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Computer Issues Library

344 common computer problems — understand what is wrong and how we fix it. Browse by category or search for your issue.

344 issues
Laptop Issues

Laptop Won't Turn On

Power button pressed but nothing happens could be a failed battery, faulty charger, or motherboard issue.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Won’t Cast or Mirror to a Smart TV (Wireless Display Not Working)

The TV never appears in the Cast or Connect list when you try to mirror your screen — usually the laptop and TV are on different Wi-Fi networks, Miracast or Wi-Fi Direct is switched off, or the wireless display driver is missing or outdated.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Overheating

Laptop gets extremely hot and shuts down unexpectedly often caused by dust-clogged fans or dried thermal paste.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Battery Draining Fast

Battery drops from 100% to zero in under an hour ageing battery or background apps consuming power.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Making Loud Fan Noise

Constant loud whirring sound dust buildup, failing fan bearing, or heavy CPU load.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Keyboard Not Working

Some or all keys unresponsive liquid spill, loose ribbon cable, or driver issue.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Touchpad Not Responding

Cursor frozen or jumpy disabled in settings, driver conflict, or hardware failure.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Running Slow

Programs take forever to open, multitasking lags low RAM, failing hard drive, or malware.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Won't Charge

Plugged in but battery percentage stays at zero faulty charger, damaged charging port, or dead battery.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Spilled with Water or Coffee

Liquid damage to keyboard or motherboard immediate action needed to prevent permanent corrosion.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Hinge Broken or Loose

Screen wobbles or won't stay in position worn hinge mechanism, loose screws, or cracked plastic mounting points.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Keyboard Keys Sticking or Jammed

Dust, debris, or liquid residue causing individual keys to stick, jam, or fail to spring back up common after food or drink spills.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Screen Flickers When Moving Lid

Loose or damaged internal display ribbon cable causing intermittent screen flicker when adjusting the laptop lid.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Webcam Shows Black Screen in Video Calls

Camera indicator light turns on but display is black — privacy shutter engaged, driver conflict, or camera module hardware failure.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Trackpad Cursor Jumps or Moves on Its Own

Cursor jumps around or drifts across the screen without touching the pad often caused by a worn trackpad, a swollen battery pressing underneath, or outdated drivers.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Keyboard Backlight Not Working

The keyboard backlight stays dark even with the brightness key pressed — a disabled setting, a driver issue, or a faulty backlight ribbon cable.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Keys Typing Numbers Instead of Letters

Typing on the main keyboard produces numbers instead of letters, usually because the Num Lock key is toggled on or stuck.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Stuck on Logo Screen at Startup

Laptop hangs at the brand logo before Windows loads — a failing hard drive or SSD, corrupted boot settings, or a hardware fault preventing startup.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Screen Black but Power Light On

The laptop powers on with the fan spinning and power light on, but the screen stays black — a loose display cable, faulty LCD panel, or a RAM or graphics driver issue.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Runs Slow on Battery but Fast When Plugged In

Performance drops sharply the moment the charger is unplugged — Windows power saver mode, CPU throttling, or a degraded battery limiting power delivery.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Dedicated GPU Not Detected by Windows

The laptop runs only on its weaker built-in graphics because the dedicated GPU has vanished from Device Manager, often after a driver failure, a Windows update, or a hardware fault.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Fan Not Spinning or Spinning Intermittently

The laptop runs hot and the fan never spins up, or it stops and starts erratically — a clogged fan, worn bearing, or faulty fan controller causing overheating and sudden shutdowns.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Screen Goes Black When Plugging or Unplugging Charger

Display blacks out for a moment whenever AC power is connected or removed — often the screen switching refresh rates or a graphics driver glitch, sometimes tied to power plan settings.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Charging Light Blinking but Battery Not Charging

The charging LED blinks or flashes instead of staying solid and the battery percentage never rises — usually a faulty charger, a damaged charging port, or a battery the laptop has stopped accepting.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Webcam Blurry, Grainy or Out of Focus in Video Calls

Your face looks soft or washed out on Zoom and Teams even on a good connection — often a smeared lens, the wrong resolution selected in the camera app, or image processing left switched on by the manufacturer's utility.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Fn and Media Keys Not Working

Function, brightness and volume keys stop responding — usually a disabled Fn lock, a missing hotkey driver, or a failing keyboard ribbon cable.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Casing Cracked or Broken After a Drop

A cracked palm rest, snapped corner or split hinge cover after a fall — often with a loose screen cable or a loose screw rattling inside the chassis.

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Laptop Issues

White Spots or Pressure Marks on the Laptop Screen

Blotchy white patches or shadows where the keyboard or a pointed object pressed against the closed lid — a pressure-damaged panel that no driver or software fix can reverse.

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Laptop Issues

Touchpad Two-Finger Scrolling or Gestures Not Working

Scrolling, pinch-to-zoom or three-finger swipes stop responding even though the cursor still moves — usually a precision-touchpad driver disabled after an update, the manufacturer touchpad app missing, or gesture settings switched off.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Wi-Fi Adapter Disappears or Stops Working After an Update

The Wi-Fi option vanishes from Settings and no wireless networks are listed — usually a driver reset by a Windows or BIOS update, or a loose internal wireless card.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Touchpad Click Not Registering or Sticky

The cursor moves fine but left or right click does nothing, or the pad only responds to a very hard press — usually a worn click switch, a swollen battery pushing up under the trackpad, tap-to-click switched off, or a touchpad driver fault.

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Laptop Issues

Stylus or Digital Pen Not Working on a Touchscreen Laptop

The pen does not draw, jumps around or is not detected at all — usually a flat AAAA battery, a lost Bluetooth pairing, pressure sensitivity switched off, or a damaged digitiser layer under the glass.

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Laptop Issues

Laptop Keys Fell Off, Loose or Missing Keycaps

Individual keys pop off or feel loose after a knock, a spill or years of use — the plastic scissor clips underneath are usually cracked, so the key cannot simply be pressed back on.

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Laptop Issues

Windows Key Not Working on a Laptop

The Windows or Start key does nothing when pressed — a stuck or disabled key, a gaming keyboard lock, or a keyboard driver problem, and not always a failed keyboard.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Won't Boot

Power comes on but Windows never loads corrupted boot sector, failing hard drive, or RAM issue.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Keyboard or Mouse Not Working in the BIOS Screen

Windows responds to the keyboard and mouse normally, but nothing works as soon as you enter the BIOS or boot menu — usually USB legacy support is disabled in the firmware, the devices are plugged into a port that is not initialised at boot, or a USB hub is in the way.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Randomly Restarts

Computer shuts down and reboots without warning overheating, faulty PSU, or driver conflict.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

Windows crashes with a blue error screen hardware failure, driver issues, or corrupted system files.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Keeps Freezing

Screen locks up, mouse won't move insufficient RAM, dying hard drive, or overheating CPU.

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Desktop / PC Issues

No Display on Monitor

PC turns on but screen stays black loose cable, faulty GPU, or monitor failure.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Won't Wake from Sleep

Press any key but screen stays black power settings, driver issue, or failing hardware preventing wake.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop Power Button Not Working

Pressing the power button does nothing the front panel connector may be loose, the button itself could be faulty, or the power supply may have failed.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Emitting Burning Smell

A burning smell from your desktop PC often indicates an electrical short, dust buildup on heating components, or a failing power supply -- immediate action is needed.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Dust Buildup Causing Overheating

Excess dust clogs fans and heatsinks over time, causing desktop temperatures to spike and CPU or GPU to throttle under load.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Keeps Getting Electric Shocks from Case

Touching the metal PC case gives a mild tingling sensation, caused by improper electrical grounding or a faulty power supply unit.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Graphics Card Not Recognized by System

Graphics card not showing up in Device Manager or BIOS after installation or update. Common after driver updates or hardware changes.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Fails to POST - No Display, No Beep, Fans Running

Power comes on but nothing appears on screen — faulty RAM, CPU, or motherboard preventing the system from completing the POST sequence.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Keeps Waking Up from Sleep by Itself

The PC turns back on minutes after being put to sleep, usually a wake timer, network adapter, or mouse that keeps waking the system.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Keeps Power Cycling (Turns On and Off in a Loop)

System powers on, shuts down, and retries in a loop, often caused by a failing power supply, poorly seated RAM, or a motherboard short.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Detects Less RAM Than Installed

Windows shows only half of the memory you installed — usually a loose RAM module, a faulty slot, or a compatibility issue, which can cause crashes and slow performance.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Won't Enter BIOS Setup or Boot Menu

Pressing the BIOS key (Del, F2, or F10) does nothing and the PC boots straight into Windows — fast boot, a USB device, or a failing keyboard can block the setup screen from appearing.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Randomly Goes to Sleep During Use

The computer drops into sleep or the screen shuts off while you are still working — usually a power plan setting, an accidental sleep timeout, or a faulty power button.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Shows 'No Boot Device Found' Error

Computer boots to a black screen saying no bootable device found — often a dead or disconnected drive, corrupted boot records, or the wrong boot order preventing Windows from loading.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Keeps Booting into BIOS Instead of Windows

The PC lands in the BIOS or boot menu instead of loading Windows, usually because of a wrong boot order, a failing boot drive, or a corrupted boot loader.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Won't Turn On After Cleaning or Adding New Hardware

The computer shows no power after you cleaned the inside or installed a new component — usually a loose power cable, unseated RAM, or a disconnected front-panel header.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Case LEDs Not Working or Blinking Oddly

Power or activity lights on the case stay dark or blink erratically while the PC runs normally — usually a loose front-panel header connection to the motherboard or a faulty case LED.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Beeps Repeatedly on Startup

Beeping sounds when you press the power button usually point to a hardware fault such as bad RAM, a loose graphics card, or a failing motherboard.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Making a Loud Rattling or Vibrating Noise

A steady rattling or buzzing comes from the case — often a loose side panel, a worn fan bearing, or a hard-drive mount that has worked loose, and it can signal a failing fan or drive.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop Front USB or Audio Ports Not Working While Rear Ports Do

The ports on the front of the case stop charging or detecting devices even though the rear ports work — typically the front-panel header cable has come loose from the motherboard or the internal hub has failed.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Won't Wake Monitor from Sleep on DisplayPort

PC powers up but the monitor stays in standby after sleep — a common DisplayPort handshake or linked power-saving setting issue, not a dead screen.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Desktop PC Won't Start After Moving House or Office

A PC that worked before the move often has a card, RAM stick or cable knocked loose in transit, so reseating the parts usually brings it back to life.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Won't Boot After a Failed BIOS Update

An interrupted BIOS flash leaves the PC dead with no display or beeps — most boards can still be recovered through a USB BIOS flashback port.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Won't Boot From a USB Drive or Installation Media

The PC ignores a Windows or rescue USB stick at startup — usually Secure Boot or Fast Boot blocking it, the USB not set first in the boot order, or an installer that was not written correctly.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Turns On By Itself After Being Shut Down

The PC powers back up minutes or hours after a normal shutdown — often a scheduled Windows Update wake timer, a Wake-on-LAN setting, or the BIOS option that restores power after an outage.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Can't Upgrade to Windows 11 (TPM or Secure Boot Not Enabled)

The Windows 11 compatibility check says your PC is not supported — usually Secure Boot switched off, the firmware set to Legacy BIOS instead of UEFI, TPM 2.0 disabled, or a processor older than the supported list.

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Desktop / PC Issues

CPU Fan Error on Boot — 'Press F1 to Continue'

The PC halts at startup with a CPU Fan Error message — usually the cooler is plugged into the wrong fan header, a liquid-cooler pump is not reporting its speed, or the CPU fan has stopped turning.

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Desktop / PC Issues

PC Asks for a Password Before Windows Starts (BIOS or UEFI Password)

A password prompt appears before Windows even loads — a BIOS or UEFI password has been set, and it is often forgotten or inherited on a second-hand PC.

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Desktop / PC Issues

KVM Switch Not Working or Not Switching Between Two PCs

The keyboard, mouse or monitor stays stuck on one computer after pressing the switch button — usually a loose cable, a switch that needs its own power adapter, or the wrong port pair selected.

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Desktop / PC Issues

Dual Boot Menu Missing After Installing Windows (Bootloader Overwritten)

Installing or reinstalling Windows overwrote the boot menu, so the PC starts straight into one system and the other Windows or Linux option has disappeared — the boot loader entry needs rebuilding so you can choose again.

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Screen & Display

Cracked Laptop Screen

Physical crack or spider-web pattern on display impact damage requiring screen replacement.

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Screen & Display

Screen Flickering

Display rapidly flashes on and off loose video cable, failing backlight, or driver issue.

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Screen & Display

Dead Pixels on Screen

Tiny black or stuck-colour dots that won't change physical pixel damage to LCD panel.

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Screen & Display

Dim or Dark Screen

Screen is visible but very faint failed backlight inverter or LED strip.

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Screen & Display

Screen Has Lines or Artifacts

Horizontal or vertical lines across the display GPU failure or damaged LCD ribbon cable.

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Screen & Display

Second Monitor Not Detected

External monitor plugged in but not appearing faulty cable, wrong input source, or outdated graphics driver.

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Screen & Display

Touchscreen Not Responding

Touch input stops recognising taps or gestures often caused by driver conflicts, digitizer failure, or screen damage.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Showing Wrong Resolution

An incorrect screen resolution makes everything look stretched or blurry, usually caused by outdated graphics drivers, wrong display settings, or a faulty HDMI cable.

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Screen & Display

Graphics Driver Keeps Crashing or Resetting

Screen goes black momentarily then recovers usually caused by corrupted or outdated graphics drivers after a Windows update.

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Screen & Display

Screen Burn-In or Image Retention

Ghost images or shadows remain visible on screen after displaying static content for long periods.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Shows No Signal Despite PC Running

The monitor displays "No Signal" even though the desktop tower is powered on and fans are spinning; typically a loose video cable, faulty GPU, or wrong input source selected.

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Screen & Display

Laptop Touchscreen Phantom Touches and Ghost Clicks

Screen registers taps and swipes you did not make — usually a faulty digitizer, grounding issue, or driver corruption causing erratic input.

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Screen & Display

External Monitor Displaying Wrong or Faded Colours

Screen shows washed-out or incorrect colours even after adjusting settings, usually a faulty cable, wrong driver, or failing panel.

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Screen & Display

Laptop Screen Backlight Bleeding or Uneven Brightness

Patches of light leak around the screen edges or bright cloudy spots appear, usually a faulty backlight or pressure on the LCD panel.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Ghosting or Image Trailing During Motion

Fast-moving images leave a blurry trail on screen — slow panel response time, a faulty cable, or a refresh rate mismatch.

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Screen & Display

Laptop Screen Flickers at Certain Brightness Levels

Screen flickers or pulses only at specific brightness settings, usually a failing backlight inverter or PWM driver issue.

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Screen & Display

Screen Tearing During Video or Gaming

The image splits into horizontal lines during fast movement, usually a refresh-rate mismatch between the screen and the graphics card.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Display Cut Off or Overscan (Image Larger Than Screen)

Part of the desktop is cut off at the screen edges or the picture is larger than the monitor — incorrect scaling or overscan settings in the display or graphics card software.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Display Blurry or Fuzzy Text

Text and icons look soft or out of focus — wrong screen resolution, incorrect display scaling, or a loose or damaged VGA or HDMI cable.

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Screen & Display

Screen Brightness Not Changing or Stuck at One Level

Brightness keys and settings have no effect on the display — usually a missing or outdated graphics driver, disabled function key, or a failing backlight inverter.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Keeps Turning Off and On by Itself

The screen goes black and comes back repeatedly, usually caused by a loose video cable, a failing monitor power board, or a graphics driver glitch.

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Screen & Display

Half of Screen Dark or Blank While Other Half Works

One half of the display stays dark or blank while the other half shows a normal image — usually a failing LCD panel, a damaged screen cable, or a loose internal video connector.

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Screen & Display

Laptop Screen Has Colored Vertical Lines

Colored vertical lines running down the display usually mean a loose display cable or a failing screen panel that needs replacement.

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Screen & Display

External Monitor Stuck at 60Hz After a Driver Update

The monitor used to run at 120Hz or 144Hz but now only offers 60Hz in Windows display settings — usually the graphics driver reverted, the cable cannot carry the bandwidth, or the refresh rate has to be set manually.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Shows 'Out of Range' or Unsupported Resolution

The monitor displays an 'Out of Range' or signal error instead of Windows — caused by a resolution or refresh rate the panel cannot handle, often after a driver or game update.

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Screen & Display

MacBook Screen Cracked or Not Turning On After a Fall

A MacBook display that is cracked, dark or showing stripes after a knock — usually panel damage, sometimes only a loose display cable.

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Screen & Display

Screen Rotated Sideways or Upside Down

An accidental Ctrl+Alt+arrow hotkey flips the display orientation — turn it back in Display Settings and check for a stuck graphics hotkey.

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Screen & Display

Second Monitor Mirrors the Desktop Instead of Extending It

The extra screen shows an identical copy of the main desktop instead of extra workspace — usually Windows left in Duplicate mode, or the display mode resetting after a dock, cable or driver change.

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Screen & Display

External Monitor Won't Turn On — No Power Light

The monitor stays completely black with no power or standby light even when switched on — typically a failed power board inside the monitor, a dead power adapter, or a blown fuse rather than a PC or cable fault.

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Screen & Display

Screen Stuck With a Yellow or Orange Tint

The whole display looks yellow or orange even in daylight — Night Light or a blue-light filter has been left on, or a corrupted colour profile is being loaded.

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Screen & Display

Screen Brightness Keeps Changing on Its Own (Adaptive Brightness)

Brightness rises and falls by itself, or the screen dims as the picture changes — usually Windows adaptive brightness or content-based dimming switched on, or a failing ambient light sensor.

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Screen & Display

Monitor Menu or On-Screen Buttons Not Responding (OSD Locked)

The monitor’s own menu will not open or the physical buttons and joystick do nothing, so input source, brightness and picture settings cannot be changed — usually a locked OSD, a stuck button, or a failing control board.

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Screen & Display

Screen Turns Off or Blanks After a Few Minutes (Display Timeout or Screensaver)

The display goes black after a minute or two even while the PC is still running — a short Windows screen timeout, a screensaver, or a power-saving setting on the monitor itself is blanking it.

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Screen & Display

HDR Not Working — Screen Looks Washed Out or Greyed Out

HDR content looks dull, grey or washed out, or the HDR switch keeps turning itself off — usually a cable or port that cannot carry enough bandwidth, a display setting mismatch, or an outdated graphics driver.

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Screen & Display

Eye Strain, Headaches or Dry Eyes From Long Screen Use (Blue Light)

Sore eyes, headaches and blurry focus after long hours at the screen — usually brightness set too high, a cool colour temperature, glare from a window or sitting too close, rather than a faulty monitor.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Running Extremely Slow

Everything takes minutes to load fragmented hard drive, too many startup programs, or malware.

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Performance & Speed

SSD Upgrade Needed

Old mechanical hard drive is bottlenecking performance upgrade to SSD for 10x speed boost.

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Performance & Speed

RAM Upgrade Required

Computer struggles with multiple browser tabs or applications 4GB-8GB no longer enough.

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Performance & Speed

High CPU Usage at Idle

Fan spinning full speed even when nothing is open background crypto miner or bloatware.

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Performance & Speed

Programs Keep Crashing

Applications randomly close corrupted software, insufficient RAM, or hard drive errors.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Fan Always Running at Full Speed

Loud fan noise even when idle dust buildup, failing thermal sensors, or background malware.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Takes Too Long to Boot Up

The system hangs on the manufacturer logo or Windows loading screen for minutes caused by too many startup programs, failing hard drive, or corrupted system files.

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Performance & Speed

100% Disk Usage in Task Manager

When Task Manager shows 100% disk usage constantly, your computer becomes painfully slow -- this is often due to Windows Search indexing, Superfetch, or a failing hard drive.

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Performance & Speed

Gaming Lag or Low FPS on Gaming PC

Your gaming PC stutters, drops frames, or runs games at low FPS despite having good hardware, often due to thermal throttling, outdated GPU drivers, or background processes hogging resources.

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Performance & Speed

Browser Running Slow with Many Tabs Open

Web browser becomes sluggish or unresponsive when multiple tabs are open due to high memory usage.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Restarts When Playing Games

Power supply unit cannot deliver enough wattage under gaming load, or GPU is overheating and triggering thermal shutdown.

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Performance & Speed

SSD Performance Degraded Over Time

Your SSD feels much slower than when it was new, with file transfers crawling and boot times creeping up; often caused by the drive being too full, missing TRIM support, or outdated firmware.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Slow After Windows Update

Your computer suddenly runs noticeably slower after installing a Windows update — background indexing, driver conflicts, or incomplete update installation consuming system resources.

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Performance & Speed

PC Gaming Stuttering or Micro-Freezes During Gameplay

Games freeze for a split second every few seconds — often caused by background processes, driver conflicts, or thermal throttling.

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Performance & Speed

High Memory Usage at Idle

RAM usage stays above 90% with no programs open — background apps, browser extensions, or a memory leak slowing everything down.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Slow to Wake from Sleep or Hibernate

Takes minutes to wake from sleep, often caused by outdated drivers, hybrid shutdown enabled, or a slow hard drive.

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Performance & Speed

High GPU Usage at Idle or on Desktop

Graphics card usage stays at 50-100% even when you are not gaming — mining malware, a stuck background process, or a driver bug making the PC hot, loud, and slow.

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Performance & Speed

Video Playback Stuttering or Freezing on the PC

Videos pause, skip, or freeze during playback even on a fast internet connection — outdated graphics drivers, hardware acceleration conflicts, or high background CPU usage.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Slows Down After Running for Hours

PC works fine after restart but gradually slows down over time, typically a memory leak, overheating components, or too many background processes.

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Performance & Speed

Games Using Integrated Graphics Instead of GPU

Games run on the CPU's built-in graphics instead of the dedicated graphics card, causing low FPS — a wrong driver, display settings, or laptop power mode.

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Performance & Speed

Too Many Startup Programs Slowing Down Boot

Too many programs launching at startup pile up in the background and make booting and everyday use noticeably slower.

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Performance & Speed

PC Stutters or Micro-Freezes Every Few Minutes

The whole system freezes for a second or two every few minutes — commonly a failing hard drive, background indexing, or a driver that keeps resetting itself.

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Performance & Speed

Games Run at Low FPS Despite Good Specs

Games feel laggy or choppy even with a capable CPU and graphics card, often from outdated graphics drivers, overheating, or power settings throttling performance.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Fast in Safe Mode But Slow Normally

If the PC runs smoothly in Safe Mode, a startup app, background service or driver is dragging it down -- not failing hardware.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Becomes Slow and Unresponsive During Antivirus Scans

The whole PC stutters for the duration of every full scan because the antivirus is reading the entire disk at high priority — fixable by limiting scan CPU use, excluding the right folders, and scheduling scans for idle hours.

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Performance & Speed

"Your Computer Is Low on Memory" Virtual Memory or Page File Warning

The low-on-memory pop-up means Windows has used up both RAM and page file space, so everything slows to a crawl until memory is freed or upgraded.

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Performance & Speed

Computer Freezes When Copying or Moving Large Files

Freezes or stalls during big file transfers usually mean a failing drive, a loose SATA cable or a full transfer cache — back up before it dies.

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Performance & Speed

Slow PC From Too Many Temporary Files and Browser Cache

Months of leftover temporary files, update caches and browser cache slow the PC down and eat disk space — cleared with Disk Cleanup, Storage Sense and a browser cache reset.

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Performance & Speed

PC Still Slow After a Virus Removal

The malware is gone but the computer still crawls — leftover startup entries, browser hijacks, damaged system files or an ageing drive keep performance low.

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Performance & Speed

Core Isolation (Memory Integrity) Slowing Down the PC

With Windows Core Isolation or Memory Integrity switched on the PC feels sluggish, older drivers stop loading and games stutter — the virtualisation-based protection is eating CPU time.

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Performance & Speed

Video Editing or Rendering Is Extremely Slow

Timeline scrubbing stutters, previews lag and exports take hours — usually too little RAM, an outdated graphics card, thermal throttling under load, or the wrong preview and codec settings.

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Performance & Speed

RAM Running Slower Than Its Rated Speed (XMP or EXPO Not Enabled)

New memory shows a far lower speed in Task Manager than the kit was sold as — for example 2133 MHz instead of 3200 MHz — because the XMP or EXPO memory profile is still switched off in the BIOS.

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Performance & Speed

Windows Stuck on Power Saver Plan Making the PC Slow

The PC crawls even when plugged in because Windows is locked to the Power Saver plan, capping the processor at a fraction of its speed — usually switched by a vendor utility or a Windows update.

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Performance & Speed

Windows Animations and Visual Effects Slowing Down the PC

Menus fade, windows animate and the PC feels sluggish even though the hardware is fine — the Windows visual effects are turned up higher than the machine can comfortably run.

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Performance & Speed

PC Slows Down While Running a Virtual Machine or WSL

Windows feels normal until a virtual machine or Windows Subsystem for Linux starts, then everything lags — the processor, disk and memory are being shared by two operating systems on one PC.

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Virus & Security

Computer Infected with Virus

Pop-ups, redirected searches, unknown programs malware infection needing professional removal.

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Virus & Security

Browser Proxy Settings Hijacked by Malware

Websites fail to load or load through a proxy you never configured, and your traffic is quietly routed through someone else’s server — malware or a rogue browser extension has changed the proxy settings in Windows or in the browser itself.

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Virus & Security

AI Voice Cloning or Deepfake Scam Calls Asking for Money

A call or voice note sounds exactly like a relative, colleague or your boss and urgently asks for a payment or bank details — cloned voices built from a few seconds of online audio are now used to impersonate people, so always verify through a second channel before transferring anything.

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Virus & Security

Ransomware Attack

Files encrypted and a ransom demand displayed critical data held hostage by criminals.

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Virus & Security

Browser Hijacked

Search engine changed to something else, constant redirects browser hijacker malware.

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Virus & Security

Pop-up Ads Everywhere

Ads appearing even when no browser is open adware infection in the system.

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Virus & Security

Suspicious Email Attachments

Received emails with unknown files that may contain malware phishing attempt targeting your data.

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Virus & Security

Unknown Programs Installed

Software you never installed appears on your desktop bundled malware or PUPs.

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Virus & Security

Spyware or Keylogger Infection

Malicious software silently records your keystrokes, browsing habits, or personal data often installed through fake downloads, email attachments, or cracked software.

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Virus & Security

Antivirus Software Expired

Antivirus subscription lapsed leaving your computer vulnerable to new threats and malware.

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Virus & Security

Email Account Hacked or Compromised

Unauthorised access from a phishing attack or password breach — attacker can read, send emails, and reset other accounts.

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Virus & Security

Tech Support Scam Pop-up on Screen

A fake virus warning or "Call Microsoft" pop-up locks the screen, tricking users into calling scammers who demand payment for fake repairs.

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Virus & Security

Antivirus Flagging Legitimate Programs (False Positives)

Your antivirus keeps blocking or deleting safe programs you use daily. Overly aggressive detection can disrupt your work and delete important files.

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Virus & Security

Two-Factor Authentication Not Working

Cannot log in to important accounts because 2FA code is not arriving, authenticator app is out of sync, or recovery phone number has changed — account lockout risk, time sync issue, or SIM swap.

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Virus & Security

Computer Sending Spam Emails (Botnet Infection)

Your contacts keep receiving junk mail you never sent, a sign the computer is part of a botnet and must be cleaned and secured immediately.

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Virus & Security

Webcam Light Turns On By Itself (Camera Possibly Hacked)

The webcam indicator glows when you are not using it — a sign of remote-access malware or an unauthorised app spying through your camera.

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Virus & Security

Antivirus Keeps Turning Off by Itself

Your security software switches itself off or shows as disabled — often malware disabling protection, leaving the PC exposed.

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Virus & Security

Phishing Email or SMS Link Scam

Fake email or SMS tricks you into clicking a malicious link that steals passwords or installs malware on your device.

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Virus & Security

Crypto Mining Malware Using Your Computer's Power

The fan spins up and CPU usage maxes out even when you're idle, a sign that hidden mining software is running on your PC.

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Virus & Security

Infostealer Malware Stealing Saved Passwords and Accounts

A silent infection that copies saved passwords, cookies, and banking details from browsers — usually caught after accounts get hijacked or money goes missing.

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Virus & Security

Virus Keeps Coming Back After Removal

The same virus reappears after cleaning, often hiding in restore points, startup entries, or a rootkit that standard antivirus cannot remove.

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Virus & Security

Mouse Moving or Clicking on Its Own (Possible Remote Access Trojan)

Cursor moves, clicks, or types by itself — a strong sign of a remote access trojan letting someone control the computer, or a failing mouse or touchpad.

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Virus & Security

Unknown Browser Extensions Installed Without Permission

Strange toolbars or extensions appear in the browser without you installing them, a common sign of adware or bundled software that can track browsing and show extra ads.

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Virus & Security

Virus Spreading Through USB Drives (Autorun Malware)

Malware hides on USB flash drives and re-infects every computer they plug into — commonly spread through shared drives and leaving hidden files or shortcuts behind.

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Virus & Security

Free Software Bundled with Adware or Unwanted Toolbars

Free downloads and unofficial installers often bundle adware, browser toolbars, and fake search bars that slow the PC and hijack your searches without clear consent.

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Virus & Security

Browser Push Notifications Spamming Fake Virus Alerts

Fake virus warning pop-ups keep appearing from websites you once allowed notifications for -- even after closing the browser.

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Virus & Security

Malvertising: Malicious Ads in Search Results Installing Malware

Cybercriminals buy search ads that look legitimate, then redirect you to fake download pages that install malware the moment the file is opened.

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Virus & Security

Pirated or Cracked Software Installing Malware

Free full-version downloads and crack files often carry hidden malware, crypto miners, or password stealers that run the moment the program is installed.

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Virus & Security

Fake CAPTCHA or Browser Update Page Installing Malware

Scam pages tell you to paste a command or install a 'browser update' to prove you are human — following them installs password-stealing malware.

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Virus & Security

Fake QR Code Stickers Redirecting to Phishing Sites (Quishing)

A tampered QR code on a poster, menu or parking coupon opens a look-alike login page that steals your password, OTP or card details instead of the real site.

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Virus & Security

Your Password Appeared in a Data Breach

An email or news report says your login details leaked in a company data breach — attackers reuse those same credentials to break into your email, banking and social accounts.

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Virus & Security

Social Media Account Hacked (Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp)

Your account posts things you did not write, friends get strange messages from you, or you are locked out — usually a reused password from a breach, a phishing link, or malware that stole your login session.

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Virus & Security

Unknown Devices Using Your Wi-Fi Network

Devices you do not recognise appear in the router client list and your internet speed drops — usually a weak or default Wi-Fi password, WPS left enabled, or a neighbour using your connection.

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Virus & Security

Windows Firewall Blocking an App or Program

An app cannot reach the internet or your own network and Windows keeps popping up a firewall security alert — the app is blocked in the firewall list, the network is set as public, or two security tools are fighting over the same traffic.

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Virus & Security

Windows SmartScreen Blocking a Download (Windows Protected Your PC)

Windows or the browser refuses to open a downloaded installer with a Windows protected your PC warning because the file is unsigned or not yet known to Microsoft — not proof that it is infected.

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Data & Storage

Accidentally Deleted Important Files

Files emptied from Recycle Bin data recovery needed before they're overwritten.

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Data & Storage

Hard Drive Making Clicking Noises

Repetitive clicking sound from inside the computer mechanical hard drive failure imminent.

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Data & Storage

External Hard Drive Not Recognised

Plugged in but nothing appears corrupted partition, failed enclosure, or physical damage.

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Data & Storage

USB Flash Drive Corrupted

Windows asks to format the drive file system corruption or physical NAND failure.

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Data & Storage

Computer Storage Full

No space left for new files need to clean up, upgrade storage, or move to cloud.

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Data & Storage

SD Card Data Loss

Photos or videos missing from camera memory card accidental format or card corruption.

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Data & Storage

Cloud Storage Not Syncing OneDrive or Google Drive Issues

Cloud files won’t sync, showing offline status or sync errors often due to account conflicts or network restrictions.

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Data & Storage

Data Recovery After Accidental Format

Accidentally reformatting a drive or SD card does not immediately erase your data -- professional recovery tools can often restore files if you stop using the drive right away.

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Data & Storage

File Corrupted and Won't Open

A document or spreadsheet that refuses to open or shows garbled text file header corruption, incomplete save, or malware damage.

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Data & Storage

SSD or Hard Drive Not Detected in BIOS

Computer turns on but the storage drive does not appear in BIOS can be a loose SATA cable, failed drive, or firmware corruption.

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Data & Storage

SD Card Not Reading or Not Detected

Your computer or phone does not recognise the SD card at all. The card reader driver may be missing, the card may need reformatting, or the write-protect switch is engaged.

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Data & Storage

SSD Showing SMART Errors

Your SSD health monitoring tool reports SMART warnings like bad sectors, high wear levelling count, or uncorrectable read errors — the drive may be approaching failure and data loss is imminent.

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Data & Storage

M.2 NVMe SSD Not Detected in BIOS or Windows

New or existing NVMe drive does not show up in BIOS or Disk Management — may be a compatibility, seating, or motherboard slot issue requiring diagnosis.

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Data & Storage

External Hard Drive Write-Protected or Read-Only

Windows refuses to copy or delete files on an external drive because it is write-protected — a lock switch, a permission issue, or a filesystem error.

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Data & Storage

External Drive Asks to Be Formatted Before Use

Plugging in your drive shows a format warning before you can use it, the files are usually still there, so stop and get the data recovered first.

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Data & Storage

OneDrive or Google Drive Sync Conflicts (Duplicate Files)

Cloud folders fill with duplicate and conflicted-copy files when one document is edited on multiple devices, wasting space and causing confusion.

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Data & Storage

External Drive Disconnects Randomly During File Transfer

External drive drops out mid-transfer and reconnects on its own — a failing USB cable, power issues, or a failing drive enclosure.

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Data & Storage

Disk Check (chkdsk) Runs on Every Startup

Windows scans and repairs the drive on every boot — file system corruption or an ageing hard disk nearing failure.

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Data & Storage

BitLocker or Drive Encryption Locked Out

Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key after a hardware change or update and your files become inaccessible.

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Data & Storage

USB Drive Shows 0 Bytes or Wrong Capacity

A USB flash drive suddenly shows 0 bytes or a smaller capacity than it should — a corrupted partition table, a failed format, or a counterfeit drive.

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Data & Storage

USB Drive Won't Eject — 'Device Is in Use' Error

Windows refuses to safely eject a USB drive because a program is still using it — file explorer, antivirus scans, or background processes can hold the drive open.

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Data & Storage

Partition Missing or Drive Shows Unallocated Space

A drive that worked yesterday now shows as unallocated space in Disk Management and files no longer appear — a corrupted partition table that can often be repaired without wiping the data.

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Data & Storage

External Drive Copying Files Very Slowly or Stalling

Large file transfers to an external drive crawl, pause, or fail halfway — often a failing drive, a loose cable, or the drive running on an outdated slow connection.

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Data & Storage

Files Disappear After OneDrive 'Free Up Space' or Storage Sense

Cloud offload and automatic cleanup can make files look deleted when the data is usually still recoverable on the drive.

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Data & Storage

Drive Missing From File Explorer but Visible in Disk Management

The drive exists in Disk Management yet shows no drive letter in This PC, so you cannot open it — a missing or conflicting drive letter, or a file system Windows can no longer mount without repair.

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Data & Storage

USB Drive or SD Card Won't Format (Windows Was Unable to Complete the Format)

A drive that refuses to format is usually write-protected, corrupted or failing, and needs the right tool before it can be used again safely.

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Data & Storage

Cannot Delete a File (File in Use or Access Denied)

Windows refuses to delete a file or folder because a program is still using it, the permissions are locked down, or the file itself is damaged.

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Data & Storage

Windows Backup or File History Fails with an Error

Scheduled backups stop running with errors like 0x80070005 or the drive not found, so the only copy of your files quietly stops updating.

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Data & Storage

Cloning an Old Drive to a New SSD Fails or Won't Boot

The clone finishes but the PC still boots from the old drive, throws a "No boot device" error, or the new SSD shows the wrong capacity — common with a missing EFI partition, a UEFI/legacy mismatch, or a failing source drive.

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Data & Storage

File Too Large for the USB Drive (FAT32 Limit)

Copying a big video or backup to a USB stick fails with 'file is too large for the destination file system' — FAT32 cannot store any single file over 4GB.

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Data & Storage

External Drive Formatted for Windows Is Read-Only on a Mac (NTFS)

A Windows-formatted drive mounts on a Mac but refuses to accept new files — macOS cannot write to NTFS, so the drive opens read-only without extra software.

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Data & Storage

ZIP or RAR Archive Won’t Extract or Says It Is Damaged

Windows refuses to extract a downloaded archive, reporting "cannot complete the extraction" or an unknown format or damaged file — usually an incomplete download, a password-protected file, or a missing RAR or 7-Zip extractor.

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Data & Storage

System Restore Not Working or Fails to Complete

System Restore errors out or cannot create restore points, leaving no safety net before a driver or software change — often System Protection is switched off or the drive is full or corrupt.

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Data & Storage

Files Won't Copy or Move (Path Too Long or Access Denied)

Copying or moving files to another folder or drive fails with a path too long or access denied error — folders nested too deeply, locked permissions, or a write-protected destination.

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Data & Storage

Windows.old Folder and Old Update Files Eating Your Disk Space

A Windows upgrade leaves a Windows.old folder plus old update files behind that can hold 10GB or more of your drive — harmless leftovers once you are past the rollback window, cleared with Disk Cleanup.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Not Working

Connected but no internet, or WiFi networks not showing router issue, driver problem, or hardware failure.

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Network & Connectivity

Slow Internet Speed

Pages take forever to load despite paying for fast broadband router placement, interference, or ISP throttling.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Keeps Disconnecting

Connection drops every few minutes outdated drivers, router channel congestion, or faulty WiFi card.

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Network & Connectivity

Can't Connect to Printer

Computer cannot find the printer driver issue, network misconfiguration, or USB cable fault.

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Network & Connectivity

Bluetooth Not Working

Devices won't pair or keep disconnecting driver issue, interference, or hardware failure.

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Network & Connectivity

Printer Printing Blank Pages

Ink cartridges full but output is blank clogged printhead, driver issue, or incorrect settings.

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Network & Connectivity

DNS Server Not Responding

Websites won't load but internet appears connected DNS server failure, router misconfiguration, or ISP outage.

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Network & Connectivity

VPN Not Connecting or Dropping Frequently

VPN fails to connect or keeps disconnecting mid-session, often caused by firewall settings, outdated software, or network instability.

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Network & Connectivity

Router Keeps Restarting or Dropping Connection

Internet goes down several times a day and the router lights blink overheating, outdated firmware, or ISP line instability.

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Network & Connectivity

Zoom or Video Calls Freezing and Lagging

Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet calls keep stuttering or freezing usually a WiFi bandwidth issue or router QoS misconfiguration.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Connected But No Internet Access

Device shows WiFi connection but DNS misconfiguration, ISP outage, or IP address conflict prevents actual internet access.

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Network & Connectivity

Ethernet Connected But No Internet Access

The Ethernet cable is plugged in with blinking port lights, but websites won't load; usually a router misconfiguration, ISP outage, or incorrect DNS settings.

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Network & Connectivity

Network IP Address Conflict Error

Windows shows "IP address conflict" message — another device on your network is using the same IP. Common in offices with many connected devices.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Signal Weak in Certain Rooms (Dead Zones)

Strong WiFi near the router but barely any signal in certain rooms — thick walls, interference, or router placement issues.

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Network & Connectivity

Computer Only Connects to 2.4GHz WiFi, Not 5GHz

Device keeps connecting to the slower 2.4GHz band and the faster 5GHz network does not appear often a missing driver, wrong adapter setting, or router band steering.

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Network & Connectivity

Router Login Page Not Loading

Typing 192.168.1.1 or the router address in a browser does not open the admin page — wrong gateway IP, browser cache, or a firmware glitch.

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Network & Connectivity

DNS Hijacked — Browser Redirects to Wrong Websites

Typing a familiar address lands you on fake or ad-filled pages, a sign your DNS settings or router have been tampered with by malware.

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Network & Connectivity

Mobile Hotspot Not Working or Not Detected

Phone hotspot won't show up or devices can't connect — carrier restrictions, driver issues, or incorrect APN settings.

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Network & Connectivity

Bluetooth Device Keeps Disconnecting or Audio Stutters

Wireless keyboard, mouse, or earbuds drop out or cut in and out — driver conflicts, signal interference, or a failing Bluetooth module.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Says Incorrect Password Even When Correct

Windows keeps rejecting the right WiFi password — usually a corrupted saved network profile, wrong security type, or outdated driver.

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Network & Connectivity

WiFi Network Not Showing Up in Available Networks

Your own WiFi network is missing from the list of connections, often a hidden SSID, disabled wireless adapter, or outdated driver.

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Network & Connectivity

High Ping or Packet Loss During Gaming

Games lag and rubber-band even with fast internet, usually from Wi-Fi interference, router congestion, or ISP throttling during peak hours.

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Network & Connectivity

Cannot Access Shared Folders or Network Drives

Other computers or NAS folders show as inaccessible or keep asking for credentials, usually a network discovery setting, permission issue, or SMB configuration problem.

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Network & Connectivity

Internet Crawls in the Evening When Everyone Is Streaming

Speed tests look fine at noon but drop after dinner, when too many devices on one home line saturate the broadband.

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Network & Connectivity

VPN Slows Down Internet Speed

Internet crawls or pages time out once the VPN is connected — usually an overloaded server, wrong protocol, or double encryption in the router.

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Network & Connectivity

Captive Portal Sign-In Page Not Appearing on Public WiFi

Connected to hotel, cafe or mall WiFi but the login page never loads, so there is no internet even though the signal bars look strong.

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Network & Connectivity

Scanner Not Working or Not Detected

The computer cannot find the scanner or every scan fails, often because the driver was lost after an update, a wireless scanner moved network, or the USB connection dropped.

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Network & Connectivity

Emails Stuck in the Outbox or Won't Send

Messages sit in the outbox and never leave, usually due to a wrong SMTP setting, an over-full mailbox or an outgoing mail port blocked by the network.

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Network & Connectivity

Fibre Broadband ONT Shows Red Light and No Internet

The fibre termination box shows a red LOS or alarm light and nothing connects — a damaged fibre patch cord, an unplugged optical cable, or an ISP line fault.

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Network & Connectivity

Mesh WiFi Node Not Connecting or Dropping Devices

A mesh node shows a red or blinking light and devices keep jumping between nodes — usually the node is out of range, on old firmware, or its wired backhaul is not detected.

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Network & Connectivity

Ethernet Speed Capped at 100 Mbps Instead of Gigabit

A wired connection tests at only 100 Mbps on a gigabit plan — an old or damaged Ethernet cable, a capped router port, or a bad duplex setting limits the link.

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Network & Connectivity

Remote Desktop Connection Not Working (Can’t Connect to Another PC)

Remote Desktop refuses to reach an office or home PC with a credentials, certificate or timeout error — usually Remote Desktop switched off on the host, a firewall or router port blocking 3389, or the wrong computer name.

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Network & Connectivity

Ethernet Port Not Working — No Link Light or Cable Won’t Click

A network cable is plugged in but there is no link light and Windows reports no LAN connection — a damaged or dirty RJ45 socket, bent pins, or a dead port on the PC.

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Network & Connectivity

Powerline Adapter Slow, Disconnecting or Not Working (Ethernet Over Power)

Ethernet-over-power adapters drop the connection or deliver a fraction of the plan speed when the two units sit on different circuits, share an extension lead, or the home wiring is old.

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Network & Connectivity

Port Forwarding Not Working — Remote Access or CCTV Still Unreachable

Remote access to a home camera, NAS or game server still fails after adding a port forward rule — usually a double NAT, a changing internal IP, a blocked port, or an ISP that hides your public address.

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Hardware Failure

Motherboard Failure

Computer dead with no signs of life failed capacitors, power surge damage, or component short.

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Hardware Failure

Liquid Cooling (AIO) Pump Failure — CPU Overheats With Fans Still Spinning

Every fan still spins normally yet temperatures climb past 90°C and the PC throttles or shuts itself down under load — the pump inside a liquid or all-in-one cooler has stopped circulating coolant, so the radiator stays cool while the CPU overheats.

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Hardware Failure

Graphics Card Artifacting

Strange colours, lines, or shapes on screen during gaming GPU overheating or failing VRAM.

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Hardware Failure

Power Supply Unit Failure

Computer won't turn on at all PSU no longer delivering power to components.

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Hardware Failure

USB Ports Not Working

Devices not recognised when plugged in driver issue, physical damage, or motherboard fault.

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Hardware Failure

Computer Making Beeping Noises

Series of beeps when powering on BIOS POST error codes indicating hardware failure.

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Hardware Failure

Webcam Not Working

Camera shows black screen or not detected privacy shutter closed, driver issue, or internal cable failure.

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Hardware Failure

CMOS Battery Dead Time and Date Keep Resetting

Your computer keeps resetting to a wrong date and time on every boot the small CMOS battery on the motherboard has died and needs replacement.

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Hardware Failure

Laptop Speakers Not Working

No sound from built-in speakers even when volume is turned up could be a faulty audio jack sensor, blown speakers, or loose internal cable.

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Hardware Failure

Coil Whine or High-Pitched Noise from Computer

A constant high-pitched squeal or buzzing from inside the case vibrating inductors on the GPU or power supply under load.

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Hardware Failure

Printer Printing Gibberish or Wrong Characters

Your printer spits out random symbols, wingdings, or garbled text instead of your document, usually a corrupted print spooler, wrong driver, or faulty USB cable.

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Hardware Failure

Computer Case Fan Not Spinning

One or more cooling fans stops spinning causing heat buildup; could be a loose connection, dust obstruction, or failed fan bearing.

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Hardware Failure

CPU Overheating and Thermal Throttling

CPU temperatures spiking above 90°C causing performance drops, random shutdowns, or sluggish response under load.

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Hardware Failure

External Monitor Flickering When Connected

External monitor connected to laptop or desktop flickers, goes black intermittently, or displays distortion — loose video cable, mismatched refresh rate, or failing GPU output port.

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Hardware Failure

Laptop Lid Sensor Not Working (Stays Awake When Closed)

Closing the lid doesn't put the laptop to sleep — the magnetic sensor or reed switch inside the palm rest has failed.

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Hardware Failure

USB-C Dock or Hub Not Detecting Monitor or Devices

Monitor, keyboard or external drive plugged into a USB-C docking station is not recognised could be an underpowered dock, a faulty cable, or a missing driver.

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Hardware Failure

CPU Fan Making Grinding Noise

A rattling or grinding sound from the CPU cooler indicates a failing fan bearing, dust buildup, or the blades catching on a cable.

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Hardware Failure

Thermal Paste Dried Out — CPU Overheats and Shuts Down

The heat-transfer paste between the CPU and cooler hardens over time, causing high temperatures, throttling, and sudden shutdowns.

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Hardware Failure

Headphone Jack Not Working or No Sound Output

Plugging in headphones produces no sound or crackling audio — a damaged audio jack, loose connection, or faulty sound hardware.

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Hardware Failure

Graphics Card Fan Not Spinning

The GPU fan stays still while gaming, causing overheating, crashes, and shutdowns — dust buildup, a worn bearing, or a dead fan header.

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Hardware Failure

Faulty RAM Module Causing Random Crashes

Random freezes, blue screens and app crashes that worsen over time, often a failing or incorrectly seated RAM module.

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Hardware Failure

USB Devices Keep Disconnecting and Reconnecting

Mouse, keyboard or flash drive drops out and reconnects repeatedly, often caused by a failing USB port, driver conflict, or power-saving settings.

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Hardware Failure

Internal Drive Disappearing and Reappearing Randomly

The computer detects the internal hard drive or SSD one moment and loses it the next — usually a loose SATA or power cable, a failing drive, or a failing motherboard port.

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Hardware Failure

USB Ports Not Working or Loose

Devices are not detected or plugs wobble inside the port, often a damaged port, loose internal cable, or motherboard fault.

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Hardware Failure

Laptop Fails Weeks After a Spill (Motherboard Corrosion)

A laptop that worked after drying out can die later because leftover liquid residue keeps corroding the board.

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Hardware Failure

Motherboard Capacitors Bulging or Leaking

Swollen or leaking capacitors on the motherboard cause random shutdowns, boot failures and unstable power, usually after a power surge or years of heat.

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Hardware Failure

Optical Drive Not Reading Discs or Won’t Eject

The tray will not open, or discs spin up and then fail to read — usually a worn laser lens, a slipping belt or a drive that has reached the end of its life.

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Hardware Failure

Wireless Mouse or Keyboard Not Working

A wireless mouse or keyboard stops responding, lags, or keeps disconnecting usually a flat battery, an obstructed USB receiver, or a pairing that has been lost.

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Hardware Failure

Speakers Crackling or Making Buzzing Static Noise

Audio breaks into crackles, buzz or static — often worn-out speakers or a damaged audio jack, an out-of-date audio driver, or electrical interference inside the PC.

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Hardware Failure

Game Controller or Joystick Not Detected by the PC

A wired or Bluetooth gamepad, joystick or steering wheel does not show up in Windows or in games — usually a missing or generic driver, a front-panel USB port with weak power, flat batteries in a wireless pad, or the controller stuck in the wrong mode.

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Hardware Failure

Printer Paper Jam or Not Feeding Paper

The printer grabs sheets at an angle, pulls several pages through at once, or keeps reporting a jam that is not there — usually worn feed rollers, a torn scrap of paper inside the paper path, or paper stacked above the tray guide.

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Hardware Failure

Mouse Scroll Wheel Not Working or Skipping

The scroll wheel jumps, skips or refuses to scroll at all — usually dust in the wheel encoder, a worn mechanism, or a wrong Windows scroll setting.

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Hardware Failure

Printer Printing Faded, Streaky or Poor Quality Pages

Printed pages come out faint, streaky or smudged instead of crisp — low or dried ink or toner, a clogged printhead, or a worn drum rather than a connection fault.

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Hardware Failure

PC Only Starts After Several Tries or Once It Has Warmed Up (Cold Boot Fault)

The computer fails to start on the first press in the morning and only comes to life after a few attempts or once it has warmed up — usually a failing power supply, dried capacitors or a weak CMOS battery.

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Hardware Failure

Bent CPU Socket or RAM Slot Pins Stop the PC From Booting

The PC refuses to start after a processor or memory upgrade — one bent contact inside the CPU socket or memory slot is enough to stop it posting and must be found before anything else is replaced.

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Software & OS

Windows Won't Update

Updates stuck downloading or failing to install corrupted update cache or disk space issues.

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Software & OS

Windows 10/11 Upgrade Problems

Upgrade from older Windows fails midway incompatible drivers, insufficient space, or corruption.

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Software & OS

Microsoft Office Not Working

Word, Excel, or Outlook crashing or refusing to open corrupted installation or licence issue.

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Software & OS

Driver Issues After Update

Sound, graphics, or network stopped working after Windows update incompatible driver version.

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Software & OS

Mac Won't Boot to macOS

Apple logo stuck or flashing question mark corrupted OS, failed drive, or NVRAM issue.

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Software & OS

Forgotten Windows Password

Locked out of your own computer need password reset without losing data.

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Software & OS

iPhone or Android Not Connecting to PC

Phone plugged in via USB but computer doesn't recognise it driver, cable, or port issue.

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Software & OS

Audio or Sound Not Working

No sound from speakers or headphones muted output, wrong playback device selected, or corrupted audio driver.

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Software & OS

Windows Stuck in Automatic Repair Loop

Windows keeps booting into Automatic Repair and never reaches the desktop usually caused by corrupted system files, failed updates, or driver conflicts.

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Software & OS

Windows Boots to Black Screen with Cursor

Windows loads past the logo but you only see a black screen with a movable mouse pointer Explorer.exe failed to start, or a graphics driver crashed.

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Software & OS

Computer Won't Shut Down Properly

Windows gets stuck on the "Shutting down" screen for minutes or restarts instead of powering off, often caused by pending updates, driver conflicts, or fast startup bugs.

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Software & OS

Software Keeps Asking for Admin Password

User Account Control prompts appear repeatedly even after entering the correct password.

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Software & OS

Mouse Cursor Disappears or Freezes

Corrupted mouse driver, conflicting background process, or failing USB controller causing cursor to vanish or lock up.

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Software & OS

Windows Search Not Finding Files or Apps

Typing in the Start menu search bar returns no results, usually caused by a corrupted Windows Search index or stopped search service.

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Software & OS

Start Menu or Taskbar Not Responding

Clicking the Start button or taskbar icons does nothing; often caused by a frozen Windows Explorer process, corrupted system files, or a recent buggy Windows update.

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Software & OS

Microphone Not Working on Video Calls

Microphone works in some apps but is silent or distorted in Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet — privacy permissions conflict, wrong default input device, or outdated audio driver.

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Software & OS

Windows Activation Lost After Hardware Change

Replacing your motherboard or CPU triggered Windows deactivation — watermark appears and personalisation is locked until reactivated.

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Software & OS

Windows Hello Face or Fingerprint Login Not Working

Fingerprint or face unlock stops responding after a Windows update or driver change usually fixed by re-registering biometrics or updating the driver.

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Software & OS

Software Installation Stuck or Fails Midway

A program installer freezes partway or errors out — a corrupted installer, missing administrator rights, or insufficient disk space.

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Software & OS

Default Apps Keep Changing or Files Opening in the Wrong Program

Files open in unexpected programs or default apps reset after updates — corrupted file associations or Windows settings.

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Software & OS

Windows Explorer Keeps Crashing or Restarting

File Explorer freezes or restarts repeatedly — a faulty shell extension, corrupted system files, or a recent Windows update.

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Software & OS

Desktop Icons Missing or Not Loading

Icons on your desktop vanish or take ages to appear after login — a corrupted icon cache or Explorer problem after a crash or update.

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Software & OS

Software Won't Uninstall or Gets Stuck

A program refuses to uninstall or the uninstaller hangs halfway, usually from corrupted registry entries, leftover files, or a blocked installer.

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Software & OS

Right-Click Context Menu Laggy or Not Opening

Right-clicking takes seconds to show the menu or nothing appears at all — usually too many shell extensions, an outdated graphics driver, or a corrupted Explorer state.

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Software & OS

Mouse Double-Click Not Working or Too Sensitive

Double-clicking opens nothing or opens files by accident — usually a Windows double-click speed setting, a worn-out mouse switch, or an outdated mouse driver.

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Software & OS

Windows Update Stuck or Fails to Install

Windows Update hangs at a percentage, repeats the same update, or fails with an error code — usually corrupted update files, low disk space, or a driver conflict blocking the patch.

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Software & OS

Keyboard Typing Wrong Characters or Wrong Language Layout

Letters come out as numbers, symbols, or another language because a second keyboard layout such as US, UK, or Chinese was added and accidentally switched on.

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Software & OS

Missing DLL File Error When Starting a Program

A program refuses to open with an error such as "MSVCP140.dll was not found" — a missing or damaged Windows system file, not a faulty hard disk.

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Software & OS

Sticky Keys or Filter Keys Keeps Turning On by Itself

Windows keeps enabling Sticky Keys, Filter Keys or Toggle Keys, usually after holding Shift for eight seconds or pressing it five times — modifiers then seem to stick and typing feels like keys are being ignored or repeating.

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Software & OS

Task Manager or Registry Editor Disabled

Task Manager, Registry Editor or Command Prompt will not open and says it was disabled by your administrator — a common sign of malware, a rogue tuning tool or a policy change.

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Software & OS

Windows in S Mode Won't Let You Install Apps

Windows 11 in S Mode only installs apps from the Microsoft Store, so downloaded installers are blocked until S Mode is switched off.

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Software & OS

Clipboard Not Working — Copy and Paste Fails

Copy and paste stops working anywhere in Windows, or keeps pasting old text — usually a frozen clipboard service, a third-party clipboard manager conflicting with it, or corrupted system files.

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Software & OS

Screenshot or Print Screen Key Not Working

Pressing Print Screen does nothing and the Snipping Tool will not capture — usually the keyboard’s function-key setting, a disabled shortcut, or a broken screenshot service in Windows.

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Software & OS

Print Jobs Stuck in the Print Queue or Printer Shows Offline

Documents sit in the queue and never print while the printer shows offline — a stopped print spooler service, a stale stuck job, or a dropped connection between the PC and the printer.

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Software & OS

PDF Files Won't Open or Show a Blank Page

Double-clicking a PDF does nothing, opens an empty white window or shows an error — the default PDF reader is broken, the file never finished downloading, or the document itself is damaged.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Not Charging

Charger connected but battery icon shows 'plugged in, not charging' faulty battery or charging circuit.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Swollen

Battery visibly bulging, trackpad lifting dangerous lithium-ion battery failure, needs immediate replacement.

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Power & Battery

Computer Shuts Down Immediately

Powers on for 2-3 seconds then turns off short circuit, overheating, or PSU failure.

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Power & Battery

Power Surge Damaged Computer

Your computer stopped working after a lightning strike or power outage the surge may have fried the power supply, motherboard, or other internal components.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Charger or Adapter Not Recognised

When your laptop does not detect the charger even when plugged in, the issue could be a faulty DC jack, a damaged charger cable, or a motherboard power circuit failure.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Drains While Plugged In

Charging light is on but the battery percentage keeps dropping undersized charger, worn-out battery, or a power-hungry application running.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Charging Port Loose or Broken

The DC jack inside your laptop can wear out or break from daily plugging and unplugging, causing intermittent charging, sparking, or no power at all.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Percentage Stuck at 0%

Battery indicator stays at zero even when the laptop is plugged in and charging.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Shuts Down at Specific Battery Percentage

Laptop abruptly powers off at 20-30% instead of reaching zero, indicating a worn-out battery that needs replacement.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Only Works When Plugged Into Charger

Laptop shuts down instantly when unplugged from the charger, indicating a completely dead battery that can no longer hold any charge and needs replacement.

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Power & Battery

Desktop PC Won't Power On After Power Outage

Computer shows no signs of life after a blackout or power cut — no fans, no lights. Often caused by a tripped PSU protection circuit or surge damage.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Health Degraded Below 80%

Windows or macOS reports "service recommended" battery warning — reduced runtime and potential swelling risk if ignored.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Drains Normally Then Drops from 30% to Zero

Battery percentage drops steadily then plummets suddenly — worn-out cells causing inaccurate calibration and unexpected shutdowns.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Drains While Shut Down or in Sleep Mode

Battery loses charge overnight even with the laptop off or asleep usually caused by fast startup, a USB charging port left on, or an ageing battery.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Not Detected by Windows

Taskbar shows no battery detected even though the laptop runs fine on AC power, usually a loose battery connector, failed cell, or driver issue.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Charging Very Slowly

Battery percentage barely rises even after hours on charge — a weak charger, background apps, or an ageing battery.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Percentage Inaccurate or Fluctuating

Battery level jumps between readings or reports the wrong charge — a miscalibrated battery, ageing cells, or a faulty charging circuit.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Charger or Power Adapter Overheating

Charger becomes hot to the touch while charging — a failing adapter, wrong wattage, or a short in the charging circuit that can damage the battery or start a fire.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Only Charges When Turned Off

The battery charges only while the laptop is shut down and stops charging once it is switched on — a failing charger, worn charging port, or battery management driver issue.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Stops Charging at 80% (Battery Protection)

Charging stops at around 80 percent even though the battery still works — often battery protection software, a faulty charging circuit, or a degraded battery cell.

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Power & Battery

Power Strip or Circuit Breaker Trips When PC Turns On

Turning the computer on trips the power strip or the room circuit breaker — often a failing power supply drawing excessive current or a short inside the system.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Not Charging Through a Power Strip or Extension Cord

The laptop charges from a wall socket but not from a power strip — often an overloaded strip, loose socket contacts, or an adapter unable to draw enough power through the strip.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Dies Instantly When Unplugged

Laptop only runs while plugged in and switches off the moment the charger is removed, meaning the battery has lost its capacity and needs replacement.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Swelling or Bulging

The battery bulges, the trackpad lifts, or the chassis warps — a swollen lithium-ion battery is a genuine fire risk and must be replaced and disposed of safely, not kept in use.

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Power & Battery

PC Restarts or Shuts Down When the Fridge or Aircon Kicks In

The computer reboots whenever a large appliance switches on — a voltage dip on a shared circuit, which stresses the power supply over time.

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Power & Battery

UPS Beeping or Not Holding Charge — PC Shuts Down During a Power Cut

The UPS alarms constantly and the PC still dies the moment power trips — the internal battery has reached the end of its service life.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Charging Cable Frayed or Exposed Wire

A worn charger cable can spark, overheat or cut out, and an exposed wire near the plug is a fire risk — replace it rather than taping it up.

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Power & Battery

Charger Plug Sparks or Feels Loose in the Wall Socket

The adapter plug sparks or only charges when wiggled — a worn wall socket, a damaged plug pin or a loose adapter socket, and a genuine fire risk that should be checked before it is used again.

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Power & Battery

Power Bank Not Charging Your Laptop

The power bank lights up but the laptop battery still drains — its USB-C PD output is too low for a laptop, which usually needs 45W or more.

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Power & Battery

Laptop Not Charging From a Car Charger or 12V Socket

The laptop charges fine at home but drains in the car — the 12V socket or adapter cannot deliver enough wattage, so the battery never keeps up.

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