What's Happening to Your PC? PC Repair Solutions

Over 1.5 billion PCs are in use worldwide right now, and here's the thing—about 30% of them are experiencing some kind of performance or hardware issue at any given moment. If your computer's been acting weird lately, you're definitely not alone. Maybe it's running slower than it used to, overheating constantly, or making noises that weren't there before. Whatever's going on, you're probably wondering if it's fixable or if you're stuck buying a new machine.

Good news: most PC problems are totally repairable, and professional PC repair costs way less than replacement. Whether you're dealing with a laptop that won't turn on, a desktop that crashes constantly, or a system that's just limping along, there's usually a solution that doesn't involve dropping serious cash on new hardware. In this guide, we'll walk you through what's actually happening with your computer, what you can do about it, and when it makes sense to bring it to professionals like us at The Fix.

Why People Stick With Their PCs

Let's talk about your PC for a second. Whether it's a Windows laptop you've had for years or a desktop tower you built yourself, these machines become part of your daily routine. You've got your files organized just the way you like them, your software configured perfectly, and you know exactly where everything is.

PCs are workhorses. They handle everything from basic web browsing to demanding video editing, gaming, programming, and business tasks. The versatility is what keeps people using them—you can upgrade components, add peripherals, and customize the experience in ways that aren't possible with other devices. When your PC starts having problems, it's not just an inconvenience—it disrupts work, school, entertainment, and communication.

Keep Your PC Running: Smart Prevention Tips

Before we dive into what goes wrong, let's talk about keeping things right. A little maintenance goes a long way with computers.

Physical care matters. Keep your laptop on hard, flat surfaces—not beds or couches where vents get blocked. For desktops, make sure there's airflow around the case. Dust is the enemy. Every few months, use compressed air to blow out vents and fans. You'd be amazed how much dust accumulates inside these things.

Software hygiene is crucial. Run Windows Update regularly. Yes, it's annoying, but those updates patch security holes and fix bugs. Use reputable antivirus software and actually run scans occasionally. Uninstall programs you don't use—they're just taking up resources.

Battery care for laptops. Don't leave it plugged in at 100% all the time if you can help it. Modern batteries handle this better than old ones, but heat and constant full charge still degrade them faster. If you're using it plugged in for extended periods, try to keep it between 20-80% charged when possible.

Handle with care. Laptops especially—don't pick them up by the screen, don't close them with stuff on the keyboard, and invest in a decent carrying case. For desktops, don't move them while they're running if you've got spinning hard drives.

Back up your data. This isn't really prevention for hardware, but when hardware fails, you'll be grateful you did this. Cloud backup, external drives, whatever works—just do it regularly.

The Reality of Electronics Longevity

Here's something most people don't think about: computers are incredibly complex machines with hundreds of components working together constantly. Every time you turn yours on, electricity flows through circuits, fans spin up, drives read and write data, and the processor heats up and cools down. This constant activity takes a toll.

Think about a cordless drill you've owned for years. When it was new, it held a charge forever and had plenty of torque. After hundreds of recharge cycles and countless projects, it doesn't quite have the same power anymore. The battery drains faster, and it might struggle with tasks it used to handle easily. That's essentially what happens to your PC's battery—the chemistry inside degrades with every charge cycle.

Or consider a door lock you use every single day. When it was first installed, the key slid in smoothly and the mechanism turned effortlessly. After years of use, there's play in the mechanism, the key doesn't insert quite as smoothly, and sometimes you've gotta jiggle it to get it to work. PC components like USB ports, charging jacks, and hinges experience the same kind of mechanical wear from repeated use.

The processor generates heat every time it works, and that heat causes microscopic expansion and contraction in the circuits. Hard drives have moving parts spinning at thousands of RPM. RAM modules handle millions of operations per second. Over time, all of this activity creates wear—not because anything's defective, but because that's just physics.

Software gets more demanding too. The operating system you're running today is way more resource-intensive than the one that came with your PC. Websites load more scripts, apps use more memory, and everything expects faster processors and more RAM. Your hardware hasn't gotten worse—the demands on it have increased.

This doesn't mean your PC is doomed. It just means that as time goes on, some maintenance and occasional repairs become necessary to keep things running smoothly.

Your PC Barely Boots Anymore

What you're experiencing: You press the power button and... nothing. Or maybe you get lights and fan noise but no display. Sometimes it starts after several attempts, or it gets to the Windows logo and just sits there spinning forever. You've tried waiting, you've tried restarting multiple times, and it's becoming a daily struggle just to get the thing turned on.

Why this happens: Boot failures come from several potential culprits. Could be your hard drive or SSD is failing and can't load the operating system properly. Might be RAM issues causing the system to hang during startup. Power supply problems can prevent components from getting the electricity they need. On laptops, it's often the battery or charging system. Corrupted system files from incomplete updates or malware can also prevent proper booting.

What you can try:

1. If it's a laptop, try removing the battery (if possible) and holding the power button for 30 seconds, then reconnect everything and try again. This clears residual power.
2. Check if it boots in Safe Mode (usually F8 or Shift+Restart during boot). If it does, you've got a software or driver problem.
3. Listen for beep codes when you power on—specific beep patterns indicate different hardware failures.
4. For desktops, reseat your RAM sticks (turn off and unplug first, then remove and firmly reinstall the memory modules).

Did You Know? Modern SSDs typically show warning signs before complete failure—your system might slow down, you'll see more frequent freezes, or you'll get error messages about disk problems. If you're noticing these symptoms, back up immediately and get the drive checked.

What really happens in most cases: Failed or failing storage drives account for about 40% of boot problems we see. The drive isn't completely dead yet, but it's got bad sectors or failing components that prevent the OS from loading. RAM failures are next at around 25%—and they're actually pretty easy to diagnose and replace. Power supply issues make up another 15-20%, especially in older systems. The good news? All of these are repairable without replacing the entire computer.

Performance Has Become Unbearably Slow

What you're experiencing: Your PC takes five minutes to start up when it used to take 30 seconds. Programs hang constantly. Opening a browser tab feels like running through molasses. You can literally watch the cursor lag behind your mouse movements. You're pretty sure a carrier pigeon would deliver emails faster at this point.

Why this happens: Slow performance usually stems from multiple factors piling up. Your storage drive might be nearly full or heavily fragmented (for HDDs). You could have way too many programs running at startup. Malware or bloatware might be consuming resources in the background. The system could be overheating and throttling performance to protect itself. On older machines, the hardware simply might not meet the demands of current software.

What you can try:

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and check what's using your CPU and memory. Sort by usage to find the culprits.
2. Clear out startup programs. Most things don't need to launch automatically—disable what you don't use daily.
3. Free up disk space. You need at least 10-15% free space for the system to operate efficiently.
4. Check your temps using free software like HWMonitor. If your CPU is running at 80-90°C idle, you've got a cooling problem.
5. Run a full malware scan with Windows Defender or your preferred antivirus.

What we tell customers who come in: Performance issues are rarely just one thing—they're usually a combination. We'll often find a nearly full hard drive, 40 programs trying to start automatically, dust choking the cooling system, and maybe some adware thrown in for good measure. Addressing all these factors together makes a dramatic difference. Sometimes a RAM upgrade or switching from a hard drive to an SSD transforms the experience entirely. Older computers can absolutely feel fast again with the right combination of cleaning, optimization, and strategic upgrades.

Overheating and Thermal Throttling

What you're experiencing: Your laptop's bottom gets so hot you can't keep it on your lap. The fan sounds like a jet engine preparing for takeoff—constantly. Performance tanks when you're doing anything intensive, or the system just shuts down unexpectedly. You can feel heat pouring out of the vents.

Why this happens: Dust accumulation is usually the main villain. Over time, dust clogs the cooling fins and fans, restricting airflow. The thermal paste between the processor and heatsink dries out and becomes less effective at transferring heat. Worn-out fans can't move air efficiently anymore. Using the laptop on soft surfaces blocks vents. Running demanding programs without adequate cooling also contributes.

What you can try:

1. Use compressed air to blow out the vents from the outside (short bursts, hold can upright).
2. Elevate your laptop with a stand or even just a book under the back edge to improve airflow.
3. Close unnecessary programs and browser tabs—each one generates heat.
4. Check Task Manager for processes using high CPU when you're not doing anything intensive.
5. For desktops, make sure nothing's blocking case vents and fans, and consider additional case fans if temps are consistently high.

Warning Signs Checklist:

• Fan runs constantly, even during light use
• Bottom of laptop too hot to touch comfortably
• System shuts down unexpectedly during use
• Performance drops significantly during gaming or intensive tasks
• Burning smell (stop using immediately if you notice this)

After years of fixing these devices: Overheating is incredibly common and incredibly preventable. Most laptops need their cooling systems cleaned and thermal paste replaced every 2-3 years, depending on usage. We've opened laptops where the cooling fins are completely packed with a solid mat of dust—the fan is trying, but zero air is moving through. After cleaning and fresh thermal paste, temperatures drop 20-30°C. It's one of the most satisfying repairs because the difference is immediate and dramatic.

Screen Problems and Display Issues

What you're experiencing: Your screen flickers randomly, shows weird lines or artifacts, goes completely black despite the computer still running, or the image looks dim and washed out. Sometimes it works fine, other times it's unusable. You've tried restarting multiple times with mixed results.

Why this happens: Laptop screens have flexible cables connecting them to the motherboard—these cables run through the hinge area and can get damaged from opening and closing. The backlight can fail (especially on older laptops). Graphics card problems cause artifacts and glitches. On desktops with separate monitors, it could be the cable, the monitor itself, or the graphics card. Driver issues occasionally cause display problems too.

What you can try:

1. Connect an external monitor (for laptops) or try a different cable (for desktops). If the external display works fine, you know it's the screen or its connection, not the graphics card.
2. Update your graphics drivers—outdated or corrupted drivers cause visual glitches.
3. For laptops, gently move the screen through its full range of motion while powered on. If the display cuts out or glitches at certain angles, the cable connection is damaged.
4. Try different display modes (duplicate/extend) if using multiple monitors.
5. Boot into Safe Mode—if the display works perfectly there, it's likely a driver or software issue.

Based on the devices we see: Screen issues divide pretty evenly between hardware and software causes. Cable damage is super common on laptops that get opened and closed frequently—especially if you tend to open them by grabbing one corner of the screen (don't do this). Backlight failures usually start with the screen getting dimmer over time, then eventually dying completely. GPU problems show up as artifacts during intensive graphics work. When someone brings in a laptop with display issues, we test with an external monitor first—that immediately tells us if we're dealing with the screen assembly or the graphics hardware.

Keyboard and Trackpad Not Responding

What you're experiencing: Some keys don't register, or they register multiple times from a single press. The trackpad cursor jumps around randomly or doesn't respond to clicks. Maybe nothing works at all. You're using an external mouse and on-screen keyboard just to keep working.

Why this happens: Spills are the #1 cause—liquid gets under keys and corrodes connections. Regular wear causes mechanical failure in switches. Dust and debris get lodged under keys. Trackpads can have loose connections or driver conflicts. Sometimes it's a software issue where the device gets disabled accidentally.

What you can try:

1. For stuck or non-responsive keys, try removing the keycap (carefully) and cleaning underneath with compressed air or isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab.
2. Check Device Manager to ensure the keyboard/trackpad isn't disabled and the drivers are up to date.
3. Boot into BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, F10, or Del during startup)—if the keyboard works there but not in Windows, it's a software issue.
4. Try an external keyboard to confirm the system is otherwise functional.
5. For trackpad issues, disable and re-enable it in Device Manager, or check if there's a physical switch or function key that toggles it.

Our technicians consistently find: Spill damage is surprisingly repairable—if you bring it in quickly, we can clean the corrosion before it causes permanent damage. Don't wait. Mechanical keyboard failures usually mean replacing the keyboard assembly, which is tedious but straightforward on most laptops. Trackpad issues are often just loose connections that need reseating. And hey, sometimes it really is just that you accidentally hit the trackpad disable key combo and didn't realize it (we see that more than you'd think).

What to Expect When You Bring Your PC In

Look, we get it—handing over your computer can feel stressful. You've got important files, personal information, and work that can't wait. Let me walk you through exactly how we handle PC repair at The Fix so there are zero surprises.

You'll drop off your computer and we'll start with a conversation. What's it doing? When did it start? Are you getting error messages? We want to understand what you're experiencing in your own words—not just run generic tests. Then we'll do a free diagnostic, which means actually turning on your system, reproducing the problem if possible, and running hardware tests to identify what's failing.

Here's what happens during that assessment: We'll check your storage drive's health status using diagnostic software that reads the drive's internal monitoring data. We'll test RAM modules individually to see if any are failing. For overheating issues, we'll monitor temperatures under load and inspect cooling systems. Boot problems get a deep dive into BIOS settings, boot order, and system files. The goal is finding the root cause, not just the obvious symptom.

Once we know what's wrong, we'll explain it in plain English—not tech jargon. We'll tell you what failed, why it probably happened, and what we recommend to fix it. This is where we talk about options. Sometimes there are multiple solutions at different price points. Maybe your hard drive is failing and you can either replace it with another hard drive or upgrade to an SSD that'll make everything faster. We'll explain the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.

The actual repair depends on what's needed. Storage drive replacement involves cloning your old drive to the new one (if possible) so you don't lose data, then installing and testing. RAM upgrades or replacements are quick—literally snapping in new modules. Keyboard replacements on laptops require disassembling the machine carefully, which takes time but isn't complicated. Overheating fixes mean cleaning cooling systems, replacing thermal paste, and possibly replacing worn fans.

Throughout the repair, we're testing constantly. Does it boot? Are temperatures normal? Do all functions work? We don't just fix the immediate problem and call it done—we verify that the system operates correctly across the board. Before you pick up, we'll walk you through what we did and answer any questions about maintaining your PC going forward.

Your PC Can Run Great for Years to Come

Most PC problems are totally fixable with the right expertise and parts. That boot failure? Usually a drive replacement and you're back in business. Performance issues? Often solved with cleaning, optimization, and maybe a RAM upgrade. Overheating? Cleaning and maintenance bring temperatures back to normal. These repairs cost a fraction of replacement and keep your familiar system running.

Bring your PC to The Fix and let our experienced techs take a look. We've seen every problem computers develop, we know exactly how to fix them, and we'll treat your machine like it's our own. Free diagnostic, honest pricing, quality work. Your PC still has plenty of life left—let's prove it.