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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 10:11:27

Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 10:11:27
Once it becomes known that you possess mastery over the arcane lore of building and fixing PCs, everybody in town suddenly starts to invite you over because their crappy-slow PC needs attention.
 
What tools do ye bring along?
 
Myself, I never (well, hardly ever) am caught without my (modified) Leatherman multitool and a good MagLite.  On some days, when I expect to encounter hordes of dying PCs, I end up decking out what feels like a Bat-Belt full of toolage.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: vils on Wed, 01 September 2010, 12:14:18
Quote from: kishy;218828
On a good day:

  • Bit driver with 4 bits: 3 sizes of philips and one slot
  • Small clip-mounted flashlight
  • Dental-like mirror (larger though)
  • Software kit (small CD/DVD binder) including all major OS disks, OEM restore versions, UBCD, DOS boot floppy just for kicks)
  • External hard drive
  • Where feasible, my laptop
  • Only when above has been brought, also a flash drive (save the external HDD all the spin ups and spin downs just to get files from one machine to another)


Although I've had to use ripster's trick a few times with specific people.

and compressed air on can.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: didjamatic on Wed, 01 September 2010, 12:22:32
In pocket:

Leatherman Squirt S4.  There is very little that cannot be fixed with it.  I have carried one in my pocket for nearly 10 years and it has made carrying many other things unnecessary.  If I could only have 1 tool, this will always be it.

USB flash Drive.

Iphone.


In car:

Blank DVDs/CDs
Crimpers
Cat6 or 53 Cable
Screwdriver
Misc zip ties, cables and connectors
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 12:23:02
Bible, Jack Daniels, and a Colt 45.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Phaedrus2129 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 12:26:01
#1 and #2 phillips head screwdrivers
Small and large flathead screwdrivers
Needlenose pliers
Compressed air can
91% isopropanol
Q-tips
CDs for GParted Live, Memtest86+, Ubuntu 10.04
Flash drive with CoreTemp, RealTemp, Prime95, GPU-Z, CPU-Z, etc.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 12:51:52
Quote from: kishy
... DOS boot floppy just for kicks
The legendary 3½" MSDOS 6.22 disk ... I stopped lugging that sucker around somewhen around the 10th anniversary of never using it.
 
Quote from: kishy
Although I've had to use ripster's trick a few times with specific people.
Ripster's solution is elegant and magnificent.  I've already added it to my toolkit.  Although a Colt .45 seems like a useful tool too.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 13:51:11
Quote from: ripster
At OCN you lose 100 rep points for admitting you've called "The Geek Squad".
Yeah, in real life you lose 100 dollar points. So some twit gamer can rape your machine.
 
See How He Uses A Spanner!
 
I'd give you Rep, Rip.  But I don't have any so - as Welly would say - pooh-pooh to you.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 14:22:49
Konrad's Computer Chemicals ...
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: chimera15 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 14:29:14
One great tip I learned from watching custom pc builders and case modifiers on youtube is to get a bunch of zip ties and zip tie double stick mounts.  It really helps to leave a clean wirefree case for both heat and a professional look.  It's really a great mark of professionalism to leave a good looking orderly interior on desktop units.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: chimera15 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 14:38:27
Quote from: vils;218861
and compressed air on can.


At the pc repair place I worked at we had a compressor just for blowing out dust ridden units.  Some of the insides of the computers I worked on there looked more like the lint filter in a dryer than computers.  The smokers machines were the worst, and the smell was horrific.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 14:45:59
I found smoking doesn't contribute much to lint and debris.  But it does leave that awful, stinky, sticky, toxic yellow residue on everything.  After enough smoking for a long enough time it stains plastics, coats electronics (makes a wonderful thermal insulator to keep them toasty warm), actually contaminates exposed semiconductors (changing their values), and seizes moving parts.
 
What I found particularly offensive for causing debris is pets.  We'd actually use a shopvac fitted with soft brushes and the blown air from the airtool compressor (probably an ESD risk, I guess).
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: williamjoseph on Wed, 01 September 2010, 15:37:35
why its better to know nothing about computers...... see link.



http://theoatmeal.com/comics/computers
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: chimera15 on Wed, 01 September 2010, 15:40:16
Quote from: Konrad;218915
I found smoking doesn't contribute much to lint and debris.  But it does leave that awful, stinky, sticky, toxic yellow residue on everything.  After enough smoking for a long enough time it stains plastics, coats electronics (makes a wonderful thermal insulator to keep them toasty warm), actually contaminates exposed semiconductors (changing their values), and seizes moving parts.
 
What I found particularly offensive for causing debris is pets.  We'd actually use a shopvac fitted with soft brushes and the blown air from the airtool compressor (probably an ESD risk, I guess).


yup
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Wed, 01 September 2010, 18:32:19
Quote from: ripster;218827
My biggest tool is lying.  If they ask if know anything about PCs I tell them "no".

That. And a swappable philips/straight (large) screwdriver. Anything that can't be fixed with that is worth paying me for.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Wed, 01 September 2010, 19:20:26
My computer repair tool kit: Half a basement full of computer stuff. Got just about everything down there.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Wed, 01 September 2010, 22:34:06
What do you use the other half of the basement for, mw?
 
Quote from: didjamatic
Leatherman Squirt S4. There is very little that cannot be fixed with it.
I've often wondered exactly what half of my Leatherman gizmos are called or are designed to do.  The Really Useful Pointy Thing is, uh, really useful ... and pointy.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ricercar on Thu, 02 September 2010, 02:02:38
thumbscrews and zip ties.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: firestorm on Thu, 02 September 2010, 08:07:15
Repairing PCs was my career for a while, but now it is a very small part of it.

The most commonly used tools used here at work:
- #2 Phillips
- Canned Air
- ESD free Vacuum
- Files and Settings Transfer Wizard
- Ghost or Windows disc
- Wire cutters and zip ties
- Tube of precision oil for fans
- Malicious software recovery (e.g. Malwarebytes, Combofix, or whatever is the latest and greatest.)
- Hiren's Boot Disk (aka. HBoot) on USB for diag and utils
- Windows PE on USB for diag and utils

I personally have a toolkit that has 11 Craftsman Pro precision screwdrivers of various types and sizes.  I serviced Compaq desktops and notebooks for a while, so those include torx drivers (#8, #9, #10, #15).

FWIW, I've had compressed air from an air compressor kill the PSU in the same machine twice (years apart.)  This is in another building of ours where we don't always have canned air available, and this compressed air is routinely and exclusively used to blow out electronics.  Although the system already exhibited signs of being unstable on both occasions, it appears that the compressed air was damaging enough that I would be leery of using it again.  I had hoped the first PSU was simply on its way out anyway, but I was extremely careful the second time and it still failed.  If I did it again, I'd be sure to ground the case, if nothing else by at least leaving it plugged into power.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: instantkamera on Thu, 02 September 2010, 09:12:02
Nothing, because I try really hard not to repair PCs. I spent the better part of my youth building and repairing PCs, and now I wont waste my time.

I understand how hard it is to do this job RIGHT, and serious kudos to the guys who still stick with it, but like a lot of things, the market is flooded with Joe Blow PC repair guys. When your competition consists of large retail chains with incompetent employees, it's time to find a new line of work.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 03 September 2010, 02:23:51
Quote from: firestorm;219128

FWIW, I've had compressed air from an air compressor kill the PSU in the same machine twice (years apart.)  This is in another building of ours where we don't always have canned air available, and this compressed air is routinely and exclusively used to blow out electronics.  Although the system already exhibited signs of being unstable on both occasions, it appears that the compressed air was damaging enough that I would be leery of using it again.  I had hoped the first PSU was simply on its way out anyway, but I was extremely careful the second time and it still failed.  If I did it again, I'd be sure to ground the case, if nothing else by at least leaving it plugged into power.


I use compressed air in all of my computers -- and even in the PSUs. I never had any issues once.
That was just a crappy computer then, let me guess; Dell, HP, e-Machines, acer, gateway? It has to be one of those.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Fri, 03 September 2010, 03:13:51
(you forgot to mention Compaq)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 03 September 2010, 03:29:59
Quote from: Konrad;219450
(you forgot to mention Compaq)


Compaq is HP now though.

Quote from: ripster;219453
I think it must have been an IBM.  God those things were overpriced and crappy.  No wonder they left the biz.


I find IBMs to be really reliable. None of mine have broke and are still working years later. Nice American computers... like American-built Fords, instead of those cheap "Honda" vehicles that some people buy.

The only computer that failed on me was my lenovo T60p due to the GPU overheating and killing the system board; to be honest I thought it was tougher than that. Not many computers had pure copper heatsinks (bad sign right there, usually manufacturers just make cheap aluminum things: but in this case they HAD to resort to copper)... even the T61s had a lighter aluminum/copper mix (yellow in colour) as they could get away with something cheaper due to the absence of the FIRE GL.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Fri, 03 September 2010, 03:58:31
I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I still have a few IBM mobos. Just the mobos, combined with real parts, not the rest of the IBM ****. Only because these beasts use TPM hardware and Phoenix BIOS versions that offer bulletproof paranoid overkill security, passwords, and authorization. What for? Not because I'm particularly paranoid, though it's nice to have the option. But they're incredibly useful for stripping access passwords off other pieces of hardware from other machines; they can meet or exceed any security level present in any BIOS. They use entire tiers of security that most consumer PCs don't bother to incorporate, following cryptic official security paradigms and standards (which IBM itself has largely created). For example, it's amazing how a single mobo jumper can wipe hardware passwords off many HDDs, or how the BIOS can change DVD RPC as a "vendor" even after the "user" has made the maximum 5 changes, or how many pieces of problematic hardware respond to otherwise inaccessible "firmware reset" commands. I don't know with certainty, but they say that even the onboard firmware itself is also encrypted to prevent unauthorized forensic extraction of passwords. Can't beat that.
 
All these excessive security controls, user level this, administrator level that ... I've been able to get as many as 11 passwords (some prompted, some invisible) between power-on and Windows logon, heehee ... it seems to me this is an extension of IBM's obsolete unworkable "one big brain supercomputer attached to lots of dumb terminals" mentality in the real distributed computing world where people (well, at least some people) are not the retarded blundering incompetents that IBM execs believe. Their corporate model is all about controls, glacial bureaucracy, hierarchies, established procedures, following the rules. Maybe this concept worked in the 1960's but in the modern world things have changed while IBM hasn't kept up. They were a technological world leader yesterday but today they're just an overbloated patent troll which sells vague things like "consulting" and "infrastructure". The only hardware they have left to sell is all made by their competitors.
 
The real problem with these IBM mobos is that the manuals (the real manuals that contain actually useful technical data instead of stupid setup posters, instructions about how to install a stick of RAM, and childish warnings) are bloody impossible to find. Tech support is unhelpful and occassionally hostile (after all, only an IBM certified tech could possibly do the ridiculous things I expect are possible; it's both astonishing and inconceivable that I'd want to use an IBM mobo in a homemade non-IBM computer, and if the all-knowing IBM documentation doesn't properly explain things then it certainly cannot be done). Mobos are made by Intel but to IBM specs, same features as generic Intel boards using the same chipset, but all the connector headers are screwy custom arrangements. Normally compatible RAM and processors don't always work because IBM hasn't seen fit to include parameters for the parts in the authorized hardware database within the BIOS. Overclocking is utterly impossible, plain and simple. There are still minor issues: for example, I haven't got a clue how to attach front panel USB ports and digital audio into the unmarked undocumented unstandard 2x10-pin headers.
 
Other than that ... IBM PCs suck. They're vastly overpriced. Some parts (like the mobo) are IBM badged, built to IBM OEM spec. Other parts are IBM rebadged; sometimes they just obscure the markings with their own IBM part number sticker, sometimes they construct tamperproof subassemblies which do the same, sometimes they actually attempt to remove the ODM markings. IBM part numbers, PNUs, FRUs, ORUs ... big bureaucratic beehive busyness that doesn't accomplish **** except protect their jobs earning money as a parasitic middleman. Whenever the hardware isn't sufficiently dependent on the IBM mothership, they make sure that the software, OS, and the drivers all are - they probably pay a small army of people to rewrite the rewrites of all the IBM notations they use to obscure the real parts. It's near impossible to obtain drivers and firmware through IBM (unless you subscribe to their business model and get what they want to give to their tiers of techs to trickle down to you, all at great cost) ... at least until you identify all the re-badged parts and go right to the proper OEM sites. I'd never recommend IBM systems for anybody, anywhere, in any business. Except maybe the NSA, CIA, or some other kind of spies and secret police.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: keyboardlover on Fri, 03 September 2010, 10:39:58
Quote from: ripster;219536
Honda.  I only pick the best.
Show Image
(http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/02/howmanufacturerscompareand****.jpg)


Like my keyboards. The difference is I don't get all anal about it and stick to only one manufacturer.  That's kinda weird.

Funny that it shows Toyota's reliability as so high...
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Fri, 03 September 2010, 10:43:21
So how many Yugos or Gremlins do you type on, rip?
 
Funny, it shows Volkswagon is better than Mercedes.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 03 September 2010, 11:20:56
Quote from: keyboardlover;219553
Funny that it shows Toyota's reliability as so high...


Research from the National Highway Whatever-it's-called found that "problems" like the "sticky accelerator" were user errors.  You sure don't hear about that like you did with the up-roar when "it" was happening.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: firestorm on Fri, 03 September 2010, 11:36:58
Quote from: EverythingIBM;219436
I use compressed air in all of my computers -- and even in the PSUs. I never had any issues once.
That was just a crappy computer then, let me guess; Dell, HP, e-Machines, acer, gateway? It has to be one of those.


It was actually an HP Workstation and I wouldn't classify it as "crappy".  Business class Dell, HP or Compaq have always been decent.  I'll agree that Gateway and e-Machines are junk, and Acer to a slightly lesser extent.  This appeared to be a well built machine; the PSU had a nice hefty weight.  I would attribute its double demise to the harsh environment, being in a room just off our bus maintenance facility.  Since we're understaffed, it never got cleaned out, and it was actually a farebox tech that cleaned it the first time.  After a few years, the PSU would get clogged full of diesel soot, dirt, etc...

I should clarify... the compressed air used was shop air with fairly high pressure, with no regulator.  They use it to clean out fareboxes and other similar electronics, but not computers.  I don't know if they have an in-line dryer or not, 'though I doubt moisture in the air was an issue.  As to not contaminate this room any more than necessary, I took it out in the hallway, thus the machine was not grounded.  I suspect the air flow was either too forceful or possibly generated static electricity, especially with the fuzz and dust in the machine.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Fri, 03 September 2010, 19:20:45
Quote from: firestorm;219573
Business class Dell, HP or Compaq have always been decent.  I'll agree that Gateway and e-Machines are junk, and Acer to a slightly lesser extent.


Many business-class Dell's were junky. Faulty motherboards, burning laptops (Those Inspirons were geared probably more towards the home market). Hewlett-Packard's are good though.

You're right in saying that Gateway is junk. But remember, the Gateway computer of today is just some plastic box from China. NOT the Gateway2000 of yesteryear. My Gateway2000's 14 years old with all stock parts and still works great. Now, if you'd taken a Dell Optiplex GX270, it'd only last a year or two before the motherboard failed.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 03 September 2010, 21:33:21
Quote from: ripster;219536
Honda.  I only pick the best.
Show Image
(http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/consumerist/2009/02/howmanufacturerscompareand****.jpg)


Like my keyboards. The difference is I don't get all anal about it and stick to only one manufacturer.  That's kinda weird.

It looks like Porsche is the best ;)

Oh and I don't believe Honda is better than BMW. That is pure BS.

My step mom's honda was made so poorly that the cheap electronics started making the vehicle beep in the middle of the night. Honda didn't know what to do about it and basically said "tough luck sucker".

Quote from: Konrad;219459
I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I still have a few IBM mobos. Just the mobos, combined with real parts, not the rest of the IBM ****. Only because these beasts use TPM hardware and Phoenix BIOS versions that offer bulletproof paranoid overkill security, passwords, and authorization. What for? Not because I'm particularly paranoid, though it's nice to have the option. But they're incredibly useful for stripping access passwords off other pieces of hardware from other machines; they can meet or exceed any security level present in any BIOS. They use entire tiers of security that most consumer PCs don't bother to incorporate, following cryptic official security paradigms and standards (which IBM itself has largely created). For example, it's amazing how a single mobo jumper can wipe hardware passwords off many HDDs, or how the BIOS can change DVD RPC as a "vendor" even after the "user" has made the maximum 5 changes, or how many pieces of problematic hardware respond to otherwise inaccessible "firmware reset" commands. I don't know with certainty, but they say that even the onboard firmware itself is also encrypted to prevent unauthorized forensic extraction of passwords. Can't beat that.
 
All these excessive security controls, user level this, administrator level that ... I've been able to get as many as 11 passwords (some prompted, some invisible) between power-on and Windows logon, heehee ... it seems to me this is an extension of IBM's obsolete unworkable "one big brain supercomputer attached to lots of dumb terminals" mentality in the real distributed computing world where people (well, at least some people) are not the retarded blundering incompetents that IBM execs believe. Their corporate model is all about controls, glacial bureaucracy, hierarchies, established procedures, following the rules. Maybe this concept worked in the 1960's but in the modern world things have changed while IBM hasn't kept up. They were a technological world leader yesterday but today they're just an overbloated patent troll which sells vague things like "consulting" and "infrastructure". The only hardware they have left to sell is all made by their competitors.
 
The real problem with these IBM mobos is that the manuals (the real manuals that contain actually useful technical data instead of stupid setup posters, instructions about how to install a stick of RAM, and childish warnings) are bloody impossible to find. Tech support is unhelpful and occassionally hostile (after all, only an IBM certified tech could possibly do the ridiculous things I expect are possible; it's both astonishing and inconceivable that I'd want to use an IBM mobo in a homemade non-IBM computer, and if the all-knowing IBM documentation doesn't properly explain things then it certainly cannot be done). Mobos are made by Intel but to IBM specs, same features as generic Intel boards using the same chipset, but all the connector headers are screwy custom arrangements. Normally compatible RAM and processors don't always work because IBM hasn't seen fit to include parameters for the parts in the authorized hardware database within the BIOS. Overclocking is utterly impossible, plain and simple. There are still minor issues: for example, I haven't got a clue how to attach front panel USB ports and digital audio into the unmarked undocumented unstandard 2x10-pin headers.
 
Other than that ... IBM PCs suck. They're vastly overpriced. Some parts (like the mobo) are IBM badged, built to IBM OEM spec. Other parts are IBM rebadged; sometimes they just obscure the markings with their own IBM part number sticker, sometimes they construct tamperproof subassemblies which do the same, sometimes they actually attempt to remove the ODM markings. IBM part numbers, PNUs, FRUs, ORUs ... big bureaucratic beehive busyness that doesn't accomplish **** except protect their jobs earning money as a parasitic middleman. Whenever the hardware isn't sufficiently dependent on the IBM mothership, they make sure that the software, OS, and the drivers all are - they probably pay a small army of people to rewrite the rewrites of all the IBM notations they use to obscure the real parts. It's near impossible to obtain drivers and firmware through IBM (unless you subscribe to their business model and get what they want to give to their tiers of techs to trickle down to you, all at great cost) ... at least until you identify all the re-badged parts and go right to the proper OEM sites. I'd never recommend IBM systems for anybody, anywhere, in any business. Except maybe the NSA, CIA, or some other kind of spies and secret police.

I've had no issues with getting drivers. IBM still has BIOS updates for 1996 PC 300 computers. A lot of the drivers are automatically installed by windows so you don't even need to install the drivers at most times (although I do for better performance).

Overpriced? Wait until you can snag one used. Don't like used stuff? The only two desktops I ever bought brand new were the only two that failed on me... (HP & custom built). There's nothing wrong with used computers once you know how to clean & upgrade them up.

I'm not into overclocking computers. If you're that desperate, just get a faster processor. I don't like the idea of reducing lifespan of electronic components.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 21:57:21
Quote from: EverythingIBM;219720
It looks like Porsche is the best ;)

lol

Quote


My step mom's honda was made so poorly that the cheap electronics started making the vehicle beep in the middle of the night. Honda didn't know what to do about it and basically said "tough luck sucker".


i had a honda for 18 years and the damn thing would not die. I finally killed it tho and its ghost haunts me now because i killed it before its time (no not an accident, i'm a great driver ;) just neglect)

that said, i wont ever buy a honda again.  you know why? it was like driving a four-wheel scooter. Its engine was basically a motorcycle engine. Have to rev up to 6k to get any pulling power out of it.  Actually that honda has forever biased me towards high-torque engines, i'm even considering a diesel because i want torque so badly after that honda experience.

and that said, it was a blast to drive. But i'll still choose torque over everything else in my next car.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:01:20
In fact here she is on the way to the morgue.

(http://www.gesticulations.com/public/gallery/Images/fun/towtruck1.jpg)

she was pretty and fun and tiny. I do miss her sometimes. But for my next one I want a big fat german one with wide birthing hips.  ;)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:09:13
I might just be getting old, but i kind of like the way the upcoming chevy cruze looks.  
supposedly they're considering a diesel version, hoping to compete with the ford focus and golf.

(http://photos.autoexpress.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_784/car_photo_392077_7.jpg)

(http://www.autoweek.com/storyimage/CW/20100903/PARIS/100909961/chevy-cruse-hatch.jpg?ref=AR&maxw=340)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:11:24
Quote from: kishy;219730
Argh, my friend's first car was that generation of Civic. As base model as could be, with a manual transmission and bad clutch.

yup, this was my first car out of college :) Didnt have the heart to trade it in.

Quote

Despite the bad clutch, he managed to drive it without much of a problem. Seriously sucky engine though.


:) Tell me about it.  Tho I did get quite adept with the four-speed (yea -- four! The last four speed sold in america) in wringing everything possible out of it.  With no passengers, luggage, or hills, it could be peppy around town. :)  

The real trick is to redline it in second and shift directly into fourth.  That third gear was one seriously tall gear.

Funny thing is, I sold its carcass to some ricer dude who was going to turn it into a street racer, lol.  So it probably met a fiery death on some lonesome adirondack mountain road.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:14:13
Quote from: kishy;219730
Argh, my friend's first car was that generation of Civic. As base model as could be, with a manual transmission and bad clutch.

Despite the bad clutch, he managed to drive it without much of a problem. Seriously sucky engine though.


That almost sounds like the Ford Pintos! They had clutch issues too if I'm not mistaken.
(http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/1971-1980-ford-pinto-1979.jpg)

Low-end vehicles, but they sure look nice. Better than these ugly boxes of plastic:
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:GLI9Zc_fDT7mNM:http://img2.netcarshow.com/Honda-Element_DX_2003_800x600_wallpaper_01.jpg&t=1)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:14:24
My first car was a 1970-something Volvo ****ing ugly yellow piece of ****, much like this one
 
(http://www.philseed.com/images/volvo-66-1975.jpg)
 
I bought it for about all of $200, partied for a few years, sold it for $200. Bloody thing was indestructible but as gutless as a golf cart. I remember buying gas all the time, don't recall changing the oil even once.
 
My new Civic was a massive upgrade, although it cost more in maintenance. ;)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:19:31
Quote from: Konrad;219737
My first car was a 1970-something Volvo ****ing ugly yellow piece of ****, much like this one
 
Show Image
(http://www.philseed.com/images/volvo-66-1975.jpg)

 
I bought it for about all of $200, partied for a few years, sold it for $200. Bloody thing was indestructible but as gutless as a golf cart. I remember buying gas all the time, don't recall changing the oil even once.


dude, that car has serious personality.  I'd miss the modern day comforts but i'd be proud to drive that ;)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:23:02
Quote from: kishy;219735
I seriously dislike the current trend in pretty much all vehicles (elimination of a proper view out the rear window).

When one reverses, they should be looking out the back window and two rear quarters, not dividing their attention across the three mirrors.


ya there's a lot of current trends in cars that i despise. Along with back windows: bug-eye "stretch" headlights. Damn i hate those with a passion but everyone is jumping on board, even BMW with its tear-shaped headlights.

I couldnt believe BMW would abandon its classic circular headlights which were the face of bmw for like 30 years. I thought that was a huge mistake on their part.

Same with tail lights now, i've noticed. No one makes dignified tail lights any more. They're all warped and wrapped around the corners in weird angles, so angular.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: EverythingIBM on Fri, 03 September 2010, 22:25:33
Quote from: Konrad;219737
My first car was a 1970-something Volvo ****ing ugly yellow piece of ****, much like this one
 I bought it for about all of $200, partied for a few years, sold it for $200. Bloody thing was indestructible but as gutless as a golf cart. I remember buying gas all the time, don't recall changing the oil even once.
 
My new Civic was a massive upgrade, although it cost more in maintenance. ;)

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=12370&stc=1&d=1283570721)

EDIT: "66 GL" is that supposed to be PC 66 series or something? Well maybe that's where 300GL came from.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ricercar on Fri, 03 September 2010, 23:03:50
Your toolkits must be huge. Mine won't come close to holding an automobile. Well, maybe a fiesta.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 03 September 2010, 23:16:26
Quote from: ricercar;219755
Your toolkits must be huge. Mine won't come close to holding an automobile. Well, maybe a fiesta.


oh, i misunderstood! I thought the thread was "whats your pc toolkit in?"

:)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sat, 04 September 2010, 01:06:45
Quote from: wellington1869;219738
dude, that car has serious personality. I'd miss the modern day comforts but i'd be proud to drive that ;)
I was there man. You really don't know what you're talking about, trust me.
 
For instance, the speedometer was basically a red plastic indicator that slid sideways across a ruler, the reported value was only theoretically associated with actual speed. The odo had been rolled so many times that I don't think it was meaningful at all. Heat and air-conditioning were simulated by opening small flaps to direct airflow from the front of the vehicle to the passenger's face, although one could choose whether it was "fresh" or pulled from across the radiator. The glove compartment was not compatible with uphill travel. Once the windows were rolled down you had to frantically fight gravity when attempting to roll them back up. The rearview mirror would not adhere to the windscreen, it would fall off every time you accelerated or hit a bump so I eventually just let it sit on the floor and became a bit of a blind ******* driver. (A valid strategy, since every other driver had a car worth real money so they'd back off.)
 
A previous owner had replaced the ignition system with one extracted from some John Deere machine; you only got one shot off the battery, but it never failed even in the worst Vancouver winter. The shocks, too, were upgraded by a previous owner, though less successfully: they were parts from a Ford Bronco and gave this puny yellow lemon more jolting bounces than a pokemon on a cocaine rush. I should probably mention that the gear-shifter handle, too, had been lost and replaced by a previous owner - there's nothing quite like the experience of driving a 5-speed "stick" made from a pair of vice-grips. Did I mention that the steering wheel would sometimes randomly slip off the column when turned a full 360? Duct tape was a partially successful solution.
 
The main reason I sold this beast (other than the fact that it was obviously such a superior wagon for attracting babes) was that it would cost more to upgrade the exhaust system to pass Air Care than the vehicle was worth.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: WhiteRice on Sat, 04 September 2010, 10:56:31
(http://zachwang.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mobile-Photo-Sep-4-2010-11-51-32-AM.jpg)

What's this? A power supply?

(http://zachwang.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mobile-Photo-Sep-4-2010-11-51-44-AM.jpg)

Perhaps not...

(http://zachwang.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Mobile-Photo-Sep-4-2010-11-51-54-AM.jpg)

Tools
TIM
TIM remover
Lapping kit
DVD lense cleaner
Cables
Spare hardware
Foot
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 04 September 2010, 10:58:57
What software is that beside the lense cleaner?
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: chimera15 on Sat, 04 September 2010, 11:15:20
Quote from: EverythingIBM;219436
I use compressed air in all of my computers -- and even in the PSUs. I never had any issues once.
That was just a crappy computer then, let me guess; Dell, HP, e-Machines, acer, gateway? It has to be one of those.

This is more than likely a result of there being water vapor in the compressor air.  It's important to use a water trap with a compressor if you use it for this kind of thing.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 04 September 2010, 11:25:50
Quote from: EverythingIBM;219736
these ugly boxes of plastic:
Show Image
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:GLI9Zc_fDT7mNM:http://img2.netcarshow.com/Honda-Element_DX_2003_800x600_wallpaper_01.jpg&t=1)


You haven't seen the worst!
(http://www.atozautolights.com/images/AutoPhotos/CHAV0206.jpg)

I don't like to drive vehicles that look like they were made out of recycled garbage bags.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 04 September 2010, 16:04:44
Quote from: chimera15;219852
This is more than likely a result of their being water vapor in the compressor air.  It's important to use a water trap with a compressor if you use it for this kind of thing.


AFAIK, there can be issues with the air generating static, or just simply blowing stuff away.

"It hasn't happened to me, so everyone else must be doing it wrong"... The last words of the guy who relies on coitus interruptus, amirite?
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: chimera15 on Sat, 04 September 2010, 17:00:13
Yeah but it's most likely the water thing.  I've used a compressor with no water trap on it that just blew out streams of water instead of air, almost like a water hose.  I put a water trap on that one, and it was too much for even the water trap to handle, and still had water in the line.  It can be especially bad depending on the dew point and humidity.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sat, 04 September 2010, 17:28:17
I've always been aware of the possibility of ESD from air blasts.  After all, some electronics compressed air cans proudly proclaim their ESD safety while others don't.  If there's a possibility a sealed product can cause ESD then a nasty blast of polluted garage/machine-shop air can too.  I've used compressor air quite a lot, cautiously, and suffered no ill effect that I know of (other than choking dustclouds in my face).
 
When you think about it, even electrically inert gasses (like, say, pure Neon or Argon) can interact with a rapid bombardment of electrons (thus, flourescent bulbs) ... so a rapid bombardment of anything (even Argon) can interact with electrons.
 
Er, anyhow ... I suspect the actual risk depends a great deal on contaminants.  (How many of us put automotive-airbrush quality particle filters on our "normal blast of shop air" attachment?  Conductive metal attachment, I'll point out.)
 
I suspect it depends a great deal on humidity.  Never in the sort of climate I get (rainy Pacific Northwest - said to be similar to Scotland and Ireland), except during cold snaps in midwinter.  Maybe it can be a significant problem in hotter/drier regions like midwestern USA, all seasons of the year.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 04 September 2010, 17:40:18
We have almost no humidity, except in the middle of summer. Definitely nothing like when I've been in the US in summer.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 04 September 2010, 17:45:32
I'd have quite an allergy problem if I lived where you live.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sat, 04 September 2010, 17:54:42
lol, fair enough, I can't endure the relentless blinding sun and stagnant oppressive heat of southern california. Although many people flock towards it, swearing it's the finest climate in the world ;)
 
@ch_123 - so do you get lots of ESD?  doorknob shocks, crackling carpet, clingy clothing, that sorta thing?
 
[Edit]
Maybe different humans have different farad values when used as capacitors?
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 04 September 2010, 19:18:21
Quote from: Konrad;219971
lol, fair enough, I can't endure the relentless blinding sun and stagnant oppressive heat of southern california. Although many people flock towards it, swearing it's the finest climate in the world ;)
 
@ch_123 - so do you get lots of ESD?  doorknob shocks, crackling carpet, clingy clothing, that sorta thing?
 
[Edit]
Maybe different humans have different farad values when used as capacitors?


I'd never live in California. I don't mind the heat, but I do mind the people.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sat, 04 September 2010, 19:23:44
You have an allergy problem with the people, mw?
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: mike on Sun, 05 September 2010, 11:19:31
Quote from: Konrad;219057
I've often wondered exactly what half of my Leatherman gizmos are called or are designed to do.  The Really Useful Pointy Thing is, uh, really useful ... and pointy.


I have it on good authority from a former army farrier that the Really Useful Pointy Thing is in fact, a tool for removing stones from horses hooves, or possibly (when my grandfather was feeling whimsical) for removing boy scouts from horses hooves.

Of course strictly speaking I'm speaking of the RUPT that the swiss army knife is equipped with, as the Leatherman (in this country) and my grandfather don't live in the same time period.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sun, 05 September 2010, 11:28:11
Hmmm, I'd been informed that it is for splicing ropes.
 
I wonder why archaic and obsolete things like an Horse Hoof Pick or Rope Splicing Fid would be included when things currently absent like a Bottle Opener, Phillips #1 Screwdriver, Molex Pin Extractor, Laser Pointer, Lockpick, or Brass Knuckles would probably be far more useful pocket tools for the average man in the modern age. Then again, it's still a Really Useful Pointy Thing. And a special tool for removing those offensively smarmy little boy scouts from horses (or really anyplace else you don't want them to be) can certainly be handy at times.  With proper skill, it could even be used to remove girl scouts, jehovah's witnesses, and other vermin who dare to sully your property.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sun, 05 September 2010, 12:03:42
Quote from: ripster
And if you think keyboard geeks are geeky....

I already know all about that. I'm a member of the MultiTool.org forums. :mod:
Quote from: Konrad;218822
... I never (well, hardly ever) am caught without my (modified) Leatherman multitool ...

(I like your u-vid, btw. Basic stuff, but a decent product review.)
 
And we don't mean the Awl. Everyone knows what an Awl looks like (though it's not like I ever use it to Awl stuff). We're talking about the Really Useful Pointy Thing.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: mike on Sun, 05 September 2010, 12:34:37
Quote from: Konrad;220125
Hmmm, I'd been informed that it is for splicing ropes.


Which probably shows it's really a Really Useful Pointy Thing - one man's rope splicer is another woman's hoof pick.

As for obsolete, as it happens one of my work colleagues regularly extracts stones from horses hooves. There's probably a significant number of people around here splicing ropes too.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Sun, 05 September 2010, 17:00:51
Quote from: Konrad;219971
lol, fair enough, I can't endure the relentless blinding sun and stagnant oppressive heat of southern california. Although many people flock towards it, swearing it's the finest climate in the world ;)
 
@ch_123 - so do you get lots of ESD?  doorknob shocks, crackling carpet, clingy clothing, that sorta thing?
 
[Edit]
Maybe different humans have different farad values when used as capacitors?


Not really. In fact, I generally forget to ground myself before picking up electronics.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 05 September 2010, 18:55:38
Quote from: ch_123;220183
Not really. In fact, I generally forget to ground myself before picking up electronics.


i used to diligently touch unpainted metal before grabbing memory sticks but i confess i've stopped doing it too. Havent yet had a problem (and I handle chips daily as part of my job).  Thats not to say ESD is a myth - i think its a valid precaution, its just isnt worth the trouble to ground myself for my particular present job, is all.

(p.s., my job has nothing to do with air compressors, but hey, I felt it worth my time to chime in anyway :)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 05 September 2010, 18:57:24
Quote from: Konrad;220136
I already know all about that. I'm a member of the MultiTool.org forums. :mod:


 if that site doesnt exist, it ought to.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Sun, 05 September 2010, 19:06:02
Quote from: Konrad;219999
You have an allergy problem with the people, mw?


I guess I'm allergic to hippies and dumb celebrities and crackpot liberals.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 05 September 2010, 19:07:20
Quote from: microsoft windows;220216
I guess I'm allergic to hippies and dumb celebrities and crackpot liberals.


i dont mind the pot-liberals. they're usually pretty harmless.

(http://www.theolivepress.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cheech-chong1.jpg)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: WhiteRice on Sun, 05 September 2010, 20:00:52
Quote from: ch_123;219846
What software is that beside the lense cleaner?
Memtest and bootn'nuke
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sun, 05 September 2010, 21:07:02
Quote from: wellington1869
if that site doesnt exist, it ought to.
Oh, it exists.  A very elitist bunch of snickety tool geeks.  You'd like 'em, they argue about politics a lot.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: wellington1869 on Sun, 05 September 2010, 22:54:42
Quote from: Konrad;220236
Oh, it exists.  A very elitist bunch of snickety tool geeks.  You'd like 'em, they argue about politics a lot.


i'm thinking of making the big jump to a 'real' dedicated politics-only forum.  I think i'm ready... (as ready as i'm going to be i guess).  

Got opinions - check
Able to mock others opinions mercilessly - check

GH "keyboard" discussions have been excellent practice ;)
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Sun, 05 September 2010, 23:21:50
I'm much more of a lurker than participant at multitools.org.
 
I really only joined because I wanted to mod my leatherman (to reconfigure it with only tool bits that are useful to me) and their forum has a lot of guys who constantly buy/sell/trade (or will custom make) any multitool part imaginable.  I even made a small profit, since my "useless" parts are apparently more valuable than the ones I wanted.  Having accomplished my goal I promptly abandoned the site.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: JBert on Mon, 06 September 2010, 15:57:56
Smart move.

Oh, and not to worry you, but you do know that this forum is not that much better? :bolt:
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: microsoft windows on Mon, 06 September 2010, 18:01:24
Quote from: wellington1869;220217
i dont mind the pot-liberals. they're usually pretty harmless.

Show Image
(http://www.theolivepress.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cheech-chong1.jpg)


Yeah, but they cause pollution. And they smell bad.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 06 September 2010, 18:05:00
Quote from: WhiteRice;220226
Memtest and bootn'nuke


Get a copy of SystemRescueCD, it incorporates both of those, some other stuff, and a nice live Linux environment. Works on computers with little RAM too.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 06 September 2010, 18:09:44
Quote from: ch_123;220536
Get a copy of SystemRescueCD, it incorporates both of those, some other stuff, and a nice live Linux environment. Works on computers with little RAM too.

And/or Hiren's Boot CD.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 06 September 2010, 18:27:52
Isn't that thing Windows based?

Linux gives you a lot more flexibility to play with your food, even if you're fixing Windows systems.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: TexasFlood on Mon, 06 September 2010, 18:33:12
Quote from: ch_123;220546
Isn't that thing Windows based?

Linux gives you a lot more flexibility to play with your food, even if you're fixing Windows systems.
DOS based but does include a "Mini Windows 98" and a "Mini Windows Xp" you can boot into if you'd like.  Hey, why not have SystemRescueCD and Hiren's Boot CD?  There are a number of cool live CDs out there, including a number of Rescue and repair live CDs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_live_CDs#Rescue_and_repair_live_CDs), why limit yourself to one? :wink:.  I've seen live CDs with client software used in Enterprises very effectively, so there is some very cool potential there.
Title: What's in your "PC repair" toolkit?
Post by: Konrad on Tue, 07 September 2010, 02:40:04
The mini.cab (in WinNT/9x at least) is actually a 16-bit Win3.x system ... you can use it to play solitaire while the rest of Windows is installing.