Recommendations for Computer Repair Kits? 93
lpq asks: "I've recently starting doing some computer repairs and don't feel organized when it comes to tools. I'm wondering what any people who do computer building/repair use for a portable kit? Are any of the toolkits any good? Or are they just cheaper tools than I might already have with a cheap vinyl case? I saw some expensive kits -- but it looked like one of the main difference is rather a driver device with scads of fittings, the more expensive kits seem to go with separate tools. One had 15 socket screwdriver type tools where I get the same in less space with a ratcheting screwdriver and an adaptor for sockets. I noticed many kits with soldering irons -- not something I've had a need for in most computer upgrades / repairs. Ideas? Basics things to have?"
tom's recently ran an article about this (Score:3, Informative)
I don't think many of us need all the stuff this guy carries, but it's a nice article to get you started.
I recommend (Score:3, Insightful)
More detail (Score:3, Informative)
Phillips and flathead screwdrivers, in two sizes each (you need a dinky little pair for some screws).
Tweezers (these can get awfully useful)
Two hex drivers in different sizes (so you don't strip case screws...I love hex drivers).
Torx screwdriver with two sizes of head that doubles as a large hex driver.
Pair of tweezers.
Little gitchie-grabber thingie to grasp tiny parts where your fingers can't fit.
Case to store extra screws and screws in use. Losing screws from the case you're working on can get really, really easy.
The non-useful bits that came with the kit: IC removers. Why the *hell* do they ship IC removers with repair kits any more?
I added the following to the kit:
Pair of forceps. Holding wires or little bits out of the way can come in handy. Fishing/bait kits have these.
Needlenose pliers. Useful for all sorts of stuff. I strongly recommend these.
Re:I recommend (Score:3, Insightful)
Get a good 1/4" driver handle (magnetic) and a bunch of bits (good ones), with hex heads, torx, phillips, standard, security/tamper-proof bits - real handy. (see http://www.wihatools.com/pro_BitSets.htm BTW, Wiha carries ESD safe sets too.) Even though these sets come with phillips / slotted bits, make sure you get NORMAL screwdrivers as mentioned above. Trust me on this. You end up using your #2 phillips and 1/4" nut drivers more than any other tools in the bag.
Another "nice to have" is a little cordless screwdriver.
I've NEVER used an IC remover in the past 8 years. Everything is surface mount anyway. I guess they may have been useful in the 8088 days when memory was socketed chips. Soldering irons are just as useless. Some of those kits come with those crappy vaccuums - don't EVEN bother. Those things are a joke.
Throw in a good wire cutter, needle nose, bent needle nose, normal pliers, telescoping magnetic pickup, dental mirror, small flashlight, anti-static wrist strap, and that should do it for a good basic set for PC work.
For supplies, a can of Air, wire ties, motherboard-sized ESD bag, electrical tape, and anti-static cleaning wipes.
Past that, it depends on exactly what you do. Do you need to make custom RS-232 cables? Network cables? Fix / clean a printer? A good IT tech usually has quite a few tools as he ends up working on just about everything.
Don't buy a pre-made case kit right away (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Don't buy a pre-made case kit right away (Score:1)
Your best bet is to get an empty case and fill it yourself with GOOD tools that you will actually USE. See other posts for a list. While you can just toss your stuff in a bag, it's nice to be organized and have the tools where you expect them. Also, you can quickly see if you are missing anything after finishing a job.
pretty straightforward (Score:2, Funny)
Re:pretty straightforward (Score:1)
Re:pretty straightforward (Score:1)
Um, a crescent wrench is fully adjustable... They don't come in "standard and metric". They come in different sizes like 4" handles on up to huge 24" "take the axel off a tractor" sizes.
Re:pretty straightforward (Score:2)
You did understand that he was joking, right?
A quick additional note on Jensen (Score:1)
Been there, done that, here's what you need: (Score:5, Informative)
- A small set of little-tiny screw drivers for laptops
- A penlight
- A telescoping mirror
- A telescoping magnetic pickup or grabber
- A big (40+) CD case to carry all your utility software
- A couple of blank floppies
- A '98 boot diskette (for machines that won't boot off CD-ROM for whatever reason)
- Spare IDE/FDD cables
- Spare SCSI cables and terminators
- Spare Cat-5 cables of various lengths including one short cross-over and a couple of inline couplers so you can daisy-chain them
And if you still have room: a mini-hub, spare NIC, spare video-card, HDD for imaging, laptop with PCMCIA nic and modem
Enjoy!
What utility software? (Score:4, Informative)
'98 boot disk (and bootable CD)
Spinrite
MemCheck
CheckIt/QAPlus
pcAnywhe
VNC
WinZip
Acrobat
DOS version of PKZip
Collection of common nic/video/printer/etc drivers
Copies of major OS's (Win2K, 98 OSR2 etc.)
Copies of Office
Copies of SP's and patches
Copies of browsers (IE, Netscape, Opera)
L0pht Crack
Your favorite IP scanner and other IP tools (e.g. Putty)
Other tools depending on OS's you work with (e.g. JCMD for Netware, Upromote for NT, the Win2K/NT resource kits, 'Nix boot disk and utils and hundreds of other favorite need-specific utils)
Re:What utility software? (Score:3, Insightful)
Tomsrtbt floppy
Linuxcare Bootable Business Card CD
Ghost
Paritition Magic
Re:What utility software? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What utility software? (Score:1)
languard
nmap
ethereal
snort
and of course-
xchat.
do NOT underestimate the power of IRC.
go sit in irc.debian.org #debian and lurk for an hour. For every person who gets/offers help, drop an icecube down your pants.
when the hour is up, do one of 2 things: mod me down or make ball-flavored sno-cones and mod me up.
Re:What utility software? (Score:1)
Re:What utility software? (Score:1)
I wasn't so sure about bitchx....
plus your parents/minister/grandma won't exactly be thrilled seeing you install bitchx on *their* machine:)
Re:What utility software? (Score:1)
Re:What utility software? (Score:1)
That damn program was able to fix so many hard drive errors, it was amazing. Sometimes it would take DAYS to get the job done, but its results were always impressive. Made Norton Disk Doctor look like a joke.
Thanks for the memory.
Re:What utility software? (Score:2)
Stuff I forgot to list (Score:3, Informative)
- Needle-nose pliers
- Canned air
- Cable tester and fox-and-hound (tracer)
- Spare power/usb/parallel cables
- Wooden pencil or tongue-depressor (for cleaning mice)
- Paperclip
- Pen
- Sharpie permanent marker
- Assorted gender changers
- SCSI cable adaptors (e.g. 68F-50F)
Probably more stuff...!
Quality over gizmos. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Quality over gizmos. (Score:2)
You've got some good stuff in your kit, but this one scares me. A nice thick layer of frost on your electronics is a great way to release the magic smoke. Plus I can't imagine the thermal shock is good for your components.
I can't say that I've seen too many heat related failures on stock hardware. Overclocked stuff, sure, but not your typical business computer. The few times I have, it's always been pretty obvious. Dead fans, computer buried under stuff, dead AC in the server room, that kind of thing. Certainly nothing I'd hit with a refrigerant just to see if it made a difference. Of course, I've also never gotten a paying gig to put togeter a water cooler or a fanbus. Maybe you're just having more fun.
I'd add a mirror or two to the kit. Maybe some duct tape. A punchdown tool for doing phone wiring is also handy (if you ever get stuck doing that sort of thing). One of my favorite tools was a nice hand cart. Nothing like moving five systems without much effort. On the softer side, a blank floppy, a couple of CD-R's and maybe a USB keychain drive might be useful. Sometimes you can't get the NIC working without sneakernetting something over. A good pocketknife can also be useful for quick jobs and cuts that you cant make with snips. Throw in some cables, adaptors, gender changers and you'd have a pretty solid kit.
Compared to auot mechanics, IT guys get off pretty easy. A hundred bucks of tools is almost overkill for a PC. That wont even get the sparkplugs changed on some cars. Experience will tell you what you need, what to buy, what to improvise and what you can't live without.
Re:Quality over gizmos. (Score:1)
Re:Quality over gizmos. (Score:1)
Basic tools to have: (Score:2, Informative)
Screwdriver with swappable magnetic bits. It's murphy's law: when the screw falls, it will fall into that one corner of the case that you can't reach.
Flashlight. Preferably a mini mag light. They're bright as hell and they're easy to hold in your teeth when you need both hands =)
Paper Clips. They're impossible to track down whenever the CD drive gets jammed, so you'd better have one on you.
Dentist's mirror. To read the serial number or FCC ID on that card that you're too lazy to pull out of the box.
Sledgehammer. For those really frustrating projects.
This is all pretty common-sense stuff, but with the exception of the sledgehammer, most of the jobs I do get done with those tools.
Re:Basic tools to have: (Score:1)
Tip for the Mini-mag-in-the-teeth-trick. Wrap electrical tape around the base twice. Do it just above the end cap so you don't have to remove it when changing batteries.
This will give your teeth something to grip and make it safer for your teeth. Figured this out while diagnosing a dead fuel pump relay at 10:00 at night on the side of I-81.
Bonus points: used colored tape so you can identify your light when it "wanders" into someone elses tool kit.
Re:Basic tools to have: (Score:1)
Am I missing something, or does this sound like a bad idea when you're apt to be working around volatile computer equipment?
Re:Basic tools to have: (Score:2)
Floppies, Zip discs, and your monitor are the only things in your computer that would possibly react strangely to a magnetized screwdriver.
Re:Basic tools to have: (Score:1)
Re:Basic tools to have: (Score:2)
Forget holding it in your teeth. One of the best signs of a true tech-geek is use of something like this:
http://www.orderoutdoors.com/niteize/hband.htm
Not only is highly functional, but it repels chicks better than a pocket protector. (Don't let the picture of the female wearing this item throw you off, she was PAID to have her picture taken with it. I'm not convinced that it isn't a retouch job)
advice inside (Score:1)
Swiss Army Knife (Score:1)
Here are some great uses:
1. socket screwdriver - case/card screws and sockets
2. knife - cardboard boxes / shrink wrap
3. pen - yup, that's right a pen to write down serial numbers, etc.
4. pliers - tighten/loosen bolts or fix bent pins
5. scissor - cut cable/ strip cable/ cut wire ties
6. tweasers - set dip switches, pickup screws in tight spots
7. etc... all the way to 41.
I use my knife at least 50 times perday. It has come in handy quite a bit
Re:Swiss Army Knife (Score:1)
One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent... (Score:3, Insightful)
...was for a metal dish, with high walls, about six inches across, with a very magnetic base. It sticks to metal, and any screw or latching piece will stick to it. No more building a little pile of tiny screws as I take apart a computer while hoping they don't roll away or I knock them over.
It's for home, but I'm thinking about getting another at work.
Re:One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent... (Score:2)
Wow. I've never seen anyone flunk "Intro to Remedial Physics" as fast as you just did.
Re:One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent... (Score:2)
The metal case around a hard drive works as a magnetic shield. Since it's nonferrous, the magnetic field can't get through. Which is why the incredibly powerful magnets inside the hard drive can't be detected outside the case. Ever noticed how you can put a floppy drive on top of a hard drive and have it work just fine?
Re:One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent... (Score:2)
Added to this, get some spare PCI blanking plates; if you work on servers, you'll probably remove cards at various times and then you usually have to leave a gap at the back which (a) screws up airflow and (b) lets dust in.
Re:One of the most useful $US5.99 I ever spent... (Score:2)
The dinky little "computer toolkit" I have fro years back has a nice translucent plastic tube, about 3/4" diameter. Holding about fifty screws and jumpers and whatnot right about now. I agree -- they're essential.
I read that as: (Score:2)
Parts, parts, parts (Score:2, Informative)
The most important thing is parts. Gonna throw away that old 386? Take out all the screws, IDE & floppy cables, power supply cables. (And sort the screws by size.) Add a couple network cables, maybe a USB cable, and a power cable.
A couple boot floppies for various OSs (make sure they've got CD drive support), and that'll do it.
Avoid the airport... (Score:1)
"Stand back or the stewardess gets it with this little tool."
Re:Avoid the airport... (Score:1)
The Wave (Score:1)
It's all I really need.
Oh yeah, this helps:
http://www.leatherman.com/products/tools/
It works nicely.
Re:The Wave (Score:2)
Too late (Score:2, Interesting)
So you don't need any special tools. I've been repairing PCs for almost 20 years now and it's extremely infrequent that you need anything outside this list (and you shouldn't go beyond these tools without some electronics training anyway):
Re:Too late (Score:2)
I've been doing computer repairs for about 10 years. Carrying round shitloads of tools is just a pain in the ass and 99% of the time you don't use them. If you really NEED something you haven't got use your brain and improvise.
The only indispensible tool I have is a screwdriver with a set of interchangable bits.
Don't get me wrong, I've repaired power supplies at component level and yes you need a voltmeter and a soldering iron but no-one needs to do this any more. In the UK a case with a power supply is £25, my time is worth more than this per hour and component level repairs take time. Buy a new power supply.
I would also say, don't get in too deep. This kind of work is fun for a while but I no longer accept requests to fix computers. It's not challenging or interesting or financially rewarding and if something goes wrong I don't want to deal with it (did they take backups? did they really take backups?)
Re:Too late (Score:2)
Back when I was digging into computers on an almost-daily basis, I found a Leatherman to be useful. It replaces half of the tools on your list, and you can carry it with you all the time.
First and last choice. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:First and last choice. (Score:1)
Another thing to have is a hacksaw (the cut-through-metal kind), VERRRY useful.
Here's what's in my kit (Score:3, Insightful)
99% of the time, the only thing needed, hardware-wise, is a #2 philips screwdriver. For safety and completeness, though, a set of "precision" screwdrivers and at least one smallish flathead are good, too. Lest I forget, the possibility of my patient saying "Compaq" on its chassis also merits my inclusion of #8 and #10 Torx, which are both hard to find.
Very thin needlenose pliers, and a thicker set for miscellaneous bending.
A pair of tweezers.
Dental mirror.
Wire snips.
Multimeter & oscilliscope (er, I keep that one in the car).
Dusk mask and thin, wool painters gloves (screw static, I can touchtype in them and they keep my hands from getting cut).
Bandages (in case my hands get cut) & neosporin.
Canned air.
Wrist strap in case my customer is paranoid or something.
Sears 3.6V cordless screwdriver, if I'm working on several machines that day.
2.5" to 3.5" hard disk adaptor.
Intel Pro/100 NIC
8GB 2.5" hard disk, filled w/ software installs & diagnostic packages.
USB CD-RW
8x Parallel CD-ROM.
An assortment of ribbon cables (IDE, 50-pin SCSI, floppy, serial etc).
A collection of power splitters and adaptors
Socket 7 HSF.
Slot 1 HSF
Slot A HSF
80mm case fan
Floppy disk drive
14.4 USR external modem
Some AA batteries
Keyboards: 1 AT-style w/ PS2 adaptor, 1 USB
Mice: 1 serial, 1 USB w/ PS2 adaptor
A lighted magnifying glass
Spray n' wash (in car) and spray-n-wash wipes
Artic Silver
Deodorant & clean shirt
basically lint-free rags
Crimper
Velcro ties & plastic "zip" ties
Cable tester
4-port switch
Spool o' cable & some connectors
Punch down tool.
Known-good 14" monitor (in car, also) and matrox millenium PCI card.
A wide assortment of RAM (presently: 2x72-pin 64MB FPM, 128MB PC100, 256MB PC2100, 64MB 72-pin SODIMM, 256MB 144pin SODIMM, 128MB PC800 RIMM + cRIMM)
Lots of screws & spare jumpers
Dremel tool
Add to that essentially a complete collection of every driver, operating system or software package I've installed more than once (about 70 CDs, I think), and you're basically set.
I carry everything around in a big, soft-sided tackle box.
Hardware that I choose to carry around is generally on the the basis of very wide support. You'd be hard pressed to find an OS that didn't know what to do with a Matrox Millenium, for example.
Last thing: Big bottles of tums and asprin. Not for the work, which is easy, but for the endless demands from people who realize that you know how to fix computers.
Re:Here's what's in my kit (Score:2)
This $20 tool can catch an event so small that something like the eyes of an oscilliscope would glaze over.
The best tool kit is (Score:1)
2. Customers wallet.
Swiss army style (Score:1)
First, there are two kinds of tweezers: one you squeeze to close, and one you squeeze to open. The latter are much easier to work with in small spaces, since you don't have to hold them.
Second, I use my "flat-head" screwdriver all the time for things like prying. Nothing serious, of course, mostly for things like working snug case covers loose. You can use the many-in-one screwdriver for that purpose, but it's not quite as good for it (and it's heavier and bulkier).
Third - and this one is priceless - one of those screw-grabbers. It's shaped like a syringe, and when you push in the top part, thin little "grabbers" stick out and can be used to grab all sorts of things (usually screws, but anything about that size will do). It's even handy for starting screws going, since you can't drop the screw out of it: you just stick the screw in the grabbers, let it tighten, then turn it into the hole. Once it gets going, you can swap out to a screwdriver. This is so valuable for places where there's not enough room to get your fingers, and where the screw can become lost forever if you drop it trying to get it in.
If you work with network stuff a lot, you'll want a crimping tool and a wire cutter/stripper. Mine is pretty fool-proof: you put it in the slot for the gauge of wire it is, squeeze hard, and it takes off the insulation without cutting the wire. A big timesaver there.
Oh, and mine also came with a plastic capped cylinder that initially held solder. But as I never use the soldering iron, I put a couple bags of computer-type screws in there. When I'm working on a system, I take the bags out (they ziplock closed) and store the screws I remove in the cylinder to keep from losing them.
The kit I have, for reference, is one of the Compaq-branded ones that used to be available at Radio Shack.
4-in-1 screwdriver and multiplier (Score:1)
If I carried my bag, I also had a screw retriever along, a set of OS cds, a CD of common software (drivers, browsers, mail clients, etc.) and an extra cat 5 cable or two. That assortment worked for about 99% of my calls. Generally, if I needed more tools than that to dismantle the computer, it was going back to the shop with me anyway.
Watch the quality/warentiee (Score:3, Informative)
Sears Craftsman tools have a lifetime warentiee, if they break you walk into any sears store and get a replacement no questions asked. Snap-on is much higher quality (in general), but they in general don't carry the smaller tools computers need. Many tools are lifetime warentiee, but you can't find where to get it exchanged.
Don't fool youself, you will need that warentiee. The non-warentieed tools are generally soft metal that nearly bends working air, they have no hope of dealing with a real part. (Okay, not quite that bad, but close enough) With the good tools you won't have nearly as many problems, but you will eventialy break something. I can't say what (other than your #2 phillips) you will need it for, but you will need it for something.
Oh, in addition to the above: a #2 square drive screwdriver. I've never seen the need for one in computers, but if you ever come across the person who designs computer packaging ask them to change. Square drive is a lot nicer than phillips, it lasts longer and takes more torque if nessicary. (Warning, don't over torque screws putting them in, but sometimes you get a stubberen on that needs extra help to come out). Opinion I know, but I think it is a good idea.
Re:Watch the quality/warentiee (Score:1)
Re:Watch the quality/warentiee (Score:1)
All you need... (Score:1)
For casual PC repair and tinkering (Score:1)
That's all you really need for casual work. If you are talking about a toolkit for more professional hardware/software debugging, you will want to purchase your tools separately on a quality basis. Only the most expensive kits have the quality tools you will most likely desire.
toolkit (Score:1)
Spare screws (Score:3, Insightful)
How many times have you cracked open a case to discover that every drive was held in by a single screw? Or that screw that the owner has stripped and is relying on it being wedged in just right to hold the $400 video card in place?
Of course, it's easiest to acquire these items by simply collecting them over time. That would be a cool thing for an online retailer to sell. "500 piece miscellaneous computer fastner pack... $7..." :)
Oh yeah, in case nobody said it: zip-ties and velcro tie-wraps...
Software tools (Score:1)
Cordless screwdriver (Score:2)
POST card! (Score:2)
These are invaluable for reparing dead machines. If the machine is dead, you will never have to guess at the problem again. You plug one of these into an expansion slot (PCI in the case of the one listed above), and it displays the POST codes that are generated by the BIOS as it tests each piece of hardware. The one it's displaying when it gets stuck can be looked up in the book and you know what piece of harware is bad. Best $100 you'll ever spend if you fix alot of machines.
What is it with you people? (Score:2)
When I work on computers, I carry with me a Craftsman #2 phillips screwdriver and a folding pocket knife that is just a hair too small to be considered a concealed weapon, with a very sharp, half-serrated edge.
I've seldom needed anything else. Hardware diagnosis generally doesn't require a working spare of every part of a PC, and the parts themselves are generally too cheap individually to bother with fixing them.
Turn it on, nothing happens? Make sure power button is plugged in and things all look right. Else, the motherboard -and- PSU are both highly suspect and should not be trusted.
System boots, but without video and monitor does not turn on, optionally with POST beeps? Re-seat video card, else replace. Monitors generally show symptoms long before they bite the dust, so if it's a toast CRT they've likely known about it for a very long time wouldn't have called you to help them in the first place.
POST beeps, or everything spins up but nothing else happens. Funky RAM. Re-seat, and replace. Same symptoms with a flamed CPU, but that normally doesn't happen unless the fan is not spinning or has obviously bad bearings.
No sound? Re-seat, and then try software fixes. If still broke, replace.
Customer fucked up a BIOS flash? Remove BIOS with careful application of aforementioned knife (this is where a stout blade is important), install in a live system, re-run the appropriate flash utility, replace everything where it belongs, and you're golden.
New hard drive? Grab jumpers between knife point and appropriate finger of same hand - no finger nails required.
Computer works fine, but eventually becomes flakey? Suspect software. If not software, then heat. Find things that are hot and just look and see if there's anything physically wrong with them - like, say, the audio cable from a CD-ROM drive being crammed under the sound card into the 16-bit portion of an ISA slot. Or a component which has a large brown circle around it on the PCB - obviously something which is, or has been, Way Too Hot. Whatever part it's attached to gets replaced.
I'm not going to disassemble, for instance, a CD-ROM drive on-site. If anything, I'll diagnose it as toast, and have them buy a new one. These parts are worth too little to troubleshoot and fix when paid hourly.
The point is this: Don't bother carrying more than you need. I've got a small bag of screws and various other case hardware in the glovebox of my car, and it generally stays there.
Supposedly, certain Compaq machines require the use of a Torx driver to get into them, but I've never seen one. I only work on computers as a favor to people that I know, at least in passing - and these people don't buy Compaq. If I ever find one, however, I've got a wonderful set of 16 security Torx bits that I found in the junk bin at a hardware store for $1.50. It stays at home where it belongs, alongside the dremel.
Re:What is it with you people? (Score:1)
Anti static mat + wrist strap + grounding kit. (Score:2)
If in doubt read the preceding
Alex
Fry's toolkit? (Score:1)
Most of the posts about needing a #2 phillips are dead-on, though. I keep one in my desk at work for those times when I need to tear apart a junked computer (my work throws out a lot of stuff) and get the goodies they leave behind (dead PSU - keep the fan, most likely good - if not, the fan is toast and the PSU is good - rarely are both toast, unless the dead fan led to a dead psu). That is typically the only tool I need - anything else I either use my multi-tool (aka Leatherman) or rig something to work.
The ultimate kit (Score:1)
Dont go for the most expensive.... (Score:1)
My kit (Score:2)
An Ideal Zip-Kit [idealindustries.com] tool bag
A Palladin Tools crimper with RJ-45 die (don't go cheap on a crimper, otherwise you'll be uttering bad words). You might want an RJ-11 die for phone cords, but that's up to you.
A tool to strip the outer jacket of cables
Punchdown tool (for RJ-45 jacks & patch panels)
Screwdrivers: #2 Phillips (you'll probably never use a #1), 3/16" Flat, assorted Torx.
3/16" nutdriver (for those hex standoffs on DB connectors)
Spare parts: RJ-45 connectors, screws (there's 2 sizes in computers, generally), expansion slot blanking plates.
Band-aids. Computers often have sharp edges. A towel to cry in when everything you try doesn't work (j/k).
Pliers: needle-nose, side cutters. Scissors.
Can of compressed air. Tube of heat sink compound. Permanant markers, red & black (Sharpies work well). Roll of electrical tape.
Flashlight. A small LED light on your keychain also works well.
A multi-function tool (like a Leatherman) in your pocket for when your tool bag isn't handy. Mine's lost, if you find it let me know.
A cable tester is nice to have.
CD case for all your utilities discs. A Windows 98 boot floppy. A Linux rescue disk set if you are adventurous.
One more thing (Score:2)
Nobody mentionned ... (Score:2)
Repair Kit (Score:1)
the installation CD that comes with the mother
board was not kept in a health state, and it
is a pain in the ass to find a replacement CD.