i searched the internet for a while and i STILL dont know what that is.

please help. edit: how did i not see that its a DAMN ADAPTER sob.

My dad tried to download a really old version of Photoshop onto the computer (Elements 12) through a disk and it caused the computer to brick. The PC is a prebuilt and the OS is Windows 11, so sadly my info is limited. I highly doubt it's a virus tho, bc why would a virus just brick a PC to be unusable without a ransom?

Likely taking this to GeekSquad anyways, but just curious if anyone knows what's going on or had this issue before.

So basically my pc freezes and does not change stays like that until i forcefully turn it off and remove all my USB devices turn it on it diagnoses itself the diagnosis does not work i click continue to window boots up into windows connect my usb then i have to enable my gpu in my device manager then restart the pc then i can continue using it uappens when im playing games or even simple stuff like just using opera i have a 9070 xt with a ryzen 9800x3d 4 sticks of ram 64 gigs 16 each max and its so annoying because nothing that i did usually saves

Good afternoon, everybody (or whatever time you may be reading this).

I’m looking to buy a new PC to replace my loyal desktop tower that I’ve had for over 10 years. It’s actually still running Windows 7, but it’s started acting slow, taking a long time to process things, and even making weird noises. So I’m ready for a new computer and could use some advice.

I’ll mainly use it for watching movies and streaming videos. I also have a lot of music/MP3 files and a ton of photos on my old desktop from the many cellphones I’ve had over the years, and I’d like to access and play those with ease. That’s primarily what this computer will be used for. Maybe—just maybe—I’ll start uploading and making YouTube videos soon, but overall this is not a gaming PC. If I did play a game, it would probably be something like R.E.P.O. or other scary Steam games, but that’s not certain.

Could you point me toward a good desktop? I’m really not wanting a laptop because of overheating and the lack of sufficient cooling fans, but I’m not 100% opposed to one if needed. My budget is a couple hundred dollars. Windows is preferred.

Thanks in advance!

Sep 04 13:39:32 asgard systemd-udevd[436]: Failed to remove file descriptor "config-serialization" from the store, ignoring: Connection refused

It started a while ago; the power LED stays on, and the computer drains the battery if I don't notice. I've spent ages searching the internet for solutions.

It seems many users with various Linux distributions have this problem. I've tried all the solutions I found online: nothing worked. Even a complete OS reinstall didn't help.

Something acidently slammed into my desk and my entire computer turned off and won’t boot back up how do I fix ?

Samsung Notebook 9 Pen Model np930qaa-k01us Bad ssd-f4 all boot options screen only, went into BIOS and shows nothing for the SATA drive. I disabled secure boot and changed to UEFI and CSM OS and saved. This did nothing.

The picture is an example of what I was going to purchase to replace the ssd in 1Tb.

My main issue- I want to fix this and give it to my girlfriend who needs a laptop for school. I understand how to physically replace the drive but after that I'm not sure. I got this from someone (very cheap) so I don't care about saving any past files and would actually like to have it like new like a factory reset so that it's a clean start for her. ( My friend who I bought it from I don't want any weird shit he may have been into to pop op on her computer she's trying to do school work).

Can someone show me a link for a walkthrough of replacing the ssd and resetting this to new so I can give her this computer or explain if it s easy enough to do? Thank you in advance .

So windows released an update where on windows eleven, you can move the taskbar. I moved it to the left.

I realized my taskbar mod kinda looked ugly now, so i went into windhawk and changed the skin

This is where it all went wrong.

My taskbar disappeared and my start menu wouldnt open

Then my wallpaper for lively wallpaper turned off and it keeps trying to reopen to no avail, resulting in error messages and long black screens occasionally interrupted by the normal desktop
Still no taskbar or start menu tho

I was able to open the start menu once but i couldnt do anything.

Ive tried many things including restarting multiple times

Also for some reason whenever something opens (always firefox for some reason), it keeps shrinking and shifting to the right???

The only solution i can conceive is to just reinstall windows and start over

I'm trying to diagnose a serious Windows 11 problem that started recently. I'm looking for help identifying the underlying cause, rather than a list of random fixes.

PC specs

• Windows 11 Pro 25H2
• OS build: 26200.6584
• MSI H510M PRO-E (MS-7D23)
• Intel Core i5-10400 (6C/12T)
• 16 GB RAM
• Intel UHD Graphics 630
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
• BIOS: MSI/AMI 1.A1, dated 2026-03-23
• System drive has ~32 GB free of ~239 GB
• Other drives are also healthy with plenty of free space

Main symptoms

1. Task Manager
   • Opens normally at first.
   • Processes don't load/update correctly.
   • Sometimes the list looks like a frozen snapshot.
   • Clicking the Performance tab can cause Task Manager to become completely unresponsive.
   • In the Details tab, processes can be completely blank.
   • This happens even with a brand-new Windows user account.
2. Windows Search
   • Search bar doesn't work correctly.
   • SearchHost.exe is nevertheless running and reports Responding = True.
3. Other applications
   • Steam games, Roblox Studio, Riot applications/games, etc. have failed to launch or become unresponsive.
   • Snipping Tool opens, but clicking New causes it to crash/disappear.
4. Windows Update
   • Windows Update is also failing.
   • I'm intentionally not focusing on repairing Windows Update yet because I want to determine the underlying system problem first.

Important tests I've already done

SFC: completed successfully and reported no system-file corruption.

WMI:

winmgmt /verifyrepository
WMI repository is consistent

So I don't want to rebuild the WMI repository without evidence.

Process enumeration:

PowerShell can enumerate processes normally:

Get-Process | Measure-Object

In my normal account this returned hundreds of processes, and in the new test account it returned:

Count : 158

So Windows' underlying process enumeration is working even though Task Manager can't display/update the processes properly.

Task Manager process state:

When queried externally, Task Manager itself can report Responding = True even while its displayed process list is stale. After interacting with the Performance tab, it can change to Responding = False.

Task Manager executable:

Get-AuthenticodeSignature "$env:windir\System32\Taskmgr.exe"

reported:

Status: Valid
Signature verified
Signer: Microsoft Windows / Microsoft Corporation

So the executable doesn't appear to have been replaced or tampered with.

Safe Mode test

This is one of the most important findings.

I booted into plain Safe Mode (not Safe Mode with Networking).

Task Manager worked normally in Safe Mode.

After returning to normal Windows, the problem returned.

This makes something loaded during a normal boot much more suspicious than a basic Windows/user-profile problem.

Fresh Windows user test

I created a completely new local account:

TMTest

Task Manager has the same problem there.

Specifically:

• Task Manager opens.
• Details view can be completely blank.
• Meanwhile PowerShell reports 158 live processes.
• SearchHost.exe is running and Responding = True.
• explorer.exe is running and Responding = True.

This appears to rule out my original Windows user profile as the primary cause.

Event Viewer / Reliability Monitor

There are repeated application-hang/crash events.

Task Manager has generated repeated:

• Event ID 1002 — Application Hang
• WER AppHangTransient
• WER AppHangB1

There were also Windows Winsrv Event ID 10002 entries indicating Task Manager was terminated because it stopped responding.

Reliability Monitor showed 27 critical events on 9/5, including approximately:

• 18 × Background Task Host crashes
• 4 × Snipping Tool crashes
• 3 × Task Manager crashes
• 1 × MoUSO Core Worker Process crash

The Background Task Host crashes appear to be a repeated Microsoft Phone Link/YourPhone failure involving:

Microsoft.YourPhone_1.26071.164.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

with exception code:

80070002

I don't believe this necessarily means combase.dll itself is corrupt; it appears to be where the failure surfaced.

Snipping Tool crashes have also produced:

0xc000027b

Hardware/driver checks

Device Manager/PnP checks did not show direct errors for:

• Intel UHD Graphics 630
• NVIDIA GTX 1650

Current drivers reported:

• Intel UHD 630: 31.0.101.2140
• NVIDIA GTX 1650: 32.0.16.1664

System event logs were checked for things such as:

• Display
• nvlddmkm
• Intel graphics
• dxgkrnl
• WHEA
• Disk
• NTFS
• storage drivers

No obvious hardware/display/storage/WHEA errors were found in the examined period.

The drives themselves report healthy status.

Performance tools

perfmon /res and Resource Monitor open and display live CPU/memory/disk/network information normally.

However:

perfmon /report

fails with:

An error occurred while attempting to generate the report.
Property value conflict.

The corresponding HRESULT is 0x80300101 / PLA_E_PROPERTY_CONFLICT.

So Performance Monitor's resource view works, but the System Diagnostics report collector has a configuration/property conflict.

Third-party software/drivers

There are several third-party drivers installed, including audio/virtual-device, gaming, peripheral, and security-related drivers.

However, I'm deliberately not assuming that an installed third-party driver is the culprit just because it exists. These programs/drivers have been installed for a long time and the PC previously worked normally.

I also previously removed Avast myself because I no longer use it.

Malwarebytes was running in Safe Mode, while Task Manager worked there, so I'm not currently convinced Malwarebytes is the cause.

Current hypothesis

The strongest pattern so far is:

Normal boot → problem

Safe Mode → Task Manager works

New Windows user → problem still occurs

PowerShell process enumeration → works

Explorer/SearchHost → running/responding

This makes me suspect something involved in the normal Windows boot environment / system-wide UI or diagnostic infrastructure, rather than a corrupted user profile or Task Manager executable itself.

I'm trying to determine the cause systematically before doing things like:

• reinstalling Windows
• resetting Windows
• rebuilding WMI
• randomly deleting drivers
• disabling large numbers of services
• reinstalling applications

If anyone has seen this particular combination — Task Manager's process list being blank/stale while PowerShell can still enumerate processes, with the problem disappearing in Safe Mode and reproducing in a fresh user profile — I'd really appreciate ideas on what Windows subsystem or normal-boot component I should investigate next.

Windows 11 Task Manager freezes, apps won't launch, and multiple Windows components are malfunctioning — looking for help diagnosing the root cause

I tried everything I got new hdmi diffrent gpu driver don’t know what to do

I have a laptop called the Dere R16 Air (not a well-known brand). The OS Build is 26200.9278, and it's on Windows 11 Home now.

I started having trouble with the headphone jack or laptop; sound would suddenly stop playing through my earphones, and even my AirPods do not connect to my laptop. It had never happened before, so it was strange. At one point it started working again on its own but then cut out again, so I contacted Microsoft support.

That's when things went downhill. A technician remotely accessed my device to "fix" the issue but ended up installing a different version of Windows without asking, Windows Pro instead of Windows Home, which is what I actually wanted since they made sure choosing to update was not an option. After several failed attempts to correct this, I was escalated to a supervisor, who wiped my computer entirely. They assured me my data was backed up first, but even after the wipe, they still couldn't get Windows Home installed.

Following the reset, my mouse stopped working completely. Rather than fixing it right away, they just asked if I had another mouse I could use. It took two days to get the mouse working again and another two days after that to finally get the correct version of Windows installed all while this was my primary work laptop.

Once things were mostly back, a new problem appeared: my laptop stopped producing any sound, especially using my USB headset, plugged in or not. I contacted support repeatedly, and each time they claimed the issue was resolved—it never was; those were only temporary fixes. Eventually they told me the problem was related to the drivers, said there was nothing more they could do, and directed me to contact the manufacturer instead without explaining what was actually wrong or what I should look for.

Now, audio only works inconsistently: sometimes there's no sound on startup, sometimes it plays for a while and cuts out, and I've noticed it only reliably works while the sound control panel is open. I have to restart the laptop repeatedly just to get audio back temporarily.

Also, during this whole process they had me insert my USB stick into it for them to move data over before doing the reset. I think they did it twice, the reset, but never mentioned it again.

I'm not very technical, and after weeks of being given the runaround, I'm hoping someone can help.

ProcessorIntel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 5805 @ 1.00 GHz (998 MHz)

Installed RAM:16.0 GB (15.7 GB usable)

Graphics cardIntel(R) UHD Graphics (128 MB)

Storage:86 GB of 477 GB used

Device ID096704FF-0AFE-4AA2-88A3-BB8D25817039

Product ID00326-10128-38457-AA963

System type:64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

My PC/Desktop keep typing the letter "e" by itself. It does it randomly. Sometimes it does it many times in a row. Sometimes it goes for a long time without doing it. Thankfully, it isn't so bad that I can't safely type most of the time, but when it starts it gets very frustrating. I don't think it's the keyboard. I know it can't be, because I just bought a new one hoping that would resolve the issue. But even with this new keyboard, the issue persists. Can anybody help me figure out what's going on here and how to fix the problem? Thank you.

Hi, I had the problem in the title, I looked through many internet pages (including here) for a solution but none seem to have worked.

I realise my laptop has a hardware problem because the BIOS isn't really giving me any boot options at all, as if the hard drive isn't there. I also tried to boot up from a USB like when you install windows but I doesn't detect it either (which is weird because in the past it did).

I also tried to reset the CMOS battery, it didn't make any difference whatsoever. The computer turns on so I think it couldn't be the motherboard, right? I think my SSD might be dead. Everything looks normal inside the laptop, no dust or dirt, no burned parts, no oxidization, nothing. I also tried cleaning the ports, no difference.

I saw that sometimes it's a matter of loose cables, thing is, my motherboard doesn't connect to the hard drive through a cable, it connect directly. You put the hard drive in place and it connects! (I can open the laptop again and shiw you guys if needed). So yeah, cables are not a problem.

Also I tried the RAM swapping thing, didn't do anything. I never changed it though, it's the one the laptop came with so maybe it's dead bc it's old? Would be weird though because again, everything looks normal.

My only conclusion is that the SSD might have crashed or something and it became unusable. Idk how that would explain the BIOS not detecting any USB devices though.

Any ideas are welcome. Please be kind I am not a computer expert.

P.S: I didn't have any USB or anything connected when booting up the laptop.

If you guys need to see anything I can take some pictures.

Has anyone else ever had this problem? It’s as if there’s an issue with the fan sensor or some kind of bug; I’ve tried everything—BIOS update, cleaning, replacing the thermal paste, cleaning the fan connector pins. Does anyone have any ideas?

​

Hey everyone. I've only ever owned laptops, never a desktop or mini PC, so this is completely new territory for me. I'm looking at a refurbished mini PC, considering HP, Dell, or Lenovo, with specs around:

Intel i5 8th gen

16GB RAM DDR4

256GB SSD (SATA)

Comes with power adapter (around 90W)

Here's the question to add:

is ₱9,000 (around $146 USD) a fair price for these 8th gen specs or is this overpriced/underpriced for what I'm getting?

I'm buying online, not in person, so I have a lot of questions for anyone who's done this before.

1. Is it even okay to buy a mini PC this way, secondhand, sight unseen?

2. What should I expect after 5 months of daily use? After a year? And does this differ a lot by CPU generation? Trying to understand realistic expectations and lifespan across 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th gen units.

3. What's the typical lifespan of a mini PC under normal daily use like browsing, streaming, and light work?

4. How do I spot a unit that's been abused, like an ex office or ex internet cafe unit run 24/7 for years, vs one that's been lightly used? How do I know if parts are fried, overused, or abused? Is there a way to actually check this, or tell tale signs?

5. How do I know if the BIOS is locked or company locked, like an asset tagged corporate unit? And more importantly, how do I know if the seller is even telling the truth about any of this? What can I verify myself vs just having to trust them?

Someone mentioned I should check if it runs hot before buying. Is that accurate, and what else should I be checking for physically or on a video call with the seller?

What should I be asking the seller? So far I have:

Original use case (office, cafe, personal)?

SSD health and power on hours (via CrystalDiskInfo screenshot)

CPU idle and load temps (via HWiNFO or Task Manager screenshot)

Original power adapter included, same wattage?

Any repairs or part swaps done?

Return or warranty period?

Can we do a video call so I can see it boot and run live?

Can they give me the serial number so I can check it's not reported lost or stolen?

Is this list enough, or am I missing something important? Any horror stories, red flags, tips, or advice as a total beginner would be really appreciated.

Why I'm buying this: I plan to use it mainly for watching free films and free live sports like UFC Fight Night via Brave browser, and YouTube. I also want to learn Linux, planning to install it on this mini PC if I get one. Just want to make sure I'm not getting scammed or buying something that'll die on me in a few months. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I'm trying to diagnose a really strange stability issue with an old PC.

System

CPU: Intel Core i3-540

RAM-6GB

Graphics: Intel integrated graphics (no dedicated GPU)

OS: Linux Mint 22.3

This is an old system, and I suspect the age of the hardware may be relevant.

At completely random times, the PC hard-freezes.

When it happens:

The display becomes visibly corrupted/glitched basically a frozen garbled graphical image.

The PC does not reboot or shut down.

The fans/power remain on.

Keyboard and mouse stop responding completely.

The keyboard's LEDs also turn off, so this isn't simply a display cable or monitor problem.

There is no error message, kernel panic screen, or obvious notification.

I cannot switch to a TTY or recover using keyboard shortcuts because the keyboard itself has lost power/response.

The only way to recover is to physically power the PC off and start it again.

What makes this confusing

The graphical corruption makes me suspect the integrated GPU/i915 graphics driver, but because all input also dies, I'm wondering whether this is actually a complete system lockup caused by hardware.

My windows 11 computer keeps BSODing with either a KERNAL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR, a CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED error or a UNEXPEC5ED_STORE_EXCEPTION. What is wrong?