Before undertaking any operation on a computer system there are things that you have to consider and a few that you do have to address. Which computer repair tools do you need and how can you get them?   But they are useless.  They can only give you answers.  ~Pablo Picasso, about computers Computer Repair Tools by PC Apprentice 2009

Computer Repair Tools

The Right Tools To Fix Your Computer

You wouldn't try to dismantle a computer with a butter knife would you? Well, would you? Well don't worry; you don't need to have an extensive collection of computer repair tools to complete most jobs. In most cases a Philips screwdriver can be your best friend. Here is a list of the most popular tools that you may need depending on the task at hand: Philips screwdriver Plastic Tweezers Soft Paintbrush Can of Compressed Air ESD Wrist Strap Needle Nosed Pliers A container for small screws No magnets! I cannot stress this point enough. Magnetic screwdrivers can seem to make a lot of sense but for the sake of your computer don't give in to temptation. Dropped screws can be retrieved a number of ways. Plastic tweezers are on top of the list but you can use anything and you can tilt the computer towards you. This may not seem like a lot of computer repair tools but you are not going to be replacing individual components on system boards either. Sick Computer

Computer Repairs Under Warranty

How old is the computer? If you are the proud owner of a fairly recent rig then you might want to find out how long is left on your warranty. By opening up your computer you may be in violation of your warranty, making it null and void. If you are not too sure of what's going on inside your computer and you are still under warranty then you might want to call the number provided by the manufacturer to see about getting your problem taken care of by professionals. You paid for the warranty you might as well use it. The only drawback here is that you might have to take your computer to a locally situated repair location (these locations also may be a good place to purchase computer repair tools) and they may have to send it to the manufacturer and that can be time consuming.

Don't Blow Your Computer Repair

Certain precautions should also be observed when taking a computer apart. Electro-Static Discharge can kill a computer. Even a charge small enough that you cannot feel can spell disaster for a computer. A charge not strong enough to "blow" a system component can cause damage to a component that will degrade it over time and give you all kinds of errors. These kinds of breakdowns can be extremely hard to track down as they can falsely point to various other errors. This can lead you to chase down fixes by adding new components that are unnecessary and expensive. The good news about Electro-Static Discharge is that it can be avoided easily and cheaply. Sounds too good to be true? Well in this case, it's not. Most suppliers of computer repair tools will sell you an ESD wrist strap. You wear this strap on your wrist and connect the other end (usually an alligator clip) to the chassis of your computer case. Another method you can use as a bare minimum protection is to ground yourself by touching the computer chassis with your hand before reaching in with your other hand to touch the board that you are removing. * Try not to work on a table that is resting on carpet. Ideally you should work on an Anti-Static Mat but not many people ever have one lying around the house. * It's also good to avoid working on computers around the family pets. Animals rubbing up against your legs may be a sign of affection but can create static that can be transferred to the computer.

Computer Repair Shock Warning

You should never under any circumstances attempt to take a power supply apart. If the fan is covered in dust, then as part of your cleaning process you can remove the power cord and blow the dust off of the fan. Your computer repair tools can include the aforementioned compressed air can or depending on your needs and resources you can buy a special anti static vacuum. If the fan does not turn and the unit is overheating just replace the complete unit. Computer fans are cheaper but they are not made as replacements for power supply fans. A power supply contains capacitors that hold a charge even while a computer is turned off, this discharge can seriously injure the user. This also holds true for older style CRT monitors. They can hold a charge that can kill an unprotected repair technician. An ESD strap won't work here. If your CRT monitor has died, get professional help or use this as an opportunity to upgrade to a sleek new LCD screen. Go ahead, you're worth it! PC Technician