General tools to have in desktop/laptop repair toolbox?

[Crono]

What tools do you keep on hand for fixing laptops and desktops?

Types of screwdrivers, conenctors, cables, multimeter, PSU tester, etc?

 

[TheStu]

I carry:
A couple of lengths of Cat5e (6' and 10' usually)
External hard drive w/ cables
Small screwdriver set
Large screwdriver with changeable bits
Jump drive
A few blank CDs and DVDs
Rubber gloves (I have seen some NASTY PC guts)
USB A-B Cable
USB A-MiniB Cable
I also have a handful of paperclips in there (straighten it out and you can eject a stuck optical drive, straigten and bend into a U to rudimentarily test a PSU)

I do not have a PSU tester or a multi-meter, and honestly, it hasn't been an issue.

Oh, canned air if you have the space for it.

 

[corkyg]

Add a small flashlight, a magnifying glass, and some software tools such as UBCD. I also find surgical clamps very useful. Ah, yes . . . an old mechanical pencil - great for straightening out bent pins.

 

[somethingsketchy]

Spare anti-static bags for HDDs, RAM and other electronic parts -- useful when you are elbows-deep into an ATX case and the last thing you need to worry about is your HDD getting hit with a static charge.

 

[lxskllr]

Swiss Army knife. Everyone should carry one regardless of computer repair.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Anti static wristband, screwdrivers, canned air, thermal paste, boxes of various connectors, flashlight, memtest, Linux live cd. I don't carry it with me. I rarely do computer work for others. Sorry I'm not spending 4 hours fixing your pentium 3 computer.

 

[Modelworks]

Straight point, straight jaw, angled jaw, duck bill tweezers
Phillips: #0.0 & #1.0mm tips
Slotted: 1.4, 2, 2.4 and 3mm tips
needle nose pliers
diagonal cutters
slip-joint pliers
SAE socket sizes: 1/4", 1/2", 3/16", 5/16", 11/32", 3/8", 7/16"
Metric socket Sizes: 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm
Electrical Receptacle Tester , the plug in type
Digital meter that can read AC/DC
Wire strippers and crimper
Soldering iron + solder
anti-static wrist strap
telescoping pickup tool with magnetic tip - great for those screws lost in hard to reach places
jumpers for bridging pins on motherboards and drives

Special for laptops:
Assortment of screwdrivers from the smallest used for things like eyeglass repair. Laptops can have really tiny screws that if stripped can be very hard to remove.
Torx bits or drivers, oem love to use these
security bits - some laptops use these to deter self service

 

[piasabird]

A wireless USB 2 Antenna might be nice to have also. An extra ATX switch with some leads to put on the pins might be nice. A spare Power supply might be nice also. Also a small Laptop with wireless.

 

[Fayd]

Straight point, straight jaw, angled jaw, duck bill tweezers
Phillips: #0.0 & #1.0mm tips
Slotted: 1.4, 2, 2.4 and 3mm tips
needle nose pliers
diagonal cutters
slip-joint pliers
SAE socket sizes: 1/4", 1/2", 3/16", 5/16", 11/32", 3/8", 7/16"
Metric socket Sizes: 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm, 12mm
Electrical Receptacle Tester , the plug in type
Digital meter that can read AC/DC
Wire strippers and crimper
Soldering iron + solder
anti-static wrist strap
telescoping pickup tool with magnetic tip - great for those screws lost in hard to reach places
jumpers for bridging pins on motherboards and drives

Special for laptops:
Assortment of screwdrivers from the smallest used for things like eyeglass repair. Laptops can have really tiny screws that if stripped can be very hard to remove.
Torx bits or drivers, oem love to use these
security bits - some laptops use these to deter self service

this. i have most of these, and they've served me thus far.