Techies CD + bag

[Garak]

Hey all

Ok, I'm looking for applications / floppy disc images to put on a "diagnostic" CD and what are the main tools I should need (screwdrivers are obvious, but any reccomended brands?)

Thanks :)

[NooNoo]

start with winrar/winzip, a dos virus checker... an autoexec.bat/config.sy with a generic cdrom driver, an ins file for bt pay as you go, via 4 in 1's, adaware, spybot, diskdata, ie6sp1, netscape, opera, msjava, sunjava, directX 8.1 and 9, wmp7, winamp, pcinspector, ftp client, quicktime, realplayer, various im install exes, hwinfo, sisoftsandra etc etc.

All the BIG downloads from M$ and other places.

[Outcoded]

Tools? Leatherman, toll adapter, Cat 5 crimps and a hammer works for me.

[SpongeBob]

Rather than Winzip/winrar get PKunzip for DOS (no install needed to use) and WinACE for windows... WinAce works for ALL .zip .rar and .ace files!!

The latest SP for all M$ OS'es, Netscape, IE6 (newest one)

Few common drivers.. Unversial 3com modem drivers, Nvidia Driver, ATI drivers.

Bootable CD with few different boot images, DOS 6.22 +mem managers+Ramdrive and network support, Dos 6.22 Pure (for Bios updates), Win98 "dos" boot for Fat 32 partitions and NTFS removal, win2k boot images with a very well writen boot.ini and a 120sec choose time. (solves the bootloader issue or other croupt files on NT/ 2k bootup)

Network scanner/manager, like LanGaurd and Ideal Administration. (lets you manager user accounts and security policies, exchange mailboxes and even remotly push VNC to clients/servers for remote control)

IIS security checker, Active Directory toolbox, Windows Resource kits, latest updated bootable virus scanner on CD.


All in all you should have 3-5 CD's and a floppy or 2. Plus i bought a cheap tool kit and a 39 cent tool magnitiser. The kit was $15 had 2 sizes for phlips and flat head screw drivers.(real ones.. not the crappy ones where you change out the tips) A screw grabber, twesers, and i removed the IC chip puller and replaced it with a pair of long needle nose plyers. (from the fishing department, so they are not the really really skinny ones.) Good for bending light metals and getting into med. sized places. (small places call for the screw grabber thingy)

:)

Oh and a leatherman on my belt.

[Wayward Clam]

One thing I've found helpful on CDs is I have stored ALL of the drivers I have EVER needed onto a separate drive, sorted by device, company, model, and OS (in that order). Then I have backed up these drivers onto three CDs (video & related, sound & related, and NIC/modems and related; each CD has some spare space for things that don't fit the categories). These CDs come with me to EVERY service call I make. Beats the HELL out of trying to download the latest Detonators or whatever over a 56K connection.

Another good one: Maximum PC used to (dunno if they still do) publish an annual Maximum CD that was nothing but the best utilities (no games, etc.). I haven't been able to get one in the last two years but the copy I have of the older one STILL comes in handy even though it is out of date now.

I also have a small container of spare screws, standoffs, bits, pieces, doodads, and wahoos, because you always end up helping some yahoo who has three hard drives hanging loose inside his case because he doesn't have the screws to install them properly...

[meatwad]

Here's what I have.

Craftsman screw/nut drivers. In the U.S. at least, they have a life time warranty which comes in handy with the tiny ones. I've worn out a couple.

MiniMaglite works great for me. Needle nose pliers, wire strippers, diagonal cutters, pocket knife, small tape measure, Sharpee Markers, Small tins of various screws like case, fine threaded drive screws, coarse drive screws, power supply screws, notebook screws etc.

CD's with various O/Ses, all the AOL's from version 4 on a handy little disk, Techie disk with Snadboy's Revelation, Adaware, Spybot, latest IE, Latest DirectX, couple of virus scanners I like to use, VIA 4 in 1s, latest Nvidia drivers. Stuff like that.

[Garak]

thanks all, will search for these utils later, but if anyone feels like posting links, please do so :)

[Darkstar]

I recommend keeping a flask of Jim Beam in your tech bag too.

[Garak]

whats jim beam?

[Darkstar]

It's an unofficial tool to help you deal with pinheads and morons you encoutner on the job. His cousins are Jack and Johnny.

http://www.jimbeam.com

[SpongeBob]

Originally posted by Darkstar
It's an unofficial tool to help you deal with pinheads and morons you encoutner on the job. His cousins are Jack and Johnny.

http://www.jimbeam.com

ROFL!!!!!!


:grin: :thumbs2: :grin:

[Garak]

oh, I see :)

[Garak]

Hi all...

Does anyone know of a commercially free to use FTP client?

[Guts3d]

The only things I can add would be a can or three of compressed air, case fans, ( they are always going bad ), a spare hard drive to back up data, and a copy of Ghost on floppy...:wave:

[NooNoo]

Originally posted by Garak
Hi all...

Does anyone know of a commercially free to use FTP client?

this thread has a few (http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/wd/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46453&highlight=leech)

[Outcoded]

Time to start work on your upper-body strength Garrak - this will be a f'n heavy bag.

Am I the only one who carries a hammer?

[Garak]

i have upper body strength, no problems there... as for the hammer, I've decided to leave that out (for now)...

Now I just have to source and download all my drivers...
argh!

[MacGyver]

Here is an awesome undelete utility that works under any version of Windows (even on NTFS volumes) (http://www.dslreports.com/r0/download/271072;a089445f440b2d7dcd366f475ed075ba/REST2514.zip)

[Garak]

Originally posted by NooNoo
this thread has a few (http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin/wd/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46453&highlight=leech)

Thanks NooNoo,


Originally posted by MacGyver
Here is an awesome undelete utility that works under any version of Windows (even on NTFS volumes) (http://www.dslreports.com/r0/download/271072;a089445f440b2d7dcd366f475ed075ba/REST2514.zip)

sounds like it will be usefull, thanks Mac.