you check the prices, most walmart prices end up being higher. Went to walmart to get a mini fridge and it was like 150 bucks for the one I wanted, I had only wanted to spend like 80 (I saw how lowly priced their smaller ones were) Ended up getting the same fridge at home depot for 120. This isn't just using anecdotal experience as proof though, this is something that people who used to work for walmart have admitted, and I learned about it in one of my college sociology classes.

 

Thats weird in the uk it tends to be the opposite.

I used to do tv repairs and stuff and we thought we would be smart and go for a 0800 number (free) and we got alot less calls.