How to Migrate from Windows to a Chrome OS

If you have already looked into buying a Chromebook, you probably noticed how limited the internal storage is on most of them. Seriously, who can get by with 16GB of internal storage?! The answer--most people.

One fantastic aspect of Chrome OS is that it pushes you to be device independent by expecting you to utilize Google services for cloud storage. Device independence means that you aren't reliant or locked into a single device. Did you just smash your Chromebook? No problem, just access your data from almost any other device with an internet connection until you replace it.

Because Google pushes Chromebook users to become device independent, most individuals barely use the limited internal storage on their Chromebook. Instead, they upload their data to the appropriate could-based Google service.

Most individuals can divide their data into five categories; Music, Photos, Videos, Books, and Documents. Google gives you free storage for each of these categories, which makes migrating from a Windows computer a breeze.

Music: Google Play Music

Google allows you to upload 20,000 songs for free! If you have more than 20,000 songs, it is probably time to clean unwanted music out of your library anyways. If you are worried about exceeding the 20,000 songs, remember that any music purchased through Google Play Music does not count towards your 20,000 song upload limit.

To upload your music, go to Google Play Music and press the "Add Music" button. Drag your entire "Music" folder from Windows Explorer into the Add Music window. For those of you who don't always get your music legitimately, you know who you are, look for more music in your Downloads folder.

Uploading music can take a long time, especially if your internet connection is slow. Get ready to sit back and wait.

Pictures and Videos: Google+ Photos

If your photos are less than 2048x2048 pixels, Google allows unlimited photo uploads to Google+ Photos. If your photos are larger than 2048x2048 pixels, Google+ Photos will automatically offer to scale the photos to qualify for unlimited photo uploads. 

Additionally, Google+ Photos allows unlimited video uploads for videos less than 15 minutes long. 

Understandably, you may want to keep some higher quality photos above 2048x2048 pixels or videos longer than 15 minutes. In this case, any the photos larger than 2048x2048 pixels or videos longer than 15 minutes count towards your "Drive Storage."

Every Google account automatically gets 15GB of Drive Storage. However, if you need more space, additional storage is fairly inexpensive. Drive Storage consists of Photos larger than 2048x2048 pixels and videos longer than 15 minutes inside of Google+ Photos. Additionally, all email in your Gmail account and all files uploaded to Google Drive count towards your Drive Storage.

Videos (again): YouTube

YouTube, we have all heard of it. However, most people just consume content and never upload their own. If you have videos over (or under) 15 minutes long that need to be stored online, look at storing them on YouTube. 

Google places strict guidelines on what can be uploaded, so YouTube is not the place to upload the latest season of Game of Thrones or any kinky bedroom videos. However, if you have some home videos, go ahead and upload them. Who knows, you may be sitting on the next viral cat video.
If you are concerned about privacy, you can set the privacy setting to private so only select individuals can view your video.

eBooks: Google Play Books

Google Play Books allows you to upload up to 1000 PDF or EBUP documents smaller than 100MBs each. If you're a person that likes to read eBooks on your phone, tablet, or computer, you can upload your eBooks to Google Play Books to read your book from any device. Additionally, you can switch between devices and pick up right where you left off.

Furthermore, all books, magazines, and comics purchased through Google Play Books are accessible from your library and do not count towards your 1000 document upload limit.

Everything Else: Google Drive

Google Drive is essentially where all your documents and miscellaneous files get stored. However, you have to be conscious of this space because files uploaded to Google Drive count towards your Drive Storage limit. However, files made with Google apps like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, etc. do not count towards your storage limit. You can have as many of them as you want.

If you are migrating from Windows, utilize the other Google services mentioned in this post first. Remaining files should be uploaded to Google Drive if you want to keep them.

You could not utilize any other Google services and just upload all your files to Google Drive. However, because individuals only get 15GBs of Drive Storage, this is not a viable free option for most people. You could just pay for expanded Drive Storage so you could upload all your files, but then you will not be able to utilize the features of other Google services.

That is all there is to it. After everything is uploaded to Google services, you can log into your Chromebook and have instance access to all your files.

Have any questions about the Chrome OS environment? Tell us about it in the comments below.

How to Study for the Cisco ICND2 200-101 Exam on a Budget

It took nearly eight and a half month, but I finally got around to sitting my INCD2 200-101 exam--and Passed! I wrote a prior post on How to Study for the Cisco ICND1 100-101 Exam on a Budget. Although the materials I used for the 200-101 have not changed much, these are the study materials I used to pass my test and become CCNA certified on a budget.

BEST OPTIONS FOR UNDER $25

Buy: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom ($25)

Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide is hands down the best exam preparation material that can be purchased for both networking neophytes and veterans. The book is well written and breaks topics down into small, easy to read chapters. Before each chapter you can take a short quiz to determine if you already know what the chapter covers. In addition, a companion CD is included with the book. The companion CD has quizzes for the end of each section as well as simulation labs, and a lot more supplemental material.

Trial: CBT Nuggets offers a trial of it's entire IT training video library for one week, which should be plenty of time to watch the entire Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 series for free! The total course duration for the Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 series is 13 hours and 40 minutes--easily watchable in a one week for most people. Additionally, the series' audio tracks can be downloaded and listened to offline.

Be sure to check out my post on how to avoid being charged after the CBT Nuggets trial ends. 

I went with this $25 option for the ICND2 200-101 exam. I found the time to watch the entire Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 series in just one week and then proceeded to read Wendell's book cover-to-cover--using the companion CD along the way.

BEST OPTIONS FOR UNDER $125

Buy: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom ($25)

Subscribe: CBT IT Training Videos ($99 Per Month)

If you can't find the time to watch all the CBT Nugget the entire Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 series in a week, your next option is to pay for a full month. The sticker price is expensive, but the content quality is worth every penny if you can't squeeze watching the entire series in one week during the trial.

CONCLUSION

Try to do the $25 option. Don't worry if you do not fully grasp all the material after watching the CBT Nugget series once. I used the CBT Nugget series as an introduction into the INCD2 200-101 topics. I then used Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom to really learn everything I needed to know for the exam. While the CBT IT Training Videos helped introduce me to a new topic and make it less scary, Wendell's book gave me the details I needed to pass the exam. 

Lastly, make sure know all the topics that Cisco lists on the exam's webpage before sitting the exam. As soon as you know each topic well enough to be able to explain them to someone else, you should be ready to sit the exam. Good luck!

How has your experience been with these products? Do you have any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments below.

Use a USB-to-Serial Adapter on a Chromebook with Beagle Term

I love my Acer C720 Chromebook. However, as a Network Administrator I was constantly having to switch over to my Windows laptop to use a USB-to-Serial adapter to configure networking equipment. At least until I discovered an application called Beagle Term for Chrome.

Beagle Term

Platform: Google Chrome

Price: Free

Download Page

What is it?

Beagle Team a serial terminal emulator, written entirely in JavaScript and can be added to any device that supports Google Chrome Apps--For instance, Chrome OS. Additionally, it is lightweight, easy to use, open-source, and free!

Bottom Line

Beagle Term is a necessity for anyone that has to use USB-to-Serial adapters--especially with a Chromebook. In my experience, not only is it super easy to install (you press one button), but it is much easier than connecting to a serial interface with PuTTY on a Windows device.

Have any great Chrome apps that you don't know how others can live without? Or have anything to add about Beagle Term? Tell us about it in the comments below.

A College Student's Chromebook Review (Acer C720)

As a college student, I saw almost every student spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on laptops they thought they needed, only to use it for surfing the internet and writing papers. This made me wonder how much computer the average college student needed. During my last semester of college, I purchased a Chromebook for less than $200 just to see how well it would handle in an academic environment.

What is a Chromebook:

First of all, what is a Chromebook? If you have been searching around for a new computer, you have probably come across the name. In short, a Chromebook is a small, lightweight computer,  with Chrome OS (not Windows or OSX). However, instead of reading me drone on about what Chromebooks are, check out this great video explanation released by Google:

Great! Now that you are up to speed on what a Chromebook is, let's look at the advantages, disadvantages, and misconceptions I have discovered while I used my Chromebook as a college student.

Advantages:

Price: Chromebooks are cheap! Probably the cheapest laptops you will be able to find. My favorite model, the Acer C720, is only $199.00 at the time of this article. I know many students that took out student loans 4 times this amount just for a low end MacBook Air.

Speed: When my Acer C720 is turned completely off, it takes me about 5-6 seconds to turn it on and be on the internet. As a side note, there is no annoying noise that plays when I boot up the computer in the middle of class. When using Chrome, I have had 30+ tabs open while doing research and never once did it feel like there was a delay when switching between tabs or creating new ones.

Safety: Many students get their computers infected. It just happens. However, that is not something to necessarily worry about with a Chromebook. Of course, there is still things out there like phishing scams that everyone is vulnerable too, but a full on infection is very unlikely.

Automatic Saving: I worked for my school's IT department and had countless students come to me in tears because they lost their research paper or thesis when their computer crashed. If you use Google's products like Google Docs, your files are automatically saved to the Google's servers every time you make a change.

Portability: My Acer C720 weighs in at 2.8 pounds and easily fits into almost any bag. I thought the 11.6 inch screen would bother me when doing research or writing a paper, but it never did. 

Battery Life: I can easily get 8 hours of use out of my Chromebook before having to recharge it. If I turn my Chromebook off when I'm not using it, it could easily go almost a week without a recharge.

Disadvantages:

Third-Party Applications: The only disadvantage I  found is if you have specific applications that you need to use like Adobe Creative Cloud applications or AutoCAD, a Chromebook may not be for you. However, most schools have this software available on public computers for student use. Additionally, I can usually find an alternative solution either in the Chrome Web Store or when searching for other web apps.

Misconceptions:

Microsoft Office: Many people believe that they will not have access to Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel on a Chromebook. Google does have it's own versions of these applications, but if you want Microsoft's products, they are available FREE in the Chrome Web Store:

• Microsoft Word Online
• Microsoft Excel Online
• Microsoft PowerPoint Online
• Microsoft Outlook Online

Storage Space: Additionally, lot of people get driven away when they see that Chomebooks usually only come with 16-32GB of hard drive space. However, Google offers quite a bit of free online storage, so not only are you keeping all your files from filling up your hard drive, but you have access to your files from almost any device with an internet connection.

Offline Access: Lastly, it is commonly believed that if you don't have internet access, you cannot work on anything. Google allows you to download files so you can work on your documents and such while you are offline. When you reconnect to the internet, your documents automatically sync to your online Google Drive storage.

Conclusion:

In my experience, my Acer C720 was perfect for what I needed. and for less than $200, I was more than happy. I could boot up in an instant to take notes in class, write papers and create PowerPoint presentations without an issue, listen to music, video chat with friends, and watch movies. For most students, a $200 Chromebook is all you will ever need.

Have you ever used a Chromebook for school? if so, how was your experience? Have any questions before you get a Chromebook? Tell us about it in the comments below.

6 Tips to Becoming a Better Scout in Team Fortress 2

The Scout, an agile asset to any side in Team Fortress 2 if played correctly. Otherwise, the Scout can easily became a nuisance their own team. Here are some basic tips to improve the skills of anyone interested in the Scout.

1. Aim with the Keyboard. An untrained Scout can always be identified by its spastic motions and inability to hit their target. This is commonly because they are darting their mouse all over the place, trying to get the shoot. Instead, the mouse should generally be used for small motions and the majority of aiming should be done with the keyboard while moving. This will give you a much steadier and accurate shot. 


2. Don't Stop. With a base health of 125 HP, one good hit could (probably will) kill you. The best preventative measure for this is to not give your enemies a chance to line up a shot. Even when nobody appears to be around, keep moving.


3.  Don't Be Predictable. I told you to always move, but that doesn't mean to move in a predictable manner. Add some zigzags and spontaneous jumps. If the enemy can determine where you're going, they can set up a shot before you get there. 


4. Get Close and Get Out. Shooting a Scattergun at an enemy halfway across the arena is not only a waste of ammo, but also leaves you vulnerable while you try line up the shot. close in the space between you and you enemy in order to take a shot, and get the hell out of there. Your job is to deal damage, distract, and then get out of site before you die.


5. Increase Mouse Sensitivity. As a scout, agility is key. If you don't take advantage of this, you die. Increase you sensitivity enough to have the ability to jump over an enemy, do a 180 degree spin, and shoot them on your way down.


6. Know the Arena. Most importantly, know where all the health pack are. If you're get lost with low health, you will die in an instant.

Have any more Scout tips? Or are you having trouble with one in particular? Let me know in the comments below.

How to Gain Experience in the Tech Industry

All tech students are told "Oh that's a great field! You won't have a problem finding a job." However, many tech graduates cannot land a job in this "high demand" field. Why? Because most have no real-world experience.

Experience matters. Sure, you have a pretty degree that displays your dedication to this field, but so do most job applicants. You look exactly the same as the other hundred applicants for the job. So what was the purpose of a degree? Foundation. Foundations and theory are great, but most graduates have no idea how to apply this to real world scenarios. Employers know this, and they are not about to hire someone who needs training on how to do every little thing. 

So how do you gain experience in a field that won't accept you until you have experience? You find somewhere desperate enough to deal your screw ups (trust me, they will happen). This is easiest by volunteering your services. Non-profit organizations are generally excited to have anyone bring their neglected systems into the 21st century. Start with tune-ups and probably some virus removal, and then just work forward from there with as much as the organization will allow. Set goals and reach them. Keep in mind that not everything you do will relate to your desired career path. However, this is to get you in the door of a paying company, so do whatever you can. All the while, add your accomplishments to your résumé and keep applying.

Try CBT Nuggets IT Training Videos for Free

CBT Nuggets is one of the most well known video training services among IT professionals. There is a variety of different series from Microsoft Excel training to network security. However, many individuals are chased away by the subscription prices. Luckily, CBT Nuggets launched a free one week trial program earlier this month.

One week may not seem very long. However, for those of us who are studying for certifications, watching an entire certification series in one week is feasible.  In all, this trial program is an amazing opportunity to all IT professionals with empty wallets, like me. If you only plan on using the one week trial, keep in mind that CBT Nuggets will automatically charge you for an annual subscription when the trial period is over. So to avoid financial disaster, opt out of auto-enroll immediately after creating your account.

How to Study for the Cisco ICND1 100-101 Exam on a Budget

Earlier this month I passed the Cisco CCENT 100-101 ICND1 Exam. It took a lot more studying than I was used to and the exam experience was new as well. However, before I started studying, I researched the best material to study with when money is tight. Now that everything has worked out, this post is dedicated to the top study materials money can buy when you're on a tight budget.

Options for Under $50

Buy: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom ($28)

Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide is by far the best exam preparation material that can be purchased for both beginners and for those that have been in the field for a long time. The book is well written and breaks topics down into small chapters. Before each chapter you can take a short quiz to see if you already know what the chapter covers. In addition, a companion CD is included with the book. The companion CD has quizzes for the end of each section as well as simulation labs, and a lot more supplemental material.

Rent: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom ($20)

If you're very low on funds, you can just rent the book. However, I would make the investment if you plan on going into the networking field.

Options for Under $100

Subscribe: CBT IT Training Videos ($99 Per Month)

The sticker price is expensive, but the content quality is worth every penny. The total course duration for the Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 series is 23 hours and 20 minutes--easily watchable in a one month subscription. Additionally, the series' audio tracks can be downloaded and listened to offline. The video and audio content combined is worth $99.

Best Option for Under $150

Buy: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom ($28)

And

Subscribe: CBT IT Training Videos ($99 Per Month)

This is the option I went with. I watched all the CBT Nugget videos in less than a month and listened to the audio tracks on my daily commute. After I finished the nuggets, I read Wendell's book cover-to-cover--using the companion CD along the way. The combination of both products seemed to work out well. I passed the exam the first time with a pretty decent score. Furthermore, feel much more confident about my networking fundamentals than my friends who used other products feel about theirs.

Conclusion

If you can only afford one product, buy Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide. While the CBT IT Training Videos helped introduce me to a new topic, Wendell's book got into the detail I needed to pass the exam. Good luck!

Finished with the ICND1 100-101? See my post on How To Study For The Cisco ICND2 200-101 Exam On A Budget.

UPDATE: CBT Nuggets now offers a one week free trial, which should be enough time to watch the entire Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 series for free. 

How has your experience been with these products? Do you have any other suggestions? Let me know in the comments below.

My Cisco CCENT 100-101 ICND1 Exam Experience

After months of hard work, I passed the 100-101 ICND1 exam today. I studied enough that I felt confident that I would pass. However, I was still anxious because I had never taken a test in a testing center, and I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know when my score would be posted, what the testing center needed, how long the entire process would take, and so on. Now that it's over, I want to share my experience in the testing center.

First off, the testing center advises showing up 15 minutes before your appointment. I somehow missed traffic and arrived 45 minutes early, which meant 30 minutes of psyching myself out in my car before entering the testing center—hoping I wasn't about to waste the $150 testing fee.

The testing center required two forms of identification when I entered. One ID required a signature and one had to be a photo ID. I used my driver’s license and social security card. However, I have heard that you can use a credit card as a signature ID. After I handed over my IDs, I had to fill out a couple of simple forms consisting of check boxes and signatures. Afterwards, I signed a digital signature pad and take a photo. The proctor had me place all my person belongings in a locker including my analog watch, phone, keys, and wallet. I was then given a laminated paper and erasable marker before entering the testing room.

The proctor logged into the computer and opened the exam. A timer started counting down from 15 minutes when the proctor left—time to read the exam rules and review the Cisco Certification Exam Tutorial. The same tutorial on the Cisco website linked HERE. Many individuals suggest watching the tutorial at home before the exam and instead using that time to write all the notes in your head. I decided against using my paper, but I advise making notes during your tutorial time if you plan on using notes.

The test finally started. I had 90 minutes to answer 50 questions. The exam consisted of multiple choice, multiple answer, drag and drop, simlets and testlets. Keep in mind that while taking an exam the testing center can get noisy as was the case when I took the exam. Many individuals advise bringing foam ear plugs. Just be sure to check with your proctor before bringing the ear plugs into the testing room.

The computer congratulated me and presented my preliminary score after the exam was over. I was then asked to participate in a short survey. The preliminary score will range from 300 to 1000; however, you will need at least an 804 to pass. On a piece of paper you are given before you leave, this preliminary score and does not constitute an official score report. Cisco still has to analyze your exam responses for validity before it is official. The paper I was given says to allow 10 days for Cisco to receive your exam results. After 10 days you can view your certification status by logging into the Certification Tracking System at http://www.cisco.com/go/certifications/login. Furthermore, you will receive an email from Cisco when your results are finalized.

So now I am waiting for my exam to show up in the Certification Tracking System before I can say I am officially CCENT certified. Good luck!

UPDATE: My certification status was posted in the Certification Tracking System 11 hours after I took the exam—not 10 days. However, I'm sure this varies.

How was your testing experience? Or do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below. If you're preping for the exam, check out my post on How to Study for the Cisco ICND1 100-101 Exam on a Budget.

Recover Your Own Gold from Old Electronics

Gone are the days when gold prospectors sift through rocks and dirt in rivers and hills. Modern-day prospectors get their gold from old phones and computer components. Best of all, just about anyone can do this in their apartment or garage with just a little collecting.

The Instructable in the source link illustrates the entire process, but you’re basically, just collecting old electronics, soaking them in a mixture of readily available chemicals, and then melting down the result into a gold ingot. With that in mind, it's time sit in sadness like the rest of us while you think about all the electronics you have thrown in the trash over the years and all the gold that could have amounted to.

Gold Recovery | Instructables

A Complete Guide to Repairing Computers on the Side

Whether you're a PC guru, noob, or somewhere in between, PC repair can be a rewarding effort. Rewards range from a decent steam of cash, building up experience, or both. Either way, here is a basic guide to doing PC repair on the side or full-time.

Avoiding Emergencies. When many technicians start out they find themselves paying out of pocket for a client's new computer because the technician accidentally did something wrong. After it happens once it rarely happens again, however, it's best to avoid this situation entirely. Precautions that should be taken are as follows:

• Liability Release Forms. A quick Google search can pull up hundreds of different liability release forms that PC repair shops use to protect themselves. Unless you did something absolutely ridiculous, one of these forms can protect you too from liability for further damage.
• Comfort Zone. Never try a new repair or technique on a client's computer unless they tell you to give it a try. If you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with a repair or technique, let the client know. This way they have a chance to back out. It's better to lose one repair job than to break a client's computer and have the word spread that you don't know what you're doing. Reputation is everything.
• Backup. If possible, image a client's hard drive before starting repairs. Although this does significantly lower turnaround time, it allows the technician to restore the computer to the condition the client left it in if anything goes wrong.
• Accounting. Always keep records of your earnings and expenses. You can go all out and purchase software to do this or use a simple spreadsheet--either way it is necessary. Last thing you want is to be contacted by the IRS.

Skills. Bare minimum, you should know how to remove malware from a machine. However, the more you know the more work you can take on and the faster you can turn over computers. There are numerous videos on YouTube and articles online that a created to help individuals develop these skills--take advantage of this.

Tools (Hardware). A basic hardware toolkit for diagnosis and repair are composed of at least the following items:

• Anti-Static Wrist Band (always uses one when touching parts or components)
• Compressed Air (in a can or from a compressor)
• Flash Drives (multiple for data client data or tools)
• Hard Drives (for data backups)
• Screwdriver Set (minimum a Phillips and a flat-head)
• USB to IDE/SATA Adapter (for data backups or recovery)

Tools (Software). Opinions on specifics software are subjective and differ amongst technicians. However, most technicians agree that bare minimum a new technician should have the following in their toolkit:

• CCleaner (removing temp files and cleaning registry)
• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (the technician license is fairly inexpensive)
• Microsoft Security Essentials (for clients how don't have an antivirus)
• NT Offline Password and Registry Editor (for clearing Windows passwords)
• ProduKey ( Office and Windows product key recovery)

Business Structure. Don't start looking for a storefront quite yet. There is still a lot of money to be made working out of your home. For a starting setup, just a designated area in your home with stable Internet access, a desk, and comfortable chair can take you a long way. If you find yourself working on multiple desktop computers at once, a cheap KVM is definitely a worthwhile investment. If you are working on several laptops at once, it may be worthwhile to move to a larger workbench or table. Possibly most important, Google Voice is your friend. With Google Voice you can adjust when you want to accept work related calls, you can archive all texts sent to and from clients, and it is easy to paste templates into the texting web app informing clients that their computers is finished.

Charging. How to charge and how much is a highly debated topic amongst technicians. You never want to sell yourself short, but then again if you ask too much, clients will just buy a new computer instead. One of the best things you can do is see what repair shops in the area are changing and then undercut those prices to help get your foot in the door. Keep in mind how to price your services as well. Most services are best to charge by the hour. What you may have thought was just a quick fix could take hours, so it's best to protect yourself. However, if you're charging someone to install hardware like ram or a new graphics card, a flat rate would be more appropriate. If you can't find out what repair shops in the area charge, here's a general guideline for pricing:

• Beginners (you're still getting your foot in the door, still learning a lot, just picking up a gig here and there, and only have small client base): $15-$30 per hour
• Intermediate (you've obtained a certification Comptia A+, computer repair is more than just something you do on the side, and you've established a decent client base): $30-$50 per hour
• Expert (you've dedicated yourself to computer repair for several years and have a large client base): $50-$120 per hour

Advertising. Gone are the days where money was required to get your name out there and bring in clients. Some free methods of advertising are as follows:

• Word of Mouth. Surprisingly word of mouth will be where most of your clients come from. However, keep in mind that this is only effective if you do good work and you are good with clients.
• Social Media. Don't be shy about what you do. Let your friends, connections, and followers know that you mean business.
• Craigslist. It takes just a couple of minutes to make a post that can reach a lot of potential clients.
• Local College or University. Talk to the IT Department there and give them a stack of business cards. With any luck, they will hand your cards out to students and faculty experiencing issues.
• Local bulletin boards. Print off a flyer promoting services you offer. This may not pay off tremendously, but it never hurts to try.

Miscellaneous Tips. Just when you think you know everything there is something else around the corner. Luckily this is a good thing. Here are some tips to help increase your earning potential:

• Keep Old Parts. Collect all the parts you come across that are known to be good and not obsolete. With a little time you can accumulate enough parts to build a "refurbished" computer that can be sold to a client.
• Keep RAM in Stock. Adding extra RAM into a computer before repairing it can make the process a lot less painful. Furthermore, if the client decides they like the increased speed, you can sell the RAM at a marked up price.
• Learn Data Recover. Data recovery is a valuable skill that is not too difficult to learn. Clients often will pay anything to get their files back. Just do some research, and you could potentially cash in big.
• Automation. Once you develop procedures for repairs like PC tune-ups or malware removal, learn how to automate as much of the procedures as possible with scripting.  Automation could potentially allow the computer to repair itself after a couple initial clicks. 

Do you have any tips not listed? Or are you having trouble getting started? Let me know in the comments below.