What does a Computer Repair Technician do?

Computer repair technicians take malfunctioning computer hardware and software, then perform the necessary steps to diagnose and ensure the systems are returned to a usable state. Technicians also build and assemble personal computers and servers, and may set up local area networks of computers and other related devices.

Computer repair technicians mainly deal with the hardware components of a computer, but sometimes are called upon to install or replace drives, memory, and cards. A computer repair technician may be required to build a system from components and load the operating system software on to the hard disk. He will then locate and install the necessary programs, called drivers, that allow the operating system software to work with the hardware.

A computer repair technician will also work with the software of computers. This is usually the operating system software. Computers may get viruses or other malware infections, and a computer repair technician may be called upon to remove the offending programs. If the operating system software doesn't function and cannot be repaired, the technician will usually back up the user's data if possible, and format the hard disk with a new copy of the operating system.