You might be the best computer repairman in the world. However, you aren’t going to get very far without the right tools for the job. There are a few basic things that ever computer repairman should have in his toolkit. I’ve listed the most essential tools to have below.

Screwdrivers – A screwdriver is one of the repairman’s most important tools. If only to remove the case, a screwdriver is essential when repairing a computer. When repairing laptops, it is impossible to finish the job without one. However, you can make your computer repair life much easier if you have the right screwdrivers. It is good to have a phillips and a flathead screwdriver. A flathead screwdriver is good for more than removing screws; it is a useful prying tool if used correctly. Finally if you can, get a longer screwdriver to reach places that are harder to access.

Pin Soldering Iron – You may not encounter a need for a soldering iron for some time. However, when you do need one, they are very useful tools for repairing loose components and the like. Try getting one from Radio Shack. I have refrained from using the term “soldering gun” because you won’t need something that big. A 15W soldering iron should work just fine for most computer repair purposes.

Linux – It never hurts to carry around a copy of Linux. When I copy files from a laptop’s hard drive via an enclosure to my external drive, I load a live CD of Xubuntu on the laptop, and then hook the drives up to the laptop. That way, I don’t run the risk of getting a Windows-based virus on my machine. You can order a CD for free from the website of the distribution you choose.

USB Enclosure – An enclosure is essential, particularly if you’re going to be doing laptop repair. When you need to get data off of a drive, you can just stick the drive in the enclosure, then hook the enclosure to a computer (as I mentioned above). If you get an enclosure to work with both 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives, SATA, and IDE, you should have no problems using the enclosure with most laptop and desktop hard drives.

Tweezers – Why tweezers? Try fishing a screw out of some places with your fingers. I have a hard enough time with that, and I have small fingers. I can’t imagine what someone with larger fingers must go through trying to fish a stray screw out of a hard to reach spot. Try to get a kind that curves together at the end rather than the kind that goes together straight.

Paperclip – Paperclips are useful for opening CD drives when you forget and leave a CD in one of them and turn it off. Just straighten the paperclip, stick the paperclip into the hole, and gently push it in to open the drive. They can also be useful for picking dust out of a heat sink. Also, you can test whether a tool is magnetic by moving it close to the paperclip. Just don’t get the kind with the plastic coating. They’re not good for anything – computing or otherwise.

Multimeter – Sooner or later, you’re going to need to test a connection, a battery, or an AC adapter. Get a decent multimeter that can perform a variety of functions. Again, Radio Shack can help you here.

Software – If you’re going to be fixing computers, you’re going to need some software to do it with. Free software can go a long way. Go to Download.com and get various free antivirus and antispyware programs, registry cleaners, data recovery programs, and anything else you can think of. I would suggest keeping the latest versions of Avast, SUPERAntiSpyware, AdAware, and CCleaner on a flash drive that you carry with you wherever you go. Having extra software never hurts, and you can sometimes be johnny-on-the-spot by having software that you never thought you would need pay off when you least expect it to.

Light – Computer cases can be dark sometimes, and it can get hard to see what you’re doing. Find some sort of light to help illuminate your way. I use a clip-on LED light. It is very bright, and I can simply clip it onto the side of the computer’s case. I won’t suggest anything in particular – a light’s a light – so just find something that works for you.

Pliers – Get one small and one large pair of pliers. You never know what you’ll have to unscrew. You know on a VGA port where you screw the connector into the port on the motherboard? I’ve had to unscrew those little pieces with a small pair of pliers to remove a motherboard from a laptop. I’ve also had to unscrew some thumb screws with a large screwdriver because they were so tightly screwed in. Thumb screws, yeah right.

Toolbox – If you’re going to be carrying all of the things I’ve listed here around with you, you’re going to need something to carry it all in. Get a toolbox or bag large enough to fit everything you have plus what you will accumulate in the future. And don’t forget to have a place to put screws if you’re taking a laptop apart in a place other than your normal workspace. It can be difficult to remember where every screw goes if you don’t keep up with them.

After you have all of these things together, you’re almost ready to start repairing computers. However, one last thing you must do before setting out is very important. Make sure everything you have is demagnetized! Working around a hard drive with a magnetized screwdriver isn’t going to do your customers’ data any good.

If you think of anything I may have missed, let me know in the comments secton. Also, don’t forget to follow me on twitter @RAWenger. Good luck!