Openswitch » Search Results » about http://openswitch.org subversive living at its finest Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:26:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 11 tools I need to be an effective IT Tech http://openswitch.org/2011/12/08/11-tools-i-need-to-be-an-effective-it-tech/ http://openswitch.org/2011/12/08/11-tools-i-need-to-be-an-effective-it-tech/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:20:13 +0000 Ben http://openswitch.org/?p=44 I’ve been working with Ubuntu Linux for years (since 2006) and have been working with computers in general for even longer. However, for just a little over a year now I’ve been working with computers professionally. In this environment I’ve found that I have established a typical “toolbox” which I use over and over again. My goal with this article is to share my repertoire of commonly used tools as a general IT professional. In short, I’m going to tell you what I carry in my backpack when I go to any job.

  1. Laptop: I’m cranking along on a Dell Latitude D620 with an extensively tweaked load of Ubuntu 11.10. Why Linux on my laptop, you ask? Because I giggle at the way it ignores Windows file permissions. Because I enjoy being immune from the viruses and/or malware that may be on customer’s Windows computers. Because it’s easier for me to troubleshoot a network with Linux. But most of all because it makes me feel special.
  2. Flash drive: You know how if you leave the house without your wallet or your watch you feel naked? That’s how I feel when I don’t have my 4GB flash drive with me. I keep all manner of software tools on it including (but not limited to) malware removal tools, virus removal tools, uninstaller tools and Windows registry fixes.
  3. Swiss Army Knife: Could I do my job without this tool? No.
  4. Phillips Screwdriver: A magnetic tip is a must. A flat head screwdriver is almost completely unnecessary, and when I need one I use my pocket knife.
  5. Multimeter: This tool is absolutely indespensible, almost literally can’t go a day without pulling this out of my backpack.
  6. Seatools for DOS (bootable CD): Hard drive failures are extremely common. The easiest and fastest way I’ve found to test for a failed HDD is to boot to a CD with Seatools for DOS.
  7. Clonezilla (bootable CD): Where other disk cloning tools have failed, Clonezilla (I use the one based on Ubuntu) has succeeded. It’s free (as in beer as well as in freedom), it supports every file system in existence and it’s powerful.
  8. Small nylon prybar: Necessary for separating delicate computer plastics, especially in laptops.
  9. Set of small screwdrivers: For disassembling not only laptops, but the odd instance when a desktop has abnormally small screws somewhere (it happens).
  10. CMOS batteries: For when older computers have dead CMOS batteries. It happens frequently enough to carry a few with me.
  11. Small flashlight: When it’s dark, it’s hard to fix things.

You don’t have to be paid to have an opinion about computer repair tools. What tools do you need?

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