If your computer is telling you that you've performed an "illegal operation" and you're waiting for the PC police to arrive and take you away, fear not - help is now at hand from Dr Keyboard, owner of the world's largest privately-owned database of computer problems and solutions.

Yesterday your computer worked just fine but today, well, something has gone wrong and you've no idea what - or where to start solving your problem.

Right now you need to fix the problem and do something interesting and useful with your PC, but where do you turn for help first?

Most computer users have attempted to problem-solve themselves and avoid the old stresses of PC rage but help files are notoriously difficult to navigate unless you know the exact question to ask, and printed manuals by and large simply no longer exist at all.

But now before you have to resort to throwing the computer out of the window you can turn to an easy-to-use and comprehensive self-help guide from Dr Keyboard's seven years experience solving tens of thousands of real computer questions.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to PC Troubleshooting is a complete reference to common and not-so-common PC problems, easy to use with plenty of cross-referencing in an easy-to-use style. It offers clear and straightforward guidance which is ideal for both new and more experienced users.

Drawn from author Chris Ward-Johnson's experience writing the Dr Keyboard computer column since 1995, the book is not intended to be a start-to-finish read. Rather, it's designed so that the reader will be able to pick it up, look for the problem they are experiencing and then find the solution. To support the book, Chris Ward-Johnson has created a complementary Dr Keyboard website at www.drkeyboard.net/trouble which readers can consult for further help on particular problems covered in the book.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to PC Troubleshooting caters for three groups of people.

• Those who know they have a problem and know exactly what that problem relates to
• Those who know they have a problem, but who haven't a clue what is causing it
• Those who are interested in seeing whether they can optimize performance in some way - the tinkerers.