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I need advice on setting up an stock for computer repair.

Tags:
  • PC repair shop
  • computer technical service
  • computer repair shop
  • Computers
Last response: in Business Computing
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August 21, 2014 11:28:22 AM

Hi: I'm starting as a repair technician and I'm practising in a pc repair shop here in Madrid (Spain).

What I miss the most is having spare parts to help me determine the fault and solution.

I'm thinking of setting up a repair shop some time in the future, but now I want to start offering my services as repair technician to computer shops and companies or working at home; so I'm thinking of spending a sum of money on building a good stock on spare parts.

I'd buy these parts little by little, testing each, getting the cheapest, perhaps buing most of them second hand.

My idea would be to spend something like 4000 to 6000 dollars in components like:
- CPUs of all the typical types (desktop and laptop).
- Motherboards in typical sockets
- RAM sticks
- A couple PSUs
- A couple keyboards, mice.
- Screws for laptops (where could I get a good set of this?)
...etc.

I would carry this stuff around or keep it at home. Perhaps, if set up a repair shop I could stock it with these.

What do you think?
Which other components would you advice stocking?

More about : advice setting stock computer repair

August 21, 2014 1:52:25 PM

Don't spend too much, because parts become obsolete way too fast:

I would recommend:

1) a good toolkit, perhaps adding a phone repair kit as well
2) 2 x SSD (120 & 256GB)
3) 1 x 3.5" HDD (1TB) & 1 x 2.5" HDD (320GB)- start off with one of each; eventually, you would have lots of them from upgrades, etc.
4) one power supply (500W) with an on/off switch - you want one that can turn on without a load
5) a external hard drive dock, with eSATA/USB 3.0 - great for backing up & imaging
6) CPUs usually don't go bad, and new ones usually need a new m/b - so don't worry about them, just buy them as needed
7) RAM - 2 x 4G DDR3-1600 - eventually you will get lots of these from upgrades, and you can just buy others as needed
8) 2 x optical mice
9) 2 x USB keyboard
10) 1 x USB headset and 1 x standard headset with mic/audio plugs

Have a few pictures of cases you might want to sell; that way you don't have to stock them. All of the above should cost you < $1000 USD.
August 22, 2014 12:04:32 AM

2Be_or_Not2Be said:
Don't spend too much, because parts become obsolete way too fast:

I would recommend:

1) a good toolkit, perhaps adding a phone repair kit as well
2) 2 x SSD (120 & 256GB)
3) 1 x 3.5" HDD (1TB) & 1 x 2.5" HDD (320GB)- start off with one of each; eventually, you would have lots of them from upgrades, etc.
4) one power supply (500W) with an on/off switch - you want one that can turn on without a load
5) a external hard drive dock, with eSATA/USB 3.0 - great for backing up & imaging
6) CPUs usually don't go bad, and new ones usually need a new m/b - so don't worry about them, just buy them as needed
7) RAM - 2 x 4G DDR3-1600 - eventually you will get lots of these from upgrades, and you can just buy others as needed
8) 2 x optical mice
9) 2 x USB keyboard
10) 1 x USB headset and 1 x standard headset with mic/audio plugs

Have a few pictures of cases you might want to sell; that way you don't have to stock them. All of the above should cost you < $1000 USD.


Thanks for your answer:
What would I need the SSDs for?.
I thought having a cpu of each type would be good: I'm having a motherboard for repair now that I suspect the cpu is bad and testing it with one of my stock cpus would be helpful.

Cheers

Related resources
August 22, 2014 6:55:03 AM

A power supply tester -- Thermaltake Dr. Power II or similar. A motherboard diagnostic card which will display POST codes. IR thermometer.
An AGP video card (you never know when MeMaw brings in something). 80mm, 90mm, 120mm, 140mm fans. Bootable media (linux and windows) -- CD, DVD, and USB. Memtest -- bootable on CD, DVD, USB. CMOS batteries. Monitor(s) with VGA, DVI, Displayport, HDMI inputs. Dual band WIFI access point. DDR2 and DDR3 RAM -- full size and SODIMMs.
August 22, 2014 10:55:27 AM

rodion15 said:

Thanks for your answer:
What would I need the SSDs for?.
I thought having a cpu of each type would be good: I'm having a motherboard for repair now that I suspect the cpu is bad and testing it with one of my stock cpus would be helpful.

Cheers



SSDs are for upgrades. That way you can offer your clients two choices when it comes to replacing a dead/dying hard drive. Choice # 1: SSDs are faster & will offer them something that can make almost everything go faster; however, they are usually smaller in capacity than a regular HDD and they cost more. Choice #2: a regular SATA HDD as a replacement, especially for the "price-conscious".

CPUs - In decades of computer repair, I've only seen a few where the CPU itself was bad. That was always because the chip itself was dead. The most common issue of anything I thought was "system-related" was the motherboard. You may want to stock a H97 and/or Z97 board for repair/replace, but don't invest too much money in these. Get one as a testbed, and maybe install it into those open-air cases (forgot the names).
August 24, 2014 2:33:41 PM

kanewolf said:
A power supply tester -- Thermaltake Dr. Power II or similar. A motherboard diagnostic card which will display POST codes. IR thermometer.
An AGP video card (you never know when MeMaw brings in something). 80mm, 90mm, 120mm, 140mm fans. Bootable media (linux and windows) -- CD, DVD, and USB. Memtest -- bootable on CD, DVD, USB. CMOS batteries. Monitor(s) with VGA, DVI, Displayport, HDMI inputs. Dual band WIFI access point. DDR2 and DDR3 RAM -- full size and SODIMMs.


Thanks. I wonder if POST cards are really used by techs. What can it offer that a simple repacing of parts by known good ones cannot?
August 24, 2014 2:34:42 PM

2Be_or_Not2Be said:
rodion15 said:

Thanks for your answer:
What would I need the SSDs for?.
I thought having a cpu of each type would be good: I'm having a motherboard for repair now that I suspect the cpu is bad and testing it with one of my stock cpus would be helpful.

Cheers



SSDs are for upgrades. That way you can offer your clients two choices when it comes to replacing a dead/dying hard drive. Choice # 1: SSDs are faster & will offer them something that can make almost everything go faster; however, they are usually smaller in capacity than a regular HDD and they cost more. Choice #2: a regular SATA HDD as a replacement, especially for the "price-conscious".

CPUs - In decades of computer repair, I've only seen a few where the CPU itself was bad. That was always because the chip itself was dead. The most common issue of anything I thought was "system-related" was the motherboard. You may want to stock a H97 and/or Z97 board for repair/replace, but don't invest too much money in these. Get one as a testbed, and maybe install it into those open-air cases (forgot the names).


You're right. Thanks!
August 25, 2014 5:34:33 AM

I would say a POST card could be useful because it is faster and lower risk than swapping parts. Plus they seem pretty cheap.
August 25, 2014 7:06:19 AM

Ultimate Boot CD. You can run anything from hard drive tests, to mem tests, to CPU stress test on a live boot cd.
August 25, 2014 5:55:08 PM

Thanks for your advice!
!