A Look Inside The Bottom, Continued
Software in its many forms, diskette or CD-Rom, can rescue you from many jams. I carry a comprehensive amount of software to handle virtually any situation. These utilities, whether diskette or CD-based, should be a priority. There is no excuse for not having a Windows Startup disk, as well as some basic DOS-based diagnostics, in order to run basic tests to isolate potential problems. In addition, for those times when you are working on a system without high speed Internet access, service packs and updates on CD can be helpful friends that will save you valuable time. A look through my CD case reveals an extensive collection of software.
Here are some suggestions of CDs that you should have in your toolbox if you work on multiple systems that all have different operating systems.
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT4
- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows XP Home and Professional
- Partition Magic
- Norton System Works 2002
- Norton or McAfee Anti Virus
- Driver CD with latest drivers for common hardware
- Hard Disk Recovery Software
Nothing is worse that working on a system and not having the necessary CAB files in order to fix a problem. Often times, this is one of the most overlooked areas for problems. I have seen situations that would have been easily solved if the technician had the right software. Many techs also carry a laptop on which resides most of the software that they need; however, it can cause problems if you have to configure the system to get connected to the network, and if you already have a network problem, this just adds more steps to an already difficult situation.
Conclusion: A Necessary Evil For The Working Technician
Toolboxes of all shapes and sizes will continue to be a necessary evil for most working technicians. Many companies expect their technicians to supply their own tools. Due to shrinking corporate budgets for technology, this will become more common and more crucial. If you are in a situation where you need to have these types of tools, this article should give you some idea of where to start.
While there is room for improvement and debate over what is or is not valuable to carry along, this may help give you the information from which to build your own ultimate toolbox. The tools in this toolbox may not resolve every issue, but the vast majority of problems can be addressed with this tool set. It is always interesting to think about what tools we carry, and why we carry them. Certainly, the tools that we carry will evolve as technology evolves. Writing this article now makes me think about what types of tools I will be carrying two years from now.
