Help & troubleshooting
Honest, practical fixes for the problems we see most often in the workshop. No paywall, no sign-up, just what actually works.
Games Consoles
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PlayStation Repair Guide, PS4, PS5 and DualSense
A practical index to every PlayStation repair guide on Hark Tech, what the fault means, what fixes it, and when to post it in for us to look at.
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Controller Stick Drift, Fixes for PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
One fault across several controller families, with diagnostic checks, repair routes and magnetic-sensing upgrades explained without a lifetime or no-return promise.
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PS5 HDMI port repair: cost, turnaround, and what to watch out for
A straight guide to PS5 HDMI port repair costs in the UK, covering typical shop prices, whether DIY is sensible, how long the repair takes, and when it's worth fixing instead of replacing the console.
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Fixing Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift at home: what to try first
Joy-Con drift can come from contamination, carbon-track wear, mechanics or calibration. Try recalibration and careful cleaning before deciding whether the stick module needs replacement.
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Xbox HDMI port repair: what's involved on One, Series S and Series X
A practical, no-nonsense guide to repairing a damaged HDMI port on Xbox One, Series S and Series X consoles, including the tools required, the realistic difficulty level, and the failure modes that masquerade as port damage.
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Joy-Con stick drift: how to fix it on Switch 1, Lite and Switch 2
Joy-Con stick drift is caused by worn potentiometers inside the thumbstick module; this guide covers recalibration, contact-cleaner cleaning and full stick module replacement for Switch 1, Switch Lite and Switch 2.
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Xbox Elite Series 2 Paddle, Bumper and Trigger Failures: What Goes Wrong
The Elite Series 2 has a handful of well-known mechanical failures beyond stick drift. Here's what actually breaks, what you can fix at the kitchen table, and what needs the soldering iron out.
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Steam Deck Loud Fan, Overheating or Rattle? Fix Guide
A workshop-grade walkthrough of why a Steam Deck overheats or whines, how to tell a healthy loud fan from a failing one, and what's actually worth fixing.
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Switch 2 Joy-Con Drift: A 2026 Field Report
Eleven months after launch, the first wave of Switch 2 Joy-Con drift reports is here. We summarise what's confirmed, what's still unclear, and the repair options open to UK owners in 2026.
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PS5 DualSense Battery Replacement: Is It the Cell or the Controller?
A two-year-old DualSense that dies after 90 minutes is almost always a tired battery, not a tired controller. Here is how we tell the difference in our workshop, and what to know before you order a replacement cell off Amazon.
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PS5 DualSense Edge Stick Drift: Replace the Module Yourself or Send It In
The DualSense Edge is the rare premium controller where you can swap a drifting stick yourself without soldering. Here's how to confirm the fault, fit a new module, and decide between Sony's official kit and a hall-effect upgrade.
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Steam Deck Won't Charge: Diagnosis and Fix Decision Tree
A workshop-tested decision tree for diagnosing a Steam Deck that won't charge, covering LCD and OLED variants and when DIY makes sense versus posting it in.
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PS5 disc drive won't read, eject, or makes grinding noise, what's actually wrong
Disc drive grinding, spitting discs out, or refusing to eject? Here's what's actually broken inside a PS5 disc drive, what you can safely try at home, and why the drive can't just be swapped.
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PS5 DualSense stick drift, how to fix it (or get us to)
Why DualSense sticks drift, bounded DIY checks and the Hark Tech mail-in service: £39 for one stick or £55 for both, with tracked UK return, a 12-month warranty and 3–5 working days from arrival.
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PS5 white light on but no signal on TV, what's actually wrong
A PS5 with a solid white light but no HDMI signal isn't dead. Nine times out of ten it's a cable, a TV input, a damaged HDMI port, or a software glitch fixable from safe mode, in that order of likelihood.
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PS5 HDMI port vs HDMI IC, how to tell which has failed
The HDMI port is the physical socket; the HDMI IC is the chip that drives the signal. Port failures are mechanical (tripped-over cable); IC failures are electrical (usually a surge). Port repair is roughly half the cost of IC repair, knowing which is which saves money.
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How to pack a games console safely for mail-in repair (PS5, Xbox, Switch)
A badly-packed console arrives damaged, you ship a broken HDMI port and receive a cracked motherboard. Ten minutes packing properly saves weeks of extra repair. Here's exactly how we recommend customers do it.
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Is PS5 HDMI repair worth it? Independent workshop vs Sony
You've got a PS5 with a dead HDMI port. Sony wants £229 flat. An independent repair shop quotes £90. Is the cheap one actually a good deal? Here's the honest breakdown.
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Xbox Series X error codes explained: evidence-led recovery guide
What Xbox startup E-codes do and do not prove, Microsoft-supported recovery steps, and when bench diagnosis is justified.
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Xbox Series X won't boot, repair or replace? A cost guide
An Xbox Series X costs £450-£500 new. A repair can be £60 (dust clean), £120 (HDMI port) or £300 (SSD/mainboard). Here's where the sensible line is between fixing and replacing.
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Hall Effect vs TMR vs standard Joy-Con sticks, which should you fit?
There are three kinds of replacement Joy-Con stick on the market: the same carbon-pad design that came with the controller, Hall Effect modules, and the newer TMR sticks. They cost, feel, and last very differently. Here's how to choose.
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PS5 Not Reading Discs or Grinding? Causes and Repair
Grinding, vibration and read failures need checks matched to the console model. Start with the disc, understand recovery warnings and check drive compatibility before ordering parts.
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Xbox controller stick drift, fix it or replace it?
Xbox controller stick drift is annoying but usually fixable without buying a new controller. The 3-minute calibration fix handles 30% of cases; cleaning gets another 40%; the rest need a stick swap or Hall Effect upgrade.
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Nintendo Switch won't charge, cable, port, battery or mainboard?
A Nintendo Switch that won't charge has a short list of causes, and one of them (a dusty USB-C port) is the answer more often than you'd think. Work through these before assuming the battery or charger is dead.
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PS4 overheating, jet-engine fan, or shutting down, the cure
The PS4, especially the original launch model, runs hot by nature. A console that's suddenly jet-engine loud or crashing mid-game is usually a simple dust clean and repaste away from running like new.
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PS5 no HDMI signal, is the port damaged?
A PS5 that powers on but shows no signal is usually one of three things: a loose or damaged HDMI port, a faulty cable, or the TV on the wrong input. The port is by far the most common failure and it's always repairable.
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PS4 blue light of death or PS5 won't power on, what to try
The infamous blue light of death on PS4 and the equivalent 'won't power on' fault on PS5 have a short list of causes. Work through the diagnostic order here, two of the fixes take five minutes at home.
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Xbox Series X Stuck on Green Screen? Recovery Guide
Xbox Series X stuck on the boot logo? Check Microsoft's recovery options, understand when a reset can erase data, and see when to request a repair assessment.
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Xbox Series X Loud Fan or Overheating? What to Check
A loud Series X fan or thermal shutdown can have several causes, including restricted airflow, dust, ambient heat, heavy load or an internal fault. Start with external checks before opening the console.
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Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift, repair or upgrade?
Joy-Con drift can come from contamination, carbon-track wear, mechanics or calibration. Compare cleaning, standard replacement and magnetic-sensing upgrade options.