Q I have used Microsoft Works for 10 years, but suddenly I cannot open the .wps files that the software creates. What can I do?

PH from Buckinghamshire

A It sounds as though you have broken the association between the program and the files you have created with it. This can happen when you uninstall another program that shares the same file-association settings.

Try downloading Associate This from tinyurl.com/qpsyx to see if restoring these settings will help. The program costs £12, but there’s a free 30-day trial version. Alternatively try uninstalling and then reinstalling your Microsoft software to see if that solves the problem.

Q Is there a simple plug-in device that will enable me to surf the web on my LCD television using my wi-fi connection? My computer is too far away from the TV to connect it with a cable.

BR from Merthyr Tydfil

A There are a number of ways to do this. You could buy a small computer with wi-fi — or even a laptop — to plonk in your living room and hook up to a video-input socket on your TV. You will still need a video cable, but a much shorter one.

Another option is to buy a mobile phone that has a TV-out socket and a 3G data connection. I have linked my Nokia N82 up to a television for rudimentary web browsing in the past. It’s not ideal, but it does work.

Q I can hear my PC’s hard disk chattering away even when I am not working at it. Should I be worried?

IS via e-mail

A PCs perform housekeeping tasks when unattended, so this shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. However, if such disk activity slows down your computer significantly when you are working on it, then it could indicate a virus infection. Install security software, download all updates and run a scan. If you suspect you still have a problem, have your machine professionally checked.

E-mail your technology-related problems, with your initials and home town, to dontpanic@sunday-times.co.uk

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