Try these first — no charge.
Plain-English steps for the problems I get called out for most. Nothing here will make things worse if you follow it, and every guide says when to stop.
I let someone onto my computer or clicked a scam link — what now?
Someone rang "from Microsoft", the bank or the NBN, and you gave them access — or a link took over the screen. Do these things now, in this order.
Read the steps →A "virus detected" pop-up has taken over the screen
A loud page saying your PC is infected, with a phone number to call, that won't close. It's a web page, not a real warning. Here's how to get rid of it.
Read the steps →Is this Norton / McAfee renewal message real? And do I need it?
"Your subscription has expired — renew now for $199" pops up constantly. Some are genuine (and overpriced), some are scams. How to tell, and how to cancel a real one you don't want.
Read the steps →Printer says offline or won't print
Nine times out of ten the printer has lost the Wi-Fi network or Windows is stuck on an old job. These steps fix most of it.
Read the steps →Setting up a new printer (Wi-Fi first, then Windows)
The trick with a new printer is to get it onto your Wi-Fi before you touch the computer. Do it in this order and it usually just works.
Read the steps →Email stopped sending or receiving
First work out whether it's the email account or Outlook on the computer. That one check saves a lot of time.
Read the steps →Outlook won't open, freezes, or sits on "Loading profile"
When Outlook itself won't start — spinning wheel, "Loading profile", or it opens and freezes — it's usually a stuck add-in or a corrupted profile. Two safe things to try.
Read the steps →Can my computer run Windows 11? (and how to upgrade)
Windows 10 stopped getting security updates in October 2025. Here's how to check whether your PC can move to Windows 11, and how to do it.
Read the steps →Windows won't start — black screen, spinning dots or a repair loop
If the computer powers on but never gets to the login screen, Windows has a built-in repair menu you can reach — and its first two options are safe to try.
Read the steps →Locked out — forgotten password, PIN, or a BitLocker recovery key screen
Most modern PCs sign in with a Microsoft account, which means both the password and the BitLocker key can be recovered from any other device.
Read the steps →Computer running slow — the safe first steps
Before assuming it's worn out, try these. Half of "slow" computers just haven't been restarted in weeks or are out of space.
Read the steps →Windows behaving oddly? Run Microsoft's built-in repair (DISM and SFC)
Two commands from Microsoft that check Windows' own files and repair any that are damaged. Safe — they don't touch your documents — but you'll be typing at a black command window.
Read the steps →Windows update stuck at a percentage for hours
"Working on updates — 37% — don't turn off your computer" for half a day. Here's how long to wait, and what to do when it really is stuck.
Read the steps →Second monitor or TV not detected
The screen worked yesterday and now it's blank or "No signal". Almost always a cable, an input button, or Windows deciding to show on one screen only.
Read the steps →No sound from the computer
YouTube's playing but you can't hear it. Nine times out of ten Windows is sending the sound to the wrong place — a monitor with no speakers, an unplugged headset, or Bluetooth headphones in a drawer.
Read the steps →Back up your photos and files so a dead computer isn't a disaster
Most of the data-recovery calls I get would have been a non-event with one of these switched on. Pick either — or both.
Read the steps →Getting your files off an old computer before it goes
Recycling an old PC or laptop? Get the photos, documents and email off it first — and wipe it before it leaves the house.
Read the steps →Book a visit.
Tell me what's going wrong and when suits — I'll confirm a time, usually the same or next day.