Tech Apps for the PROs

**pcgenie** · January 31st, 2005, 03:11 AM

I'm trying to get a list of all the APps a tech would need on the road.

Please make any suggestions to add to this list.

Norton Ghost

Diskkeeper

Bootable CDs - Suggest Hiren's Boot CD - (Nice options to use for troubleshooting)

Ad-Aware

Spybot

AVG Free edition/or other antivirus

What other apps do you suggest.

**Gabriel** · January 31st, 2005, 03:24 AM

Hi,
To add on your list:
1. BartPE - a must have fo any computer guy. A live XP environment from CD. get it on http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
2. Partition Magic and/or System commander.
3. a Bootable Dos CD with low level application - HWINFO, Ghost, FDISK, format Etc.
4. All version of Windows (Including NT and servers - this is not big deal since you can stream many cd's into one).
5. all version of Office
6. Newest Service packs of all windows based OS(6a for NT, SP4 for Win2k, SP2 for XP).
7. a disk with common drivers - NVIDIA Cheapset (NFORCE), NVIDIA VGA (detonator), ATI VGA (Catalyst), Raltek Ethernet Drivers, 3Com Ethernet Drivers, Intel Ethernet Drivers, AC97 Sound.
8. A disk with common application - Prefer Freeware (so you won't have "law" problems), Application like IRFAN, 7ZIP, Deepburner can be very helpfull for a customer.
9. A disk with Kiddie games (shareware and freeware) - don't laugh, you will be amazed how the avarage customer is happy when you grant him/her the possibility to occupy the childerens.

Hope I helped you,
Gabriel

**confus-ed** · January 31st, 2005, 06:39 AM

Personally I suggest NO apps whatsoever !

- I take my laptop & mobile

(sure that's got lots of things on it !

& since I can connect pretty much anywhere with it, its got 'everything') but you are gonna look pretty silly when the customer has no cd drive or its not working etc !

So before you think about apps, how about making sure you can use them !?

**InTheWayBoy** · January 31st, 2005, 11:17 AM

I have a whole case that I carry with me:

1. TechCD (Bootable) - Has the software I need to use on every PC. I wrote a small article about it on my website:

http://inthewayboy.net/index.php?blo...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Enjoy!

2. SuperTech (Bootable) - A custom BartPE setup for when I need access to NTFS files, or when I don't feel like playing in DOS.

3. WinXP (Bootable) - This has both Home and Pro, as well as the latest service pack and updates. The installs have been customized using nlite.

4. Win9x (Bootable) - This has Win95B, Win98SE, and WinME as well as the latest updates and utilities. The installs have been customized using msbatch.inf

5. Updates - Just a compilation of the most recent major service packs and updates for all operating systems.

6. ISP - Has all the huge install files for most major ISP...AOL, MSN, PeoplePC, Earthlink, Juno, etc.

7. TechDVD (Bootable) - Basically all of the above on a DVD+R!

All the bootable ones use Bootable CD Wizard to launch, and they all have these basic functions:

1. Boot to DOS
2. Boot to FPROT Scanner
3. Boot to PC-Check
4. Boot to Microscope
5. Boot to PQMagic
6. Boot to Ghost
7. Boot to Acronis Tools

I update the discs a few times a week, using various vbscripts to automate the whole thing.

**TechZ** · January 31st, 2005, 02:20 PM

Well most of them seem to be covered,

1] UBCD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
2] UBCD4Win http://www.ubcd4win.com/
3] As many anti-spyware, cleaner, free AntiVirus apps.
4] Standalone AV cleaners http://mirror.edskes.com/ (NOD32, McAfee)
5] MS Malicious Software Removal Tool http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
(not the Anti-Spyware pay app)
6] Latest Drivers from nVidia, ATI, VIA, nForce, etc.
7] Definately some freeware games/demos (Gabriel is absotively posilutely right

)

**gazzak** · January 31st, 2005, 04:02 PM

All of the above and Winzip. Also Acrobat Reader is important in my job, maybe not so for you!!

**Outcoded** · January 31st, 2005, 04:24 PM

GoldMemory - http://www.goldmemory.cz/ (cheap, but not free)

**TechZ** · January 31st, 2005, 05:04 PM

Memtest86: http://www.memtest.org/
Yeah and I also carry Adobe (thank Gaz) and a codec pack, like KLite (Full version) http://mirror.edskes.com/

**confus-ed** · February 1st, 2005, 04:54 AM

Originally Posted by TechZ

Yeah and I also carry ...

Sorry to dwell on the point

.. but you all seem determined to carry every utility known to mankind ! .. KISS !!

.. Keep it Simple Stupid ! You can go on forever with a list like this & still miss something obvious !

.. (Guaranteeing yourself internet access seeming to me a better idea as you'll always forget something/mislay it/find its out of date etc)

I mean so far nobody even said a zero fill utility & of all the utility cd's I have that one gets used most as I can't run those from another source ..

& while I'm here (having a moan !) - I'll question the notion of 'latest' Nvidia/ATI drivers & suggest a better phrase - how about 'latest stable' ? - New drivers being famed for their 'not rightness' on occasion !

& for memory testing, the MS utility is surprisingly good !

- Windows Memory Diagnostic & its even free (well done billy - for once ! )

**TechZ** · February 1st, 2005, 06:00 AM

I guess its the fact that u cannot foresee the situation when going to work on a pc. Better to be prepared I say.

**Jeff the Brit** · February 1st, 2005, 07:14 AM

I've found a Knoppix Live CD to be a useful toolkit addition. I carry a DVD burner and a bunch of rewriteable discs, most handy for backing up customer data from a hosed install.

**geeksRus** · February 1st, 2005, 10:12 AM

i've found that Ultimate Boot CD has most things i need...along with another with latest versions of ad aware, spybot, spyware blaster and AVG as well as A squared and x-cleaner free and crap cleaner.

**pcgenie** · February 1st, 2005, 11:18 PM

I ask this to get a main idea of apps that other use that I'm not familiar with, which I have seen a few. Reading the write up article after I finish this reply.

KISS..Load of crap that statment is..as being concerned with being a tech. If we kept it simple stupid, we'd be the stupid fool the customer called because we weren't prepared.

As far as the access the internet comment. Come on...Broadband may be big for most of us, btu them damn AOL users and older folks just haven't picked it up. I deal with a lot of 56K dial up users.(not to be confused with 56k ATM) Internet isn't even an option.

Great recommends though..everyone..I love em..I have to figure out how to use the PE Builder..I had seen but not tryed it..It ask for stuff from a floppy when I used it for making a bootbale disk, I couldn't find how to make a bootable cd using the PE builder I had. Any way..Where can I get instructions on how to make the CDs that will give the menu for installing ..say the Win9X type of CD..Those are the things I'm looking for . . Free version are always our best weapons on the "LAW" issues revolving our works..

Again, thanks for the input..

Drivers was a great suggestion...I actually hand out a CD with 3 version of the NVIDIA/ATI drivers, and adware/spybot and AVG, as well as a few smaller apps for them to choose from. Gives the customer that, AW what a great tech feeling...Tehy usually mention on your way out too.

**confus-ed** · February 2nd, 2005, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by pcgenie

..KISS..Load of crap that statment is..as being concerned with being a tech. If we kept it simple stupid, we'd be the stupid fool the customer called because we weren't prepared..

Now that's the kind of language sets folks off !

.. However I'm a big boy & I'll take it in my stride

- take this how you will .. but you are gonna look mighty stupid clutching all your disks when you can't actually use them in the machine you are trying to fix ! I know who'll look stupid then !

I do a lot of 'mobile teching' & not just for home users but business too, so my required utility list is a mile long !, I tried this carry endless utilities stuff for ages & then somebody said to me - 'what are you doing ?' while noting it took me 1/2 an hour every time before setting off to get organised, so I procured a laptop (it doesn't have to be fancy as long as it can meet minimum specs of any o/s) & got myself a suitable plug in card (mind the UK has about 90+% coverage for signal) to give me access & its the best money I ever spent .. btw just to give you an idea, there's 60 gig's worth of utilities & images on my 'baby' - & that's an awful lot of cd's !

**Gabriel** · February 2nd, 2005, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

.... laptop (it doesn't have to be fancy as long as it can meet minimum specs of any o/s) & got myself a suitable plug in card (mind the UK has about 90+% coverage for signal) to give me access & its the best money I ever spent .. btw just to give you an idea, there's 60 gig's worth of utilities & images on my 'baby' - & that's an awful lot of cd's !

I see your point - but for me is no good. An adequete laptop cost her more than 1100US$ (basic IBM R50e). in this price I can actually buy myself two Desktops(and still have some pocket money). Also, DSL and cable coverage rate in my area is somewhat 50% of the houses.

I think I will pass on it in the meantime.

Cheers,
Gabriel