Fix
Windows
Computer keeps restarting
Your PC reboots on its own, sometimes in a loop. The causes range from a stuck update and a faulty driver to overheating and a failing power supply — here's…
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Simple Computer Help Without the Jargon
Troubleshooting guides, computer explanations and free tools to help you fix everyday PC problems.
Fix a Computer Problem
Start with the symptom you're seeing — each of these is a page you can work through yourself.
Windows Help
Updates, start-up, settings and the things Windows does when you're not looking.
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Fix
Windows
Windows stuck updating
Windows Update has been 'Installing updates' or 'Configuring updates' for hours and won't finish. Here's how to tell if it's genuinely working or truly stuck, and how to unstick it…
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Fix
Hardware
Computer won't start — no lights, no fans, no beeps
Your PC is completely dead when you press the power button? It's almost always the power: the wall socket, the cable, or the switch on the back of the power…
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Fix
Hardware
Bluetooth not working
Your Bluetooth won't turn on, or devices won't connect. Usually it's the adapter being disabled, a stuck driver, or a device that's not in pairing mode — here's how to…
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Fix
Hardware
Computer turns on but there's no display
The power button works and fans spin, but the screen stays black. Here's how to find out whether it's the monitor, the cable, or the PC itself — and fix…
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Fix
Hardware
External hard drive not detected
Your external hard drive spins up (or stays silent) but Windows doesn't list it. Power and cabling are the usual suspects — here's how to get it showing, and when…
Read the fix →Internet & Wi-Fi
Routers, cables, Wi-Fi and the connection between your PC and the outside world.
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Fix
Networking
Wi-Fi connected but no internet
You're connected to the Wi-Fi network (the icon shows bars) but nothing loads. This is almost always the router or the link between it and your provider — not your…
Read the fix →Popular Error Codes
The errors people actually search for, explained in plain English with the fix that works.
0x80004005
Windows error 0x80004005
0x800f081f
Windows Update error 0x800f081f
0xC000021A
Windows error 0xC000021A
BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO
Windows blue screen BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_INFO
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
Windows blue screen CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
Free Computer Tools
Small, fast, in your browser — nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
Tool
Internet data usage calculator
Estimate how much data you use per month from streaming, calls and browsing — in GB — so you can see if your plan is enough before you change it.
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Tool
Monitor resolution & refresh rate guide
Compare 1080p, 1440p and 4K, and 60/120/144 Hz refresh rates, in plain terms — so you can tell what a monitor listing actually means and pick one that fits your…
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Tool
Download time calculator
Enter a file size and your connection speed and see how long a download takes — with a real-world buffer for overhead. No data leaves your browser.
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Tool
Simple connection speed test
A lightweight, no-signup speed test that measures your download speed by pulling a file from a CDN. Runs in your browser and gives you a real Mbps figure to use…
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Tool
Ethernet cable (Cat5e / Cat6) guide
Plain-English help choosing an Ethernet cable — Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6a — so you know which one to buy, how long you can run it, and what it'll actually deliver.
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Tool
Password generator
Create a strong, random password in your browser. Choose the length and character types — it never sends anything over the network and never stores the result.
Read the fix →Computer Terms Explained
The jargon, in plain English — the words that keep appearing in specs, reviews and error messages.
Recently Added Guides
Fresh pages and updates, most recent first.
Guide
Windows
How to back up your Windows computer properly
A plain-English plan for backing up your files, settings and the whole system — what to back up, how often, and how to make sure you could actually restore it.
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Guide
Hardware
What to look for when buying a computer or laptop
The four specs that actually matter for an everyday home computer — processor, memory, storage and screen — explained in plain English, so you stop overpaying for specs you'll never…
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Guide
Windows
Setting up a new Windows 11 PC so it stays fast and private
The sensible first-week checklist for a new Windows 11 computer: updates, sensible defaults, what to turn off, and the small settings that keep it fast and private for years.
Read the fix →Why M and S Computers?
We explain technical problems the way a friendly expert would — what's happening, why it's happening, and exactly what to do. No sales, no jargon, no "have you tried turning it off and on again?"
Read our approach