Chapter 4: Assembling Your PC Recovery Resource Kit

In the last chapter, you learned about prevention and the ways you can limit the risk of reaching the point where you might need to take action to correct a disaster. Now it’s time to think about the inevitable: those times when you need to do some type of recovery work because a problem got past your preventive measures or your hardware just failed.

Toward that end, this chapter will help you create a basic kit that includes hardware, software, and other elements you’ll need for serious troubleshooting and repair. We’re going to call it a PC Recovery Resource Kit. Thankfully, you won’t need this kit every time you work because so much can be done from the keyboard. But it pays to be prepared, especially in the event of a calamity.

Getting the Necessary Hardware Ready

If you’ve ever seen a huge, elaborate technician toolkit, usually packed in an aluminum attaché case with one or two hundred pieces, complete with a dozen types of screwdrivers and enough other devices to perform a major overhaul on the International Space Station, don’t worry; that’s not quite what you need. Most PC work can be done with a set of basic tools, many of which can be found in a decently equipped home or office.

Read on to learn what you need.

Assembling Your PC Repair Toolkit

Exactly what you need for your PC repair toolkit may vary because hardware—and the fasteners holding that hardware in place—can differ a lot from PC to PC. For example, some PCs use hex screws to hold their covers or drives in place. This isn’t always just poor design—some manufacturers like to use unusual screws and fasteners to discourage people from augmenting or fixing their PCs themselves.

Here’s what I consider to be the essential tools for most PC setups, with a couple of highly worthy accessories:

• Anti-static (grounding) strap

• Screwdrivers (Phillips, regular)

• Hemostat

• Mini-flashlight/pen light (optional)

• Two tiny empty containers, one for holding spare screws and small pieces, and one to be used as a temporary holder for screws and fasteners that you remove and must replace during a check or repair situation

I strongly suggest you collect the tools in this list and keep them in a separate case or drawer near your PC, ready for repairs. Some of the best PC repair kits are assembled one piece at a time. Expect to add to yours over a period of time.

Tip 

Ever been inside your PC case only to find the toughest task was removing the cover? More than one PC has accidentally ended up on the floor because it was so difficult to remove its cover. Look at the cover opening next time you shop for a PC. Some vendors will swap your PC purchase into a better case for a small fee. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can buy a different case design; some covers slide on and off or slide the entire guts of the PC out for you to work on.

Keep the Tools Separate

You might wonder if you really need to put together a PC toolkit quite like this. After all, you probably have multiple screwdrivers and other tools available in various places in your home and office.

I recommend keeping a separate toolkit for the PC because general-use tools tend to take far more abuse. Tools tend to get tossed into drawers when they’re damp, sticky, and even dirty. The same tool you used to take apart the lawnmower may not be the best choice for screwing a PC component into place.

In addition, not everyone who uses your screwdriver will be particularly careful with it, and it’s common for screwdriver heads to get damaged. Once a screwdriver head becomes damaged, it leaves marks on anything it touches. On the small PC-type screws, these marks can quickly strip the thread on the top of the screw until you can no longer get a firm hold on the screw. If you replace the screw, you’ll just damage the replacement while screwing it into place.

The Right Fit

This may seem like a pesky detail, but make sure you get the right-sized tools for both the job you’re doing and for the size of your hands. Over-sized tools present a real problem in the limited space within a computer chassis. If your hand slips while screwing in a new adapter, a smaller screwdriver is apt to do less damage than the same size one you use for putting the trailer hitch on your SUV.

But matching the handle to your own hand is a factor, too. The same tool that works well in my partner’s hand often feels too cumbersome in my much smaller hand.

Of course, working with a PC isn’t like doing an extensive home repair project. You’ll be working with a relatively limited number of screws, depending on what you need to do. All in all, the tools will be in your hand for a short time.

I always judge tools based on my worst-case scenario. This means that I make sure I have the right screwdriver to fit my hand for those times when I really have to work at loosening a recalcitrant screw.

Buying a Packaged Kit

Many online vendors and consumer stores sell pre-assembled PC repair kits (see Figure 4.1), often packed into a vinyl or leather case. For a basic 5–20 piece toolkit, you can expect to pay anywhere from $7–$40.

Figure 4.1: JDR Micro Devices is just one of many vendors selling packaged toolkits.

While some of these toolkits are quite decent, make sure you don’t buy one with incredibly cheap tools. Such tools are apt to damage easily, and some of the screwdrivers from such sets actually break while using them. Unfortunately, unless you can hold them in your hand, it may be tough to assess their heftiness.

Another issue with packaged toolkits is that if the package is sealed when you purchase it or if you buy it online, you have no way to gauge the actual fit of the tool in your hand.

Updating Your PC Repair Toolkit

If you’re working on your system and discover you’re missing something you need for your particular setup, try to pick up the right tool or accessory and add it to your toolkit.

Also, as you use up any extra screws or connectors you may store in your toolkit, don’t forget to replenish them. This applies for anything you may add to your toolkit that might need restocking. The last thing you want to do is add to your frustration by not having the right materials on hand when you’ve been hit by an emergency or disaster.

Keeping Extra Hardware on Hand

Those of you in at least your second generation of PCs usually have some extra hardware components lying around. It’s often in the form of a smaller hard drive that you replaced with a larger model even though the smaller drive still works well, or you have an extra stick of memory, an extra mouse, an used cable, or a spare keyboard.

Don’t give the old hardware away or hide it away where you won’t remember it later on. Selling it is a bad idea, too, because with hardware prices still so low, it’s tough to get a decent price for used components. Instead, consider keeping a small set of spare hardware parts or devices on hand. While you shouldn’t invest much money or much space in doing so, having a spare keyboard or drive on hand in an emergency can be a real lifesaver.

Tip 

Extra hardware can help during troubleshooting. For example, if your main hard drive suddenly isn’t recognized by BIOS, you may wonder, “Is the drive damaged, or could something have corrupted my BIOS?” If you have a spare working drive, you can install that instead. If BIOS recognizes the spare drive but not the original, then you know the problem lies with the original drive.

Take Advantage of Sales

When I can, I take advantage of sale pricing to put a few pieces of hardware aside just in case.

If you have PC vendor fairs or computer shows in your area, as many regions do, they can be an excellent place to shop. After all, you don’t need the best equipment sitting on the shelf as a backup part, just something that can pinch hit for you. You can always grab these parts to use as short-term solutions or to use them later in another computer.

For instance, I’ve done very well just having these working spare parts available:

• Hard drive

• USB CD recorder

• Keyboard

• Mouse

• Memory