Q: I have just moved house and have lost the instructions for plugging my computer together and I am worried about blowing something up by plugging the cables in the wrong place.

A: First, relax and have a cup of tea. Then simply match the plugs to the sockets and plug them in.

Just like one of those games for toddlers where they have to put the shapes through the holes matching the shapes, each plug is the right shape for one only type of socket so you cannot blow it up.

Q: I am worried about getting viruses on my computer.What measures should I take to avoid the unthinkable, like losing all my files?

A: Get a virus-checking package straight away. You can set it to scan your computer automatically every day or week. But don't forget to update the virus list from the maker's web site (with what is usually called a pattern file) as new viruses are found every day. You should also take backing-up your files seriously to make sure you can recover them if you lose them. If you have only a few important files, you could use floppy discs for this but, if there are more, you might want to invest in a Zip drive, a CD writer or even a tape drive designed for large-scale back-ups.

Q: Somehow the 'at' symbol (@) and the speechmarks key have switched over on my computer. How has it happened and what do I need to do to fix it?

A: It sounds as though your keyboard has become confused about what country it is in. Sometimes installing new programmes will inadvertently change this. Open the Windows control panel and choose the keyboard option. There should be a section to change the language. Make sure it is set to UK English.

Q: What should I do when my computer locks up and I don't seem to be able do anything with it?

A: When all else fails, pressing Ctrl, Alt and Delete at the same time can be the only way to unfreeze your computer. This should be used only as a last resort on Windows 95 or 98 as it can leave your computer unstable.

Q: I want to design my own website. I'm reasonably knowledgable about using a computer but what software should I use?

A: There is more than one answer to this question. Some word processors will save in web format (HTML) and this the easiest way to get started but it can make web pages look dull and won't display on all web browsers. Professional packages can take time to learn but will produce better results. It is worth checking the discs that came with your computer/scanner/printer because sometimes they include web design software. Perhaps the best place to get software for next to nothing is on internet magazines' cover CDs, which sometimes contain free and trial versions of web design programmes.