Build Your Own Beginner's Tool Kit

Computers do not maintain themselves. Despite being able to take your desktop or notebook into a computer shop and paying someone to take a look at it, nothing beats being able to get your hands dirty and fix your own computer while saving a few bucks to do it. Whether you are a beginning computer user or a more advanced user, anybody can take the time to put together a basic tool kit and do minor work on their unit.

Besides the obvious money-saving tactic, most basic computer work can be done by an amateur. It does not take a Microsoft certified technician or Geek Squad Agent to fix some of the most basic problems you may run into as a computer owner. Every beginning computer user, in particular, should keep basic computer tools in their home should they run into problem they can fix themselves. With a little bit of research, effort and patience, you, too, can fix your computer in a tight situation.

Professionals will tell you to spend hundreds of dollars on an expensive, underused and overflowing toolkit. In all honesty, unless you are building your own computer or maintaining a problem computer over the long-run, you do not need the tools in that type of kit to keep your computer healthy. In fact, for less than about fifty dollars, you can have the perfect beginner's tool kit at your disposal to combat the simplest problems and give you a foundation to build a more advanced kit down the line as you learn more.

For a beginner's tool kit, the following tools are essential to keep in your home as you start your kit:

- Can of compressed air

- Mini-flashlight

- One set of mini-screwdrivers

- A flat-head screwdriver

- A Phillips-head screwdriver

Most of these items you will find in your home already. A flat-head and Phillips-head screwdriver are used to take apart your computer case and monitor, as well as less fragile components inside your desktop tower. The set of mini-screwdrivers will help the notebook owner as they are dealing with a smaller frame of reference within their case. Of course, these tinier screwdrivers can also help inside the desktop computer if you are dealing with smaller components but in most cases, you will find the larger set to be more than adequate.

A mini-flashlight is the optimal way to see inside your desktop or notebook if the case is opened. While most would assume natural lighting or artificial lighting would be the optimal way to work on your computer, chances are the harder to reach areas will not see the day of light when you open it up. A mini-flashlight is easier to position and hold as you take a look around inside and determine problem areas.

Cans of compressed air are the easiest way to clean out your computer tower and fans. This is a process that should take place every six to eight weeks to keep your fan running at optimal power. Delaying this type of cleaning can cause your fan to over clock itself and by proxy overheat your hard drive and motherboard which will cause fatal errors. By opening up your desktop tower, using a can of compressed air and clearing out the dust that has gathered, you are saving yourself heartache down the line by preventing HD and motherboard failure sooner than its shelf-life should be.

These cans of air can also be used to clean your keyboard, your USB ports and other component parts and to clear just random dust in your particular unit. When it comes to the can of air, you want to hold it about six to eight inches away from your intended surface and evenly air out the area with the intent to push the dust out of the tower.

Cleaning out a notebook can be a more tedious process, but you can avoid opening the case up by staying three to five inches from the fan itself and spraying the air into it at an angle so that the dust flows out from the back of the notebook. More in-depth cleaning of the motherboard and unit can only be done by opening the case itself, and for a beginner, this should be avoided unless you have someone walk you through the process first.

The very basic tools can generally be found in your own home. If not, you can go to your local hardware store or Wal-Mart and pick them up. Cans of compressed air can be found at any home or consumer electronics store, and in most states, must be purchased in person as opposed to being ordered online.

If you want to invest the money, any consumer electronics or computer store will have pre-made computer tool kits for purchase. Amazon.com and more centralized computer places on the Internet will have more advanced kits to fit your needs as well. When it comes down to it, you can customize your kit any way you like, and thanks to the world wide web, it is a little easier for any computer user to find the right kit for their needs.