Maximum PC

A friend and I are planning on starting a business. It wil be online/local(I'm going to school on the western end of the UP and he's going to school on the eastern end). I am thinking that it will be mostly building computers, some home networking, computer repairs, and such things. I think I am capable of doing all of the stuff, but I just want to make sure I'm not missing something, so could you tell me what you think we should make sure we know well?

Also, if you have any ideas for a name, that would be great(we would like it if there was an appropriate url open for it as well).

Microsoft has some free online evaluation tests on their certs website. You may be able to find a helpful one.

i dont think microsoft certification (while good to have) will really reveal all the little quirks that come with running such a business. he needs real practical advice/guidance/experience, not that which has lots of theory mixed in and a lot of info that won't necessarily apply.

I'm not talking about actually getting certs. I'm just talking about the free quizes they have on their website. It may or may not be helpful. Since it's free, it couldn't hurt.

If running a FT technology business is anything like the client support I provide on the side - the technoogy will be the easy part.

Managing customer expectations is the biggie. Knowing how to deal with a customer, even the angry one who makes no sense at all, is critical. Getting blamed for things that "worked before I brought it to you" when they aren't related, is pretty common.

Being held responsible for a part that fails simply because you installed it 6 months ago, is pretty common.

Anyway - it's much more about the customer interface than it ever is about the tech. If you (or your friend) are at all questioning your technical abilities, that's a sure sign you haven't pushed the needle on your learning gauge. Get out there and absorb some more obscure info!

I'm pretty confident in my knowledge, it's just that I haven't done a lot of actual work with that knowledge(I've built two computers and set up a smoothwall computer).

Hmm.. You might want to check out some of those free evaluation tests mentioned above. Not sure what you listed for experience will have much to do with your daily tasks.

I agree with DentedCan, nothing like installing a NIC card into an ancient compaq & having the motherboard die on you.

thank fully the PC was so old I actually had a faster one sitting in a corner collecting dust so I didn't have to purchase a replacment.
I was just out of college & doing it on the side, but I still learned a lesson.


If it's older than dirt don't touch it.

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, but the only ones that I see are $100+.

Would it be beneficial for me to read my dad's old('99 I think) A+ cert book?

The test has been retooled in 2003. I'm sure a bunch of the information in that book would still be useful, but you'd want to save time and weed out the subjects no longer covered.

What do you still need to know? Easy - CompTIA allows you to download the current exam objectives at this link. I would pull those down and use it as a checklist of things to study. Then you'll have a good idea of what's relevant in the older book.