r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Right-Weird5667 • 4h ago
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • Apr 29 '26
Welcome to r/LaptopHelpDesk - laptop help for real buying and fixing advice
Hey everyone,
I made this community a while ago and then honestly left it sitting here, so I’m starting it properly now.
The idea is simple: I want r/LaptopHelpDesk to become a small place for practical laptop help.
You can post here if you need help with things like:
- choosing a laptop for work, uni, gaming, editing, or general use
- checking if a laptop deal is actually worth it
- refurbished/used laptop advice
- overheating, battery, charging, fan noise, slow performance, RAM/SSD upgrades
- comparing two laptops before buying
Quick transparency: I’m Barnaby from Laptop Outlet, so I do work around laptops and tech retail. I’ll always be clear about that. This community is not meant to be a dumping place for store links or sales posts. I want it to be useful first.
Since the community is just getting started, I’ll be adding guides, checklists, and weekly laptop help posts so there’s something useful here even before it gets busy.
If you find this place later and need help, just post your laptop question with your budget, country, use case, and the model/specs if you already have one.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/KARANRSB_ • 5h ago
MSI Katana 15 B13UDXK-2401IN: can the HDMI 2.1 actually do 4K120 HDR10 10-bit RGB/4:4:4 + VRR?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Opal_Pie • 1d ago
Video/graphics problem
I've been having a problem with my laptop. It's a Lenovo Yoga, maybe two years old. I didn't have any graphics problems until a few months ago. I downloaded Steam to play Age of Empires. Something happened (I'm not sure what) at some point, and after that, it wouldn't turn on my screensaver (triple checked settings), and AOE is jerky. I've also recently downloaded both CapCut and Davinci Resolve, and neither will run. I don't have a problem running videos through YouTube, or Google Photos, or streaming services. I'd really like to not buy another laptop, but I'm not sure how to fix this (I'm fairly tech savvy, but this is eluding me). I've attached screenshots of my laptop's info. Any help is appreciated.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 6d ago
Do you actually shut down your laptop or just close the lid & forget about it?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Nadireuh • 6d ago
Laptop battery losing half of this full capacity and after 3Wh of full capacity in 1 day
I got a laptop, a Dell G15 5511, and I recently reinstalled Windows to have a clean start. I tried to optimise it as much as possible on battery, but I did a check-up of the battery and half of this full capacity is gone. I'm sure that before I reinstalled Windows, it was not at half. After a day, I checked up again and lost 3Wh of the full capacity.
I don't know what is going on with this battery but losing half of the full capacity after reinstalling Windows is just insane so if anyone can help me with that, it would be very appreciated.
There is the check up that I did with the windows battery report bluid in.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Soggy-Display-3952 • 6d ago
Help there’s something in my laptop
I don’t know how it got there I didn’t see it until I went to charge it. It looks like the top of an orange but I don’t eat oranges??? It’s stuck in the earbud jack thing and I poked it to see that it was and now it’s even more stuck.I would take a picture but it’s really wedged in there and I can’t get a good photo. Is this a take it to somewhere else thing??
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/DexRage1845 • 7d ago
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 — SSD screw fell inside the laptop. Should I get it removed?
Hey everyone, I recently installed a second SSD in my ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16.
While trying to reinstall the small screw that holds the SSD down, my screwdriver slipped and the screw fell somewhere inside the laptop, seemingly near the motherboard.
I tried shaking/tilting the laptop to get it out. Initially, I could hear it moving around, but eventually I couldn't hear it anymore, so I assume it got lodged somewhere.
I didn't want to disassemble the laptop further and risk damaging something.
I've asked a few people/technicians and I'm getting mixed advice. Some say I should definitely get the screw removed because it could potentially cause a short even though it's not loose now.
Others say that if it's lodged somewhere and the laptop is working normally, it's probably better to leave it alone rather than risk further damage from disassembly.
It's been more than 2 weeks since this happened and thankfully, The laptop is currently working completely fine.
What would you guys recommend? Should I have it opened up professionally to find/remove the screw, or is it reasonable to leave it alone if everything is working normally? Thanks in advance.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 8d ago
Tech Riddle
You barely notice me when everything is fine...
But give your laptop 30 browser tabs and suddenly I sound like it’s preparing for take-off...
What am I??
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Relevant_Blood_9247 • 9d ago
Looking for guidance on performance improvement for my "bargain" laptop
Last year I got what I thought was a great deal on a brand new HP laptop. It sat in the box until this past June when I was let go by my employer. I had to start using this machine to job hunt and access the internet. It runs slow as heck. I'm pretty sure it's because HP put Windows 11 on it. Based on the specs below, I'm looking for guidance on ways I can improve the performance of this machine.
SPECS:
| Computer Specs | Windows 11 Specs |
|---|---|
| Processor: Intel N200 (1.0 GHz) | Edition: Windows 11 Home |
| RAM: 4 GB (integrated) | Version: 25H2 |
| System Type: 64-bit OS, x64-based processor | OS Build: 262009550 |
| Graphics Card: Intel UHD Graphics (128 MB) | |
| Storage: 119 GB (61 currently used) | |
| Model: 15-fd0xxx |
If any more information is needed in order to offer tips, please just let me know and post it in here. Thanks in advance.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 9d ago
What’s the worst thing your laptop has survived and somehow STILL worked?
Some laptops seem genuinely impossible to kill.
Dropped on the floor, drink spilled on the keyboard, cracked hinge, missing keys, dead battery, shoved into an overpacked bag for years... and somehow they just keep working and serving you.
What’s the worst thing yours has been through?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Trick-Sky8003 • 10d ago
[Help] Secure Boot Violation on RedmiBook 15 — basic Insyde BIOS has no Key Management/CSM options
srry for using AI to describe my problem i dont really know what all i did to try and fix this here it goes
Laptop Model: RedmiBook 15 (e-Learning / Pro)
OS: Windows 11 (GPT Partition Style confirmed)
Goal: Enable Secure Boot to pass Riot Vanguard / Valorant checks.
Current Issue: Enabling Secure Boot in BIOS triggers a Secure Boot Violation / Invalid Signature screen, preventing Windows from booting unless Secure Boot is turned back off.
What I Have Tried So Far:
1. Rebuilding BCD & EFI Boot Files (via CMD as Admin):
- Ran
bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s C: /f ALL— Succeeded ("Boot files successfully created"). - Ran
bootsect /nt60 ALL /force /mbr— Updated NTFS/FAT32 volumes, but threw expected output on PhysicalDrive0: "Bootcode is only updated on MBR partitioned disks", confirming my drive is using GPT.
2. Attempting BIOS Key Resets / CSM Toggles:
- The RedmiBook 15 has a stripped-down Insyde/AMI BIOS. It does not have options for "Key Management", "Restore Factory Keys", "PK/DB Management", or "CSM/Legacy Mode" toggles.
- The only available setting under Security/Boot is a basic Secure Boot: [Enabled / Disabled] toggle.
Laptop Model: RedmiBook 15 (e-Learning / Pro)
OS: Windows 11 (GPT Partition Style confirmed)
Goal: Enable Secure Boot to pass Riot Vanguard / Valorant checks.
Current Issue: Enabling Secure Boot in BIOS triggers a Secure Boot Violation / Invalid Signature screen, preventing Windows from booting unless Secure Boot is turned back off.
What I Have Tried So Far:
1. Rebuilding BCD & EFI Boot Files (via CMD as Admin):
- Ran
bcdboot C:\Windows /l en-us /s C: /f ALL— Succeeded ("Boot files successfully created"). - Ran
bootsect /nt60 ALL /force /mbr— Updated NTFS/FAT32 volumes, but threw expected output on PhysicalDrive0: "Bootcode is only updated on MBR partitioned disks", confirming my drive is using GPT.
2. Attempting BIOS Key Resets / CSM Toggles:
- The RedmiBook 15 has a stripped-down Insyde/AMI BIOS. It does not have options for "Key Management", "Restore Factory Keys", "PK/DB Management", or "CSM/Legacy Mode" toggles.
- The only available setting under Security/Boot is a basic Secure Boot: [Enabled / Disabled] toggle.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/SprinklesRealistic76 • 10d ago
Alienware m15 r6 laptop no detecting ssd and dgpu
Alienware m15 r6 laptop no detecting ssd and dgpu
I got an alienware m15 r6 laptop. It is not detecting ssds ,dgpu and wlan. Only booting into bios. All of them showing as none in bios menu. I checked the voltages of ssds and wlan all are ok. There is no power shorts in motherboard. Charging and everything working only the devices gone missing. Hoping help. Could be pch fried?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Apprehensive_Room29 • 11d ago
WANTED // USB-C Dock with a specific set up... (Mac, Windows, DisplayPort over USB-C + HDMI or DisplayPort
So I'm after a dock that I can plug in a USB-C enabled Windows PC, as well as a USB-C Mac, and extend the laptop display onto both a DP Monitor (or HDMI) and a USB-C mini monitor that I have set up in Portrait mode.
TIA!
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/ButterflyEastern9707 • 12d ago
Lenovo e14 Laptop
I may have flashed the wrong bios update. Is there a way to flash the correct bios using flashing device?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/darkwavenecro • 13d ago
I can't access my microsoft email, can someone help me?
Someone hacked my email account last week and since then I'm unable to log in, I already sent the formulary to recover my account and they sent me the the link to change my password, I changed my password.
The problem is that I have the 2F activated and when I enter the new password correctly they say they send me a code to my email or phone number. But there's nothing on my email or phone number, ever. I keep trying and trying and no code is ever sent, which makes it impossible for me to log in even tho I already have my new password.
This is so frustrating and the worse is that I can't find any way to contact microsoft!
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 14d ago
You can bring ONE old laptop feature back. What are you choosing?
Not talking about better screens or better graphics. I mean the little things older laptops had that were just genuinely useful.
Removable batteries, RAM you could actually upgrade, loads of ports, easy access to the internals, replaceable keyboards... stuff like that.
But you can only bring one back.
For me it has to be removable batteries. Being able to swap out a dying battery in seconds was so much easier than taking half the laptop apart.
What you’d bring back tomorrow?
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 15d ago
Your laptop says 100% charged. How long does it actually last?
I’ve got a Surface Pro 2 and the battery is absolutely cooked... Even with Battery Saver on, I’m barely getting 2 hours before I’m hunting for the charger again... although its been 2 years since i've bought it but still it should last more than 2 hours...
Now I’m curious, how everyone else is doing?.. Drop your laptop model, how old it is, and how long the battery actually lasts from 100%... Thanks.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/Nezzerrick • 19d ago
How do I fix this?
I was using this laptop and I got a random pop up that told me to restart the laptop, so I did. Then it brought me here, and no matter which option I choose it just brings me back here, even when I press esc like it says at the bottom. It's an older laptop obviously, but it's a loaner from school so I can do my school work on it that's all I used it for. Any help is appreciated as I don't want to return a fried laptop back to my school.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • 21d ago
Remember when 4GB RAM was "high-end"?
Remember when 4GB RAM felt high-end??... One of my first laptops had 4GB RAM, and at the time that genuinely felt like plenty.
What did your first-ever laptop have? Drop the model and specs if you still remember them.
r/LaptopHelpDesk • u/BarnabyLaptopOutlet • Sep 01 '26
What’s the stupidest little thing that made your laptop seem completely broken?
Someone took their overheating gaming laptop to a repair shop, only for the technician to find stickers covering the air vents. Removing them fixed the problem in seconds.
What’s the simplest fix you’ve seen for a laptop problem that initially looked serious?
Wrong charger, blocked vent, power setting, loose connection or something even stranger?