Anyone here into computer repair?

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If I had one or the other I would pick software because software can usually be fixed on the spot whereas hardware often requires replacement parts. The most annoying problem I've ever had was a computer I built a couple years ago. the computer would crash after running between a few hours and a day or so. I was running ubuntu on it and after reading the logs I couldn't figure it out. After about a year of not really using this thing i figured out it was the raid card causing the errors.

"Hardware guys" like me are a dime a dozen... some have huge experience, some don't - both can usually build a machine and replace a broken part.

Software people make the big bucks and get the jobs, but it's much harder to learn... you have to think like a programmer or it'll be very difficult.

Old school mainframer (Control Data Cyber series 6000/7000/170-8xx/ETA10), later on Intel based PC/Server's. Still in the industry babysitting a large datacenter doing Operator, and Tech work.

hardware is easier to identify and fix but more expensive. software is cheap but requires alot of thinking and reverting back to something's original setting

Whats your customer base? Do they come to your shop front? How does it work?

My customer base is small right now. I'm the only person doing this and run it out of my garage. I prefer to go to the customers whether I fix software problems or replace hardware. If they are going out of town, I make them come to me and I charge them when they pick up their computers.

I'm mostly hardware, but I do some software things too. I had to replace the motherboard in Mom's computer recently, and I also upgraded some of the hardware in a Windows 95 machine so it could run more games and run them better. It also had a failed RAM module that I had to replace anyway, So I upgraded the RAM to the Max that the board supports, which, I think is 128MB, as the RAM for it has gotten really cheap.

Hi, any chance you know whats the max CPU for a Dell GX260 is it 2.8GHz or 2.66GHz. Am I better off just getting a 2.4GHz as I know for sure its compatible with a Socket 478 board?

There really isn't any "max CPU" for a computer. It all depends on the compatibility between the CPU, the motherboard, and the RAM.

The determination for the CPU depends upon the motherboard specs. I'm not sure if Dell consistently uses the same boards in particular models or not. I don't think you'd really notice a difference in performance between a 2.4 and a 2.8, not like you would running single vs dual or quad core.

90% of computer problems are software. Half of those are "It's slow", or hard drive is full. The answer to this is usually a quick cleanup, or if it's pretty bad, I wipe and install Linux, usually Mint.
Most of the hardware problems most people run into are dead motherboards(probably the capacitors) or overheating. Either sudden shutoffs by BIOS temp protection or just a dead computer. They buy a computer off the shelf with little to no ventilation, never clean it and wonder why it overheats after 5 years. I also build computers for people sometimes.

+1

Do you use a hard drive cleaner/optimizer? Do you use a registry cleaner/optimizer? Every computer, once the HDD gets over 75% full really slows down because the computer uses free space to do fast writes. Every program adds bloat, and every uninstalled program leaves behind junk that can gum up the system.

Another hardware failure issue? Failed BIOS battery. If your settings keep resetting when you power off, it can upset how the system boots up. Average battery is only good for 5 years.

Slow internet (dial up)? Odds are your modem is old. Yes, I know the 56Kbps is the top limit and hasn't changed in decades, but protocols do change, and I swear a computer with a new modem will connect and run better on a phone line than a 10 year old modem of the same speed.

With hardware that old you'd be wasting your money to upgrade it. High end parts for older computers are overpriced due to demand and lack of supply. You'd be better off saving the money to put towards low to mid ranged parts from the current or last generation of hardware. Combine them with parts from what you already have that can still be used with a new computer (monitor, keyboard, mouse, cd/dvd hard drives), and you'll have something that is worth upgrading over time, and the performance increase you get for the amount you spend will actually be worthwhile.

When I build a PC, I always make sure it has room for upgrades.

RAM usually isn't the case (I put all I'll ever need in when I build it), but if I'm cutting costs at the time of building, I ensure there are more slots for RAM, and I pick a MB/CPU combo that I can afford, but a MB model that can take a much faster CPU than the one I went with if I want the option to go to a significantly better CPU a few years later. Basically, if a MB could handle 15 steps of a CPU series, I'd get one where my CPU of choice is at the bottom and the top end CPU would cost something like $3,000. 3-5 years later, that $3,000 CPU is likely a couple hundred if I want to upgrade.

Which parts do you find the cheapest?
MB: ASUS?
CPU: AMD?
RAM: Samsung?
etc

I just started volunteering at free-geek in portland. They take used computers, scrap them for parts, assemble new ones, and install linux onto them. So far, I just take them apart.