Computer repair technician

Computer technicians working at stations (2000). Tagged repairs in process can be seen on lower shelves at left, and service parts in labeled boxes seen above them.

Acomputer repair technicianis a person who repairs andmaintainscomputersandservers.Thetechnician's responsibilities may extend to include building or configuring newhardware,installing and updatingsoftwarepackages, and creating and maintainingcomputer networks.

Overview

Computer technicians work in a variety of settings, encompassing both thepublicandprivate sectors.Because of the relatively brief existence of the profession, institutions offer certificate and degree programs designed to prepare new technicians, but computer repairs are frequently performed by experienced andcertifiedtechnicians who have little formal training in the field.

Private sector computer repair technicians can work in corporateinformation technologydepartments, central service centers or in retail computer sales environments. Public sector computer repair technicians might work in the military, national security or law enforcement communities, health or public safety field, or an educational institution. Despite the vast variety of work environments, all computer repair technicians perform similar physical and investigative processes, includingtechnical supportand oftencustomer service.Experienced computer repair technicians might specialize in fields such asdata recovery,system administration,networkingorinformation systems.Some computer repair technicians are self-employed or own a firm that provides services in a regional area. Some are subcontracted asfreelancersorconsultants.This type of computer repair technician ranges from hobbyists and enthusiasts to those who work professionally in the field.

Computer malfunctions can range from a minor setting that is incorrect, tospyware,viruses,and as far as replacing hardware and an entireoperating system.Some technicians provide on-site services, usually at an hourly rate. Others can provide services off-site, where the client can drop their computers and other devices off at the repair shop. Some have pickup and drop off services for convenience. Some technicians may also take back old equipment forrecycling.This is required in theEU,underWEEErules.

Hardware repair

While computer hardware configurations vary widely,a computer repair technician that works onOEMequipment will work with five general categories of hardware;desktop computers,laptops,servers,computer clustersandsmartphones/mobile computingdevices. Technicians also work with and occasionally repair a range ofperipherals,includinginput devices(likekeyboards,mice,webcamsandscanners),output devices(likedisplays,printers,andspeakers), anddata storage devicessuch as internal and externalhard drivesand disk arrays. Technicians involved in system administration might also work withnetworking hardware,includingrouters,switches,cabling,fiber optics,andwireless networks.

Software repair

When possible, computer repair technicians protect the computer user's data and settings. Following a repair, an ideal scenario will give the user access to the same data and settings that were available to them prior to repair. To address a software problem, the technician could take an action as minor as adjusting a single setting or they may implore more involved techniques such as: installing, uninstalling, or reinstalling various software packages. Advanced software repairs often involve directly editing keys and values in theWindows Registryor running commands directly from thecommand prompt.

A reliable, but somewhat more complicated procedure for addressing software issues is known as asystem restore(also referred to asimaging,and/or reimaging), in which the computer's original installation image (includingoperating systemand original applications) is reapplied to aformattedhard drive. Anything unique such as settings or personal files will be destroyed and ergo only available if backed up onto external media, as this reverts everything back to its original unused state. The computer technician can only reimage if there is an image of the hard drive for that computer either in a separate partition or stored elsewhere.

On aMicrosoft Windowssystem, if there is a restore point that was saved (normally saved on thehard driveof the computer) then the installed applications andWindows Registrycan be restored to that point. This procedure may solve problems that have arisen after the time the restore point was created.

If no image or system restore point is available, a fresh copy of the operating system is recommended. Formatting and reinstalling the operating system will require the license information from the initial purchase. If none is available, the operating system may require a new licence to be used.

Data recovery

One of the most common tasks performed by computer repair technicians after software updates and screen repairs isdata recovery.This is the process of recovering lost data from acorrupted or otherwise inaccessible hard drive.

In most cases third-party data recovery software is used to retrieve the data and transfer it to a new hard drive. Specialists say in about 15% of the cases the data is unable to be recovered as the hard disk is damaged to a point where it will no longer function.

Blackblaze'sannual report indicates that the hard drive failure rate for the first quarter of 2020 was 1.07%.

Education

Education requirements vary by company andindividual proprietor.The entry level requirement is generally based on the extent of the work expected. Often a4 year degreewill be required for a more specialized technician, where as a general support technician may only require a2 year degreeor some post secondary classes.

Certification

Common Certifications

The most common certification for computer repair technicians are theCompTIAA+ CertificationandNetwork+Certifications.

Additional Certifications

Additional certifications are useful when technicians are expanding their skill set. These will be useful when seeking advanced, higher paying positions. These are generally offered by specific software or hardware providers and will give the technician an in-depth knowledge of the systems related to that software or hardware. For instance, theMicrosoft Technology AssociateandMicrosoft Certified Solutions Associatecertifications give the technician proof that they have mastered PC fundamentals.

Additional Computer Technician Certifications

• Microsoft(MCSE,MCITP,MCTS)
• Apple(ACSP, ACTC)
• International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (CISSP)
• Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
• Project Management Professional(PMP)

Additional Network Technician Certifications

• CiscoCCNAandCCNP
• CiscoCCIEEnterprise Infrastructure and CCIE Enterprise Wireless
• SolarWindsCertified Professional
• WiresharkWCNA

License

InTexas,computer companies and professionals are required to haveprivate investigators’ licenses if they access computer data for purposes other than diagnosis or repair. Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1702 section 104, subsection 4(b).

See also

• Information systems technician
• Rework (electronics)
• 3-Pronged Parts Retriever