Tips, guides, and things I've learned fixing computers in St Helens since 2008.
KB5124008 has broken File History backup, stopped USB audio on some headsets, crashed AMD cards, and made Remote Desktop unstable. HP laptops failing to boot too. What to do.
Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes 974 vulnerabilities including 113 Critical and 2 actively exploited zero-days. The biggest patch day ever.
Fifteen scams: WhatsApp screen-sharing fraud, Student Finance phishing targeting maintenance payments, Action Fraud impersonation calls, Booking.com reservation fraud, Argos account break-ins, Barclays fake direct debit texts, fake iPhone 18 pre-order sites, TV Licensing threats, fake PayPal closure emails, Halifax phishing, fake Three cut-off calls, Nationwide spoofed texts, O2 passcode theft, spyware apps, and DVLA vehicle tax threats.
PC restarting by itself? The usual causes: overheating, dodgy PSU, failing RAM, driver crashes, and Windows Update doing its thing. How to work out which one it is.
Laptop still running but the screen is black? Brightness keys, external monitor test, graphics driver restart, sleep mode faults, and when it means the backlight or cable has failed.
Back to school laptop guide for 2026: what specs actually matter, which models are worth buying in UK shops right now, and the mistakes I see parents and students make every August.