check out the sqt, you'll love it.

>>55127557
Always flooded with randomness, usually less repair related as far as I'm concerned.

>>55127526
Suppose I want to get into the field. I want to know how to repair a computer but I am a pooorfag, don't know how to start or where to learn.

Also, I was watching video from Eli on youtube, are they good? They seem to. Videos seem the best alternative so far.

>>55127526
what kind of electronics, i paid 50 usd for having an old vynil player repaired, was i scammed or it worth it?

>>55127873

Not him, but I'm an I.T. consultant. I make okay money, but I've only just started to.

Yeah, despite the anti-eli people, his instructional videos for computer repair are great. Watch them and the troubleshooting methodology, it's the mindset you want to learn.

Also, learn to target a niche. Like enterprise, and gear your services to that. You should also understand that no one who goes far does it alone, so if you're the managerial type, you should hire people. If you're not, you still need to once the work gets to be... very regular. Get a guy to help you manage people if you're technical.

And computer repair's not dead, but isn't a specialization anymore (post .com bust it felt like to me). Learn more than that. Like web administration (really easy once you understand some linux skills).
The last bits you'll get for free is that the hourly rate when you start out if you find someone you know in enterprise should be .9 of their last guy, and remember the end users are people. What I mean by that is you have more than one reference per business, and more that happy end users means a happy point of contact, do what you need to within reason to make them happy.

Also, be ready to fire clients as your own boss, read the art of the deal and think and grow rich, and have a nice life.

>>55128030
Thanks anon.

>>55127873
Computers are easy to get in to, the trick is to seek out thrift store computers and even post ads or browse Craigslist for recycle or old computers. Videos are a good supplement to learning but for the most part you have to really just experiment and commit to practice. Use a beat up buggy computer and learn the basics. Troubleshoot, swap parts, learn driver identification, different operating systems, typically Windows. Don't bother with Linux at first, stick with what a typical customer would use. Memory, gpu, power supply testing and repeat. Force yourself to solve problems and you will learn. Focus on the basics, it's a mistake to try and get advanced when a majority of the problems you will solve are basic. Keep it simple and do things daily, delete drivers and figure out how to get them on a computer, learn how different operating systems and versions work by messing with them.

I've been in the field for one year now, wondering if it's worth staying in as long as you have per se. I'm doing pretty entry level repairs right now but I'm learning nonetheless. I was hired without any certs and am currently studying for A+. Due to recent circumstances which I'm too tired to explain to be honest, I can't go to college this upcoming year, and so my options are probably to stick with community college for two years, while continuing to work at my job.

If my finances continue to be shit, will leaving CC with an associate's degree (maybe a bachelor's if I can swing it), two to four years of entry level tech repair and a certification or two get my foot in the door? I'm not looking for advanced analyst work at this point, I'm happy to fix computers and my lifestyle isn't particularly financially demanding.

Also, I'd like to possibly be able to relocate, and I've noticed there's a lot of computer technician job postings on Craigslist, and was wondering if that'd be the best ticket to another region.

>>55128221
Also to further elaborate, I learned by fixing my own computer, learning to maintain it and upgrading for fun. Eventually I built my own server to experiment that way using thrift store computers. After that I would take friends computers and do simple repairs, if I couldn't handle it I didn't dig myself a hole, I would admit defeat and move on. Beyond that I started just doing anything electrical, keeping it basic, soldering, connections, cleaning, car audio and anything fairly simple that would make me a quick buck. At the earlier parts of my "career", I never charged by hour because an OS problem might take me hours to figure out. This is where the experience builds, focusing on the broad idea of being a good troubleshooter, rather than trying to be a master at everything I became a jack of all trades. These days if you want to make it in electronics repair you need to limit your focus, trying to master a single field does not work when you need to repair multiple devices with multiple problems. These days I repair anything, I don't use videos for instruction, I just call on experience and occasionally the web for hints. Using the web to solve a problem is a mistake, it's should be used for inspiration rather than specific instruction. Once you learn the basics and practice it still takes time, it took me about 10 years to create a successful chain of businesses that thrive and will continue to. IT vs electronics repair vastly different but you need IT skills to be successful, however; I train and instruct IT professionals on stuff that is not within their field. Recently I instructed about 20 staff at an IT company on backing up and maintaining their company phones, all because one older gentleman accidentally damaged his iPhone and had important info. I got his phone up and running and that sparked him to initiate the instructions to prevent it from possibly happening again.

>>55128368
It is not easy to be a general repair guy. I have seen literally dozens of business fail around me and multiple people crash and burn. I spent roughly 10 years building up to where I am and it takes 12 hours days 7 days a week some months just to keep the business rolling in and employees on track. Most associates I hire have minimal experience, they must commit to 1 month of training to do basic repairs, in which they do not get paid. After that they must remain in training (paid) for two more months to get to a level where they can properly work with customers. My best advice is to think in the realm of two paths.
Path 1. Maintain a generalized knowledge "jack of all trades master of none", so that you have a broad knowledge and can handle almost all repairs without much research. You slowly add on new skills and build them as you go, which allows you to stay in the repair world. If you focus too much on one portion, you lessen your usefulness.

Path 2. Focus on a specific area and master it. Let's say programming. Just like being a Karate Master, you can't really do much more than Karate, but you are at least a master and have a skill level well above others and can get higher pay if it is worthwhile and in demand.

I train many people, not just for stores but for those that want to enter the field. I try to give instructions based on the "saturation" principle. If you saturate yourself with one specific thing, you will fail.

Further example:

A customer walks in with an iPhone, Samsung Tablet, iMac and Beats by Dre headset. I can fix all of these things, and have them back to her in around 2 days or less. If I focused my career on lets say, programming, I would never have the broad knowledge needed to systematically repair all of these devices.

>>55127877
To be honest, I do not offer any repair at my store under $50, so I would say potentially it was reasonable. Diagnostics are always free, and simple fixes are as well. Anything that requires being specifically repaired will generally start at $50 and go up from there.

>>55128221
>>55128390
Interesting, thanks.

>>55128554
So to be honest, is it worth it?

No.

Stay in school even if you need to live in your car. This business is exceedingly stressful, and lower end in pay unless you do what I did. I try to do well for our associates but to be honest, if they committed to furthering their education they would make 5x as much.

Also, A+ and other type certifications may not really help unless you have a reasonable degree in related study. The key to a good career is working toward a specific set of references. In repair of a general nature, you literally limit your options to working for people like me, who will probably never be able to pay much more than 30k/yr.