The IT toolkit thread - The essentials for IT work

[REGENDarySumanai]

The biggest part of computer and IT work is the physical tools you have. What is your toolkit and what tools do you recommend? Currently, I have a screwdriver and the bits required, along with a key remover and other tools I have in storage.

 

[Jack O'Neill]

A hammer.

 

[Coolio55]

My toolkit is SORELY lacking ATM.
I had to make do with the back of a crappy kitchen knife to twist a bunch of non standard screws when I replaced my HDD today.

 

[Lord of the Large Pants]

My personal toolkit has been assembled from years of collecting and some very expensive screwdrivers. If you do this for a living, Wiha's shit is worth it. But if you're just getting started, honestly, the iFixit kit isn't bad. The only thing it lacks in terms of the basics is pliers and cutters.

 

[Some JERK]

Screwdrivers, multitool, external USB CDROM, multimeter, spare power supply, known good RAM, CR2025 battery, compressed air, chip puller, Multiboot USB with diagnostic tools and foresnic OSes, USB printer cable, USB SATA hard drive enclosure, laptop, and a paperclip.

 

[Hecate]

I have a disk I got from one of my old teachers called techie tools. it's got all the diagnostic software stolen from best buy in 2010, 4 different data backup and recovery tools, and a bunch of other shit. best thing I ever got, and I can share it if people want it

I wish I still had all my screwdrivers. lost them in a move a while back and still haven't replaced them

 

[Fish-Eyed Fool]

If you have a smart phone, spend about 20 bucks and buy yourself another digitizer, screen, and all the nice little tools that let you open it up and replace parts. You'd be amazed how much money you'll save on repairs from a store or (god forbid) the manufacturer and how much more life you'll get out of that device.

Unless you've got one of those newer phones where everything on the inside, including the battery, is fucking glued together; in which case, just save yourself the trouble and put a bullet in your brain.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

I have cavemanned together several computers squatting on the living room floor with a bread knife so I recommend a bread knife.

 

[AmpleApricots]

Jeez, this thread. Just get one of these bit sets with screwdriver handle and an extension that lets you screw at an angle. They cost like nothing from China. For light stuff like computers, it's usually all you need and you can get rid of all the stupid screwdrivers you probably have flying around somewhere.

 

[A Logging Company]

1a.) Screwdriver with changeable heads
1b.) Mutli-Screwdriver set of more common screw types used in Computers (since constantly changing screwdriver heads can be a pain and easily lost in the shuffle)
2.) Containers with re writable labels to hold screws and other bits,
3.) Tweezers
4.) Spudger
5.) Plastic and metal Prying Tools meant for electronics (or guitar picks if all else fails)
6.) Anti-Static wristband
7.) Thermal paste
8.) SATA to USB card/or cable
9.) Bootable UBS and DVDs with diagnostic tools
10.) Various I/O stuff (external keyboard, ethernet cable, mouse, video cables, ect)
11.) Power Cables/Adapters
12.) Canned "I understand your frustration" lines

 

[NOMYBITCASH]

Are we are being serious? Then Low/Medium levels of autism helps.

 

[Wingus Dongshire]

1.) Precision screwdriver kit
2.) Fox and hound
3.) Crimper
4.) Punchdown
5.) USB boot drive, i use GRML but literally any live distro would work fine
6.) A laptop with an actual factual RJ45 port on it (rare af these days)
7.) An Android phone for wifi analysis or similar tool (iOS doesn't allow for that, last I checked)
8.) Cable tester (certifier if you've got big dick money)
9.) A small 4-8 port switch with spare cables, preferably managed with a dedicated "admin port" that has full traffic mirroring on it so you can view network issues
10.) Whatever imaging technology you use (I use FOG for PXE imaging)
11.) Multimeter

 

[Pissmaster]

You can get any kind of screwdriver you'll ever need for cheap on eBay. eBay's your friend for just about any kind of repair.

USB drives are so cheap these days, it's worthwhile to just make a keychain of several of them, loaded with software for whatever you do.

If you have a smart phone, spend about 20 bucks and buy yourself another digitizer, screen, and all the nice little tools that let you open it up and replace parts. You'd be amazed how much money you'll save on repairs from a store or (god forbid) the manufacturer and how much more life you'll get out of that device.

Unless you've got one of those newer phones where everything on the inside, including the battery, is fucking glued together; in which case, just save yourself the trouble and put a bullet in your brain.

Nexus 5s are cheap, repairable, and badass. Hope you know how to microsolder, there are always plenty on eBay with bad power buttons and you'll have to replace yours someday.

 

[Rungle]

Hirens boot is a nice tool you can boot up via your bios to test ram, disk, processor, etc.
Pretty sweet if your OS keeps crashing on you and safe mode is failing.

 

[CompileGentoo]

Whatever I have on hand is what I use, no point in being a fancy IT expert if you can't adapt!