Open today 10am - 8pm 425 Changi Road, Singapore 419868
← Back to Hitech ITS

Computer Issues Library

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

134 issues
Laptop Issues

Laptop Won't Turn On

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Overheating

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Battery Draining Fast

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Making Loud Fan Noise

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Keyboard Not Working

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Touchpad Not Responding

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Running Slow

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Won't Charge

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

Learn more →
Laptop Issues

Laptop Spilled with Water or Coffee

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
Laptop Issues

Laptop Screen Flickers When Moving Lid

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Desktop / PC Issues

PC Won't Boot

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

Learn more →
Desktop / PC Issues

PC Randomly Restarts

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

Learn more →
Desktop / PC Issues

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

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

Learn more →
Desktop / PC Issues

Computer Keeps Freezing

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

Learn more →
Desktop / PC Issues

No Display on Monitor

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Cracked Laptop Screen

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

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Screen Flickering

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

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Dead Pixels on Screen

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

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Dim or Dark Screen

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

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Screen Has Lines or Artifacts

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

Learn more →
Screen & Display

Second Monitor Not Detected

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

Learn more
Screen & Display

Touchscreen Not Responding

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
Screen & Display

Screen Burn-In or Image Retention

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

Computer Running Extremely Slow

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

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

SSD Upgrade Needed

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

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

RAM Upgrade Required

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

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

High CPU Usage at Idle

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

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

Programs Keep Crashing

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

Learn more →
Performance & Speed

Computer Fan Always Running at Full Speed

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Computer Infected with Virus

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

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Ransomware Attack

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

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Browser Hijacked

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

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Pop-up Ads Everywhere

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

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Suspicious Email Attachments

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

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Unknown Programs Installed

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Virus & Security

Antivirus Software Expired

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Data & Storage

Accidentally Deleted Important Files

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

Learn more →
Data & Storage

Hard Drive Making Clicking Noises

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

Learn more →
Data & Storage

External Hard Drive Not Recognised

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

Learn more →
Data & Storage

USB Flash Drive Corrupted

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

Learn more →
Data & Storage

Computer Storage Full

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

Learn more →
Data & Storage

SD Card Data Loss

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

WiFi Not Working

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

Slow Internet Speed

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

WiFi Keeps Disconnecting

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

Can't Connect to Printer

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

Bluetooth Not Working

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

Printer Printing Blank Pages

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

Learn more →
Network & Connectivity

DNS Server Not Responding

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

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

Motherboard Failure

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

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

Graphics Card Artifacting

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

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

Power Supply Unit Failure

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

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

USB Ports Not Working

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

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

Computer Making Beeping Noises

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

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

Webcam Not Working

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

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
Hardware Failure

CPU Overheating and Thermal Throttling

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Software & OS

Windows Won't Update

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Windows 10/11 Upgrade Problems

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Microsoft Office Not Working

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Driver Issues After Update

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Mac Won't Boot to macOS

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Forgotten Windows Password

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Software & OS

Audio or Sound Not Working

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

Learn more
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
Software & OS

Software Keeps Asking for Admin Password

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

Learn more →
Software & OS

Mouse Cursor Disappears or Freezes

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Software & OS

Windows Activation Lost After Hardware Change

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

Learn more →
Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Not Charging

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

Learn more →
Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Swollen

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

Learn more →
Power & Battery

Computer Shuts Down Immediately

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Percentage Stuck at 0%

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Power & Battery

Laptop Battery Health Degraded Below 80%

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

Learn more →
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.

Learn more →
Free Tech Advice