Dogman_1234, The way I learned computer hardware was over years of reading the original 'Computer Shopper' and this certainly aided me in getting my first I.T. related job on a Help Desk. This was where I "cut my teeth" and polished my presentation, interview and diagnostic skills! It took three years and was well worth the time and effort, and I think the market I was based in was "smallish" at the time with few other HD jobs.
So, what do you need to succeed? "Presentation skills" - the ability to announce yourself and set expectations with the customer (either by phone, e-mail or in person) and the patience to do this again, and again, and AGAIN!
"Interview skills" - asking questions and determining the entire picture of what some has DONE or what they need to DO next is no easy feat. Again here, you need the patience of a saint, a glass of water (to fight dry mouth) and the ability to talk to people again and again. You will be asking the same questions hundreds and eventually thousands of times, so YOU cannot get tired of doing it. I like to think I was helping people of all ages from early teens to senior, senior citizens and that in some of these cases may have been aiding the next Albert Einstein in the start of his or her career! (Well, it is something you can hope to help someone else with if you happen NOT to be on that path yourself -- thereby giving back to society and investing in our collective future)
"Diagnostics skills" - being attentive to other peoples' needs, listening to every detail they can provide, creating a "picture" of what is going on with your mind and KNOWING how each part of a computer or Operating System is supposed to work. This is the ultimate key to getting the "root cause" of the issue to reveal itself in a timely manner and being able to competently advise the client on their next step. Hopefully there will not be too many cases where the computer spontaneously converted itself into scrap metal, but being able to explain this with kindness and confidence is a useful skill as well.
Be prepared to start out at a lower wage or in a lower position, demonstrate a willingness to learn and focus on the information in front of you, be kind to others (even when they do not deserve it) and be prepared for the manager who knows ABSOLUTELY less than you but who you will need to make "look good" in the interest of organizational harmony. Rocking the boat or becoming a "Whistleblower" on bad management is only worthwhile IF and WHEN you are willing to jump ship and seek employment elsewhere!
Pursue some certification, at the employer's expense if possible, but at a steady rate throughout your new career. This may mean skipping the next great system upgrade and spending $1,495.00 on a "A+ Bootcamp" but doing so will repay you again and again in terms of pay and "ease of entry" in landing position after position. Some people may believe that supplemental education and credentials are only "worth the paper they are printed upon", but these days the "Certs" you present will be the discriminating factor in the sorting of your resume!! HR people will be flipping through them and placing each in a pile for further "Action" based on things they can highlight in the body of your resume. No "keywords" and few "key phrases" will easily get you sorted into the 'Call Much Later' pile.
Good luck!
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