Table of contents for Xmas 2017 in Windows Help & Advice

Long bootup times and sluggish performance are just two of the tell-tale signs that your Windows installation is in need of a complete do-over – especially if you haven’t done so for a couple of years. That was certainly the case with one of the desktop PCs in the Windows Help & Advice office – despite having 16GB of RAM, a fast SSD boot drive and a quad-core processor on board, Windows took what seemed like an age to get going and its overall performance simply wasn’t what it was. Unsurprising, really: Since we last wiped the drive, we’d installed three major Windows 10 updates – the Anniversary Edition, the Creators Update and the Fall Creators Update and Windows had ballooned to an immodest 90GB of drive space. It was…

Creating a fresh install of Windows is often seen as the ultimate solution to any problem – whether it’s hardware, software or Windows install-related. However, completely reinstalling Windows maybe overkill if the problem is simply with Windows itself. If your PC is functioning perfectly other than in specific instances – such as Microsoft Edge no longer working after the Fall Creators Update, for example – a repair install may be a better option. Repair installs simply overwrite the Windows files on your machine – leaving your apps, programs (including settings), and any data on your system drive untouched, at least in theory. Performing a repair install varies between each version of Windows, but each procedure shares one common characteristic: You have to be able to boot into Windows to launch…

On January 3, 2009, a programmer (or programmers) working under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto launched something remarkable: a new form of money, a digital cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. The idea was that Bitcoin would be completely independent of outside forces – no banks, no governments. It would be a distributed method of wealth that required no trusted third party to verify transfers or hold money. Supply was limited, to combat inflation. A simple idea done with clever maths. Cryptocurrencies run on a peer-to-peer system. Transactions take place between two parties without intermediaries, verified by horribly involved calculations. This maths is based on public-key cryptography; put very simply, each transaction is verified by the completion of a series of cryptographic puzzles, and added to the blockchain. The blockchain is the ledger, which…

Now that the Fall Creators Update has been downloaded and installed on your PC, the fun begins – checking out all the cool new things that Microsoft has included. There’s a huge amount of new features included in this update, so we will focus on the most exciting additions. Windows Mixed Reality Probably the most incredible feature to have been added to Windows 10 with the Fall Creators Update, Windows Mixed Reality has the potential to change the way you interact with your PC in future. Essentially, it enables you to use Windows 10 and various apps in a virtual reality (VR) setting. A number of big name brands, such as Asus, Dell, HP and Lenovo have created special headsets for Windows Mixed Reality. You can explore Windows and its…

£868 | $1,140 www.xiaomi.com Xiaomi has fingers in a lot of pies. The Chinese company maybe better known for its smartphones but it also makes a host of other products, from air purifiers to electric rice cookers. Its laptops, however, have been the real head-turners over the past 18 months. Following the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 (2017) and the Xiaomi Air 12, meet the new kid on the block, the Mi Notebook Pro. Design Ruthless postmodernism is how one might define the design of the Mi Notebook Pro – the chaps in charge at Xiaomi opted for a darker colour scheme compared to its smaller sibling. ‘Deep grey’, as they call it, is an attractive alternative to the silver brushed metal designs that most ultra-slim laptops sport. There’s no…

£500 | $500 www.gopro.com Looking at the tiny GoPro Hero6 Black, it’s almost impossible to tell it apart from last year’s GoPro Hero5 Black. There are, however, plenty of noteworthy differences on the inside. The new camera can capture super-slow-motion video at a high resolution, output a stabilised image in 4K, and transfer everything to your phone at faster speeds – your video can be posted before your GoPro-documented adventure is even over if you wish. It’s not perfect, of course. The problem with GoPro’s devices is that the image quality is more impressive than phones and other devices are capable of handling at times, thanks to huge file sizes. It’s a big problem when you offload and edit the video, especially slow-motion footage at a silky-smooth 240 frames per…

The days of the traditional router may be numbered. We all live in complex homes. We all have those corners that stubbornly refuse to give up a decent signal. And most of us have to put up with an awkwardly-located central access point, which just makes solving the problem more difficult. There are options out there, such as powerline and Wi-Fi repeaters, but mesh networks do it better: they send signals between individual nodes, usually using a dedicated radio channel, meaning you can place them in those murky areas of your home that really need the boost. Still have wireless black spots? Then you can seamlessly add another. It’s easier, it’s faster and it’s all app-controlled. 1 Zyxel Multy X WSQ50 £249 (two nodes), zyxel.com If you’re not…

When is a turtle not a turtle? When it’s a rifle. Or maybe a stealth bomber is actually a dog. A human would know, but recent research from Kyushu University in Japan suggests that image-analysing Artificial Intelligence (AI) engines – previously considered reliable – can be thrown completely off course by changing just one pixel in an image. Items that AI engines had no problem identifying previously instead threw up random results, and researchers don’t yet know why – but it has technology firms concerned, with the likes of Google and Facebook now working with their own sets of ‘adversarial images’ to see if they can come up with a suitable solution. This may not immediately sound worrying, but image recognition is fast becoming something that our lives rely on.…

$40 MILLION Amount of money Snap, Inc – the creator of Snapchat – has lost on its camera-equipped Spectacles. The company has apparently been left with hundreds of thousands of unsold Specs – and even of the ones it did sell, a significant proportion were returned. 23 Number of cameras (or eyes) NASA’s Mars 2020 rover has. The cameras will enable the rover to navigate its way across the Red Planet on its Mars mission in three years time. The previous Mars rover, Curiosity, had 17 cameras on board. 12 Teraflops of graphics power in Nvidia’s Titan Xp card – that’s double what the Xbox One X has. Nvidia is also selling a Star Wars edition, with different colour LEDs for the Jedi and Empire versions. $280 MILLION Amount of…

You need a secondary (not backup) drive if you want to separate data from Windows. If you don’t have one, you can partition your main drive in two to separate Windows and your apps from your documents, photos, portable apps, and any files not directly tied into Windows. It is possible to partition using the Disk Management tool (type ‘diskmgmt.msc’ into the Run dialog box), but if files are situated at the end of the drive, you won’t be able to partition it to the size you want. Instead, download and install AOMEI Partition Assistant (http://bit.ly/2AXfGuV). Ascertain how you wish to split your drive in two –typically look to allocate 64GB or more of space for your Windows partition, depending on the number of apps and games you use, leaving…

When you hive off your data to a separate partition or drive, you may have issues accessing your user folders after reinstalling Windows. That’s because they’re ‘owned’ by your current user account, and when you reinstall Windows, you’ll end up creating a new user account, even if it’s identical to your old one. In most cases, when you first try to access one of these folders – when you point Windows toward them, say – you’re told access is denied, but are prompted to click Continue to gain permanent access. This usually resolves the issue, adding your current user account to the list of users who have been permitted access. If this fails, you need to manually take control of the folder. Right-click it, and choose Properties, then the Security…

At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 WHERE AM I? Your visible location shows where in the world your internet connection purports to be from. Keep an eye on it. MOVE HOUSE The server list is the quickest and easiest way to select a new location anywhere in the world you fancy connecting to. STATUS UPDATE Use this box to find out how long you’ve been online, and the total amount of data you’ve sent through your VPN. POWER SWITCH This button is both a connection indicator and a quick way to toggle the VPN connection on or off with a click. GRAPHICAL Are you connected properly? Is traffic flowing? This graph should be sweeping to…

When Windows 10 launched back in 2015, Microsoft promised that this would be the ultimate version of Windows that will continue to get new features and major updates well into the future, and it’s stayed true to its word with the release of the Fall Creators Update, the most recent package of new features that’s available to download for free. Following on from this year’s earlier Creators Update, and last year’s Anniversary Update, the Fall Creators Update brings a wide range of new features and tools that makes Windows 10 even better. As the name suggests, many of these new features are geared towards creative pursuits, such as editing your home videos and photos, and exploring 3D worlds in mixed reality, but it also brings some more serious, behind-the-scenes, updates…

Security PROTECT NETWORK WITH OPENDNS Q I understand that I can use DNS settings to secure my computers at the network level. How do I do this? Craig Jarvis Mayank’s solution OpenDNS (www.opendns.com) offers several ways in which you can both improve security and performance across your entire network. For it to apply to every device on your network, log on to your router through your web browser and go hunting for its DNS settings – these may be on their own tab, on the main screen or under the DHCP settings. For basic OpenDNS, set the primary DNS to 208.67.222.222 and the secondary DNS to 208.67.220.220 respectively. This should deliver noticeably faster response times when accessing web pages. Some protection is built-in, but if you’re happy to apply a network-wide…

When not actually using applications, the Windows desktop is where you’ll spend much of your time, moving files about, hunting for that obscure application you installed six months ago and suddenly need, or lining up your windows so that they fill the space perfectly (a time-wasting pastime that’s all but dead now thanks to window snapping). In Windows 10, the desktop and the Taskbar get a few new tricks that make working with files and folders even easier, and the new search bar means pulling up an application you don’t use often is a breeze. Follow these tips to a happy start… 1 Show desktop/peek The Show Desktop button isn’t marked, and some people don’t even know it exists. Press this anonymous section at the extreme right of the Taskbar,…

£800 | $1,000 www.benq.com With PC graphics cards becoming increasingly powerful, using a 4K Ultra HD monitor is an increasingly viable option, and the BenQ PD3200U is an excellent example of a 4K screen for both business and pleasure. At such a high resolution, you need a large screen to avoid having to squint at tiny text and minuscule icons, and with its 32-inch diagonal screen size, the BenQ PD3200U provides that while avoiding being obnoxiously large – remember, this is a monitor for your desk, not a TV. BenQ is a trusted brand when it comes to monitors, and we’ve had plenty of nice things to say about its other displays, so we’re hoping for big things from this big monitor. Price and availability A 4K monitor of this…

Acer AH101-D8EY Price $399, www.acer.com Acer is one of the first tech companies to embrace Windows Mixed Reality – Microsoft’s take on Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), which is included as part of the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. The Acer AH101-D8EY comprises a double-padded headset containing two 7.34cm LCD displays (one for each eye) with an image resolution of 2,880x1,440 pixels, as well as integrated stereo headphones. It enables you to fully immerse yourself within specially created Mixed Reality worlds, with dedicated apps encompassing everything from games to travel to live concerts and culture – and navigate through them using the supplied wireless controllers. The Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset joins similar models from Dell, HP and Lenovo, heralding a whole new way to interact with your…

If you want full control, then it’s possible to create the ultimate customised install media. But be warned: It’s for technically-proficient PC users only. Download and install the free version of NTLite from www.ntlite.com.Once set up, launch the app. The simplest way to use it is in conjunction with a previously created installation USB flash drive – with that plugged in, click Add to select the drive containing your Windows install files. The OS should appear in the list – click it to mount it. Once the source has been added, several options appear down the left-hand side of the NTLite window. Start with Components – read the warning – it’s a good idea to test your customised Windows install in a virtual environment, such as VirtualBox, as advised –…

The Windows drive-imaging tool is fine for occasional image-based backups, but if you want to regularly back up your entire Windows installation without running out of drive space – handy if you want to test software, then roll things back without making permanent changes to your system, for example – you need a tool that offers differential backup images, such as Macrium Reflect Free (www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx). Differential images only record the changes made since the last backup was taken, reducing their file size dramatically. Once you’ve installed Macrium Reflect Free (create the rescue media when prompted, in case of disaster), click ‘Create an image of the partition(s) required to back up and restore Windows’. Select a suitable location on your backup drive, then click Next. Click the Template drop-down menu, and…

It’s a little complicated. And it should be – it’s cryptography. Every requested transaction is packaged into a block with a timestamp, and broadcast to every machine on the network, the nodes, to be verified. once it is, the transaction goes through, the block is added to the chain, and all nodes are updated with the new longer chain. This blockchain is essentially a list of transactions. To verify a transaction, the blockchain must be checked to ensure sufficient coins have been added to your account to cover the output. These are then not considered valid for future transactions. Coins are kept in a wallet application, protected by cryptographic keys – one public, one private. Your transaction is encrypted using your private key and the recipient’s public one, to ensure…

One of the most pleasing results of Microsoft’s determination to make Windows 10 the ultimate version of Windows is that you get a constantly-evolving operating system that’s continually getting new features for free – rather than having to pay for a new operating system every five years. It also means you don’t need to worry about compatibility – if your PC or device is able to run Windows 10, then it means you’ll be able to install and run the Fall Creators Update as well. As with previous major updates to Windows 10, such as the Anniversary Update, Microsoft will be rolling out the Fall Creators Update as an automatic update in waves. This means that for many people you won’t need to do anything to get the Fall Creators…

The Start menu’s return was big news when Windows 10 launched, and it has evolved as the operating system has been updated. It’s become a fast, and efficient way to access apps and settings – Windows 8’s full-screen monstrosity is now a distant memory, thankfully! However, if you don’t like how the Start menu looks when you first pop it up on your fresh install of Windows 10, it doesn’t have to stay that way. It’s fully customisable in ways that were never possible in earlier versions of the operating system, and can be made to work in just about any way you want, standing out from its background for ease of reading, or automatically blending in with the colour scheme of whatever theme you have currently set on your…

£1,499 | $1,299 www8.hp.com There’s no denying the influence of Microsoft’s Surface Pro, a winning Windows 10 tablet design that has been emulated by a succession of rivals from the Lenovo Miix 510 and Acer Switch 3 to Samsung’s Android-powered Galaxy Book. Now HP is at it. Well, at it again, since this is the latest iteration of the Spectre x2. Previously posited as an affordable alternative to the Surface Pro, it’s now anything but. Starting at an aggressive £1,349 ($1,149) price point, the HP Spectre x2 intimidates with more than its gold-and-black aluminium finish. Pricing and availability The HP Spectre x2’s price isn’t bad when you consider its spec. For $1,299, the US model, tested here, has a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-7560U processor, 8GB of RAM and 360GB of…

£78 | $75 www.silicon-power.com The Silicon Power Armor A85 may look like a hip flask containing some luxurious libation, but in reality it’s a portable external hard drive that’s been built to be abused beyond all reasonable expectations – it’s shockproof, dust-and waterproof to IP68, drop-proof to US military standards (up to 3m) and is pressure-proof too – Silicon Power’s marketing for the product even shows it under the wheels of a parked car, although that’s not something we’d suggest you try. The 1TB model on test here sells for around £78 in the UK and $75 in the US. It’s also available in 2TB, 3TB, 4TB and 5TB capacities, so you can choose the model which best meets your needs. The top-end 5TB model costs £227/$248. Design There are…