Q Is there a simple software tool that can put photos onto a DVD for viewing on my TV?

John Stephenson, Middleton Cheney

A Try PixPlay from Xequte Software (£15 from www.xequte.com/pixplay). It boasts a huge list of features and handles video and photos. You can add music and even insert captions or animated transitions. A free trial is available for download.

Q I am about to replace my computer and want to donate it to a youth club. How can I securely wipe the disk to remove my banking details?

Ian Henderson, by e-mail

A Heidi Eraser (www.heidi.ie/node/6) is a freeware program that erases your hard disk to US government standards. However, determined people with the right equipment can probably retrieve just about anything from a hard drive, so the only totally safe (but not very community-minded) solution is to destroy it.

Q My PC regularly blows the fuse in the plug. Is this the forerunner of a big problem? What is the right fuse rating for computers?

Melville Summerfield, Newcastle upon Tyne

A A blown fuse is never a good sign as it indicates a problem with the electrical circuitry or a faulty plug. Stop using the computer immediately and have it checked by a competent engineer. The normal fuse rating for a PC is three amps, as for most low-powered household electrical equipment.

dontpanic@sunday-times.co.uk

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