PC Basics

Most computer guides assume you already know the basics. This section starts from where you actually are.

Windows

Buying a Used or Refurbished Laptop - What to Check Before You Pay →

What to check before you pay for a used or refurbished laptop.

Windows’ August Update Broke Cursors and Wallpapers - Skip It, but Mind the October 13 Deadline →

The August update shipped cursor and wallpaper bugs - both fixed in September’s. Install it, and get on 25H2 before October 13.

Back Up Your Computer - The Easy Way →

The minimum: one external drive, one cloud copy, and a ten-minute restore test - with the tools already on your PC.

Windows 11 25H2 Is Installing Itself - What to Check Before It Lands →

Microsoft is pushing 25H2 to your PC automatically. Three checks before it lands: back up, read the known issues, update your drivers.

Windows Just Broke My Computer - Here’s What to Do →

Microsoft’s July update is crashing Dell PCs. Here’s the fix in 5 minutes - and the safe routine for every update after it.

Windows’ August Update Is Out - The Five-Step Routine →

The five-step routine that gets Windows’ fixes without the gamble: wait, back up, pause, check, roll back if it breaks.

New Laptop, First Day - The Half-Hour Setup Checklist →

The half-hour checklist that sets up a new laptop right: updates first, the privacy toggles that matter, and a backup before you trust it. Printable version included.

A Company You Bought From Got Hacked - Now What? →

A breach email just landed in your inbox. Here is the three-rung action ladder: check, protect, watch - and when to do nothing at all.

One Breach Away - Why Your Reused Password Is the Real Problem →

ASOS customers were logged into with passwords stolen from other sites. If you reuse passwords, this is how it happens - and how to stop it.

Why Your Printer Keeps Going Offline - The Ten-Minute Fix →

Why your printer shows offline, and the ten-minute fix that works.

If there is something you want to know how to do with your computer, let me know.