Does your computer refuse to do what you want it to? Does it insist on doing something you don't want it to? Does it refuse to do anything at all? One solution is to ring a helpline. However, this can be expensive and don't always give good advice. A better option is to invest in a copy of Troubleshooting Your PC in easy steps, 2nd Edition.

Areas covered include:

Causes of computer faults and methods of isolating them
How to troubleshoot the main hardware components in a PC
Faults that prevent Windows from starting
Windows troubleshooting mode (Safe Mode)
Restore a damaged Windows installation from an image backup file.
Problems that adversely affect the performance and stability of a computer
Video and sound issues
The Internet: including access problems, slow connection speeds, how to repair Internet Explorer
Email issues
Computer peripherals and how to troubleshoot them
Security issues: virus infection and how to avoid getting a virus, keeping your data safe
Working with files and recovering from errors such as recovering a deleted file

Written in concise, jargon-free language, Troubleshooting Your PC in easy steps, 2nd Edition is aimed at non-techies. Keep it nearby and use it as your first point of reference for any PC problems.