checklists

Repairing a computer

• • get a verbal description of what the customer wants fixed

    • affix customer name, phone number to case

    • affix list of what needs fixing to case

  • inventory hardware present. Affix list to case

    • optical drive

    • floppy

    • case

    • motherboard

    • RAM (size, how many)

    • hard drive

    • external drives

    • extra media (CDs, floppies)

  • make a backup image

    • dixml

    • acronis

  • inventory programs

    • Belarc

  • is IP address static or dynamic

  • anti-virus scan (with current definitions)

    • avira

    • mcAffee

  • spyware scan (with current definitions)

    • spybot

      • scan

      • immunize

    • adaware

    • super anti spyware

    • malware bytes

  • defrag, schedule defrag

Backup

• • Ideally, one should make an Aronis image (univeral restore tib)

  • Else a hardware-specific image, ie Dixml

  • if an image is not possible,

    • copy all profiles in C:\Documents

      • desktop

      • my documents

      • favorites

      • email (pst, settings)

      • wallpaper

    • non-standard directories/files in the root

    • a list of programs installed in C:\program files

    • c:\windows\web\wallpaper\*

    • c:\windows\media\*

Prior to return

• • ensure drivers are all present

  • ensure all inventoried hardware is returned

  • dynamic IP address

Purchasing hardware

• • what form factor does the case support? ATX, micro ATX?

  • what CPU does the motherboard support

  • CPU 64/32 bit support by OS?

  • motherboard power connection: P4?

  • motherboard RAM capacity match OS support?

  • RAM type: DDR2, DDR3 match motherboard?

  • what connection (SATA, IDE) does motherboard support?

  • does the optical and hard drive connections match available number of motherboard connection slots?

  • video:

    • AGP, PCI-E motherboard interface?

    • dual video card support?

    • DVI or VGA output