How to Troubleshoot on the Go: IT Professionals

If you're an IT professional and people everywhere seek your help, you should always have the following portable, useful applications handy. Let's face it, you just never know when and where you might need these.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• USB Flash Drive
• Internet connection recommended

1. 
    

   Let's use the following tools within a USB flash drive, keeping all you need right in your pocket regardless where you go.
   
   First, equip free (and highly reliable) spyware applications on your flash drive. The most common and useful ones are Spybot S&D and Adaware. Just make sure you regularly update these from time to time.
   
   See external links for more information.

2. 
    

   Equip your flash drive with powerful anti-virus tools. Again, a free yet useful one is Grisoft's AVG. It provides all scanning capabilities and up-to-date definition files. As an alternative, Avast! Free Anti-virus is also a very respected, free and compact application.
   
   See external links for more information.

3. 
    

   Let's not leave behind a tool that can analyze your computer. That is, there are programs capable of detailing everything in a computer, from the amount of RAM to more complex motherboard/BIOS settings. You DEFINITELY NEED to know these things, in case you have to troubleshoot a rare, malfunctioning hardware/software. You simply have to know what you're dealing with.
   
   The best one I can recommend is EVEREST. See external links for more information.

4. 
    

   For issues that are more on the network side, you can use tools to further analyze unwanted traffic and holes. For example, you can use TCP view, which tells you which TCP and UDP ports are in use, as well as what applications or services are running it. This could be vital when it comes to identifying suspicious traffic, lack of speed on your internet connection, and so on.
   
   See external links for more information.

Tips & Warnings

• Just because you have these tools on your flash drive, do not think everything will be fine. Update these applications from time to time in order to keep make the most out of your troubleshooting experience.

Resources

• Adaware Spyware Tool
• Spybot Spyware Tool
• AVG Anti Virus - Free
• Avast! Anti Virus - Free
• EVEREST PC Inspection Tool
• TCP View

[screecwe]

on 4/23/2008 Belarc Advisor is a great auditing tool which gives you any info you could possibly need on a computer. www.belarc.com

I also use portableapps.com for my thumb drive which makes using these types of tools very easy.

And last but not least look on torrent websites for Hiren's Boot Cd. Probably the most powerful collection of techsupport tools ever compiled.

[screecwe]

on 4/23/2008 Belarc Advisor is a great auditing tool which gives you any info you could possibly need on a computer. www.belarc.com

I also use portableapps.com for my thumb drive which makes using these types of tools very easy.

And last but not least look on torrent websites for Hiren's Boot Cd. Probably the most powerful collection of techsupport tools ever compiled.

[MidniteWriter]

on 1/25/2008 I do most of this already, but I am going to download some of these tools. I think they will help. My flash drive is on the fritz, but I always carry CDs as a backup. Can never be too careful, it saves a lot of grief in the long run.

GREAT article!