Table of contents for August 2018 in Windows Help & Advice

Windows 10 just keeps getting better and better, but it’s not perfect – for every brilliant new feature, there are the little niggles that annoy. Sometimes it feels like it’s two steps forwards, one step back. So in our lead feature (page 11) we’re going to show you how to bend Windows 10 to your will: from setting up the system from scratch and tweaking File Explorer, to customising the Settings and the desktop. We’ll even show you how to tame those things that irk so using your PC will be easier, more productive and more fun than ever before. Once you’ve got all that sorted, you can discover how to protect your precious files with our in-depth guide to backing up your PC (page 44). And we’ll show you…

What’s this? It’s like browser tabs, but for Windows apps. Sets allows you to... ...Hang on. Haven’t you already talked about Windows Sets before? Ahem. Yes. We have. We talked about how Microsoft had been working on Sets for a long time, and was looking to introduce it in an update to Windows 10 in the near future. But it turns out that those plans – as they so often do – have changed. How so? We’re not entirely sure. Sets has been included with Windows Insider test builds for some time now, allowing Insiders to take an early look at what we presume was near-finished tech, and provide their feedback on it. From our own tests, Sets worked as described, enabling us to group applications into single windows which…

Windows’ volume controls are, at the best of times, a little awkward, and downright obtuse at their worst. Windows 8 and 10, for all their improvements, took away a lot of control, and tucked away a number of audio features in obscure menus. Eartrumpet is the perfect way to take precise control of your audio and get those features back, from per-app controls to setting custom inputs and outputs, probably the most glaring omission from recent versions of Windows. It also lets you quickly switch between multiple sources, perfect if you have a headset plugged into a USB port and don’t want to have to unplug it in order to switch audio to your speakers. Eartrumpet is available from the Microsoft Store, and it’s absolutely free – we’d say it’s…

1 Choose destination Download and install Macrium Reflect Free from www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx. After creating your rescue media, click ‘Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows’. Start by choosing where you want to save your backup. 2 Set schedule Click ‘Next’. Click ‘Add Schedule’ and choose Full. Leave the backup set to Monthly and choose a start time and date. Click ‘OK’, then click Add Schedule again, but this time choose Differential. By default, this is a weekly backup – tweak as necessary and then click OK. 3 Review and backup Review the number of backups Macrium keeps before clearing space (the default settings should be fine). Click ‘Advanced Options’ > Auto Verify Image and tick the box to verify the image after it’s created. Click ‘OK’…

1 Get the files Point your web browser at https://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ and save both the Keys database (KEYDB.cfg) and AACS dynamic library (libaacs.dll, download the version (32-bit or 64-bit) that matches the version of VLC you have installed to your Downloads folder. 2 Copy files Leave the Downloads folder open, then press [Win] + [R], type %appdata% and press [Enter]. Look for a folder named ‘aacs’ (create it if it doesn’t exist). Open this and move KEYDB.cfg inside it. Then move libaacs.dll into C:\Program Files\ VideoLAN\VLC. 3 Play Blu-rays Launch VLC 3.0 with your Blu-ray disc inserted and then select Media > Open Disc. Select Blu-ray and choose the title on the disc that you want to play – you may need to experiment to find the correct one since VLC…

In this month’s Explore section you’ll find some amazing ways to make the most of your PC – whether you want to smarten up the look of Word documents for home, work or school (page 24), or wow friends with a creative 3D photo effect (page 32). You’ll also learn how to protect your PC against online threats with Bitdefender Antivirus Free (page 27); how to take control of the dozens of web browser tabs you have open (page 40); and how to banish distractions, like the web, for those times when you really need to focus (page 36).…

Coming home on the train, you’re reading an article on your phone but haven’t finished it by the time your stop arrives and it’s time to get off. Later, you want to continue reading, but the tiny screen of your phone no longer seems as appealing next to the 15 inches or more available from your PC. What’s the answer? There are several, actually. You could install the Chrome browser on each device, and take advantage of its ability to sync browsing history through your Google account. You could email the URL of the article to yourself. Or you could make use of Windows 10’s ability to link with an Android or iOS device – called ‘Continue on PC’. We’re going to use Android in this tutorial, since it’s a…

You’ll be amazed by how much rubbish there is bunging up your computer under the surface. Thankfully, there’s a free program that can sweep away the cobwebs, get your PC back up to speed, and restore order to the universe (maybe not that last bit). That program is CCleaner – with a few simple clicks you can clear out gigabytes of unwanted and unnecessary data that could be slowing your computer to a crawl. You should be careful, though. Don’t run CCleaner’s Drive Wiper and Wipe Free Space features if Windows is installed on an SSD. Similarly, the usual warnings apply to the program’s Registry cleaner – only do that if you know what you’re doing, and back up the Registry beforehand in case anything goes wrong. That said, CCleaner…

Not all backups are created equal; there are several different types of backups depending on what the approach is and what the aim is. The type of backup can alter the type of transfer and how it’s stored, so it’s worth having a quick blast through the approaches. We’ve been largely concerned with active backups in this article, so it makes sense to cover those first. As the name suggests, these are duplicate files of actively used system or data files. These contrast with archive backups, which we’ll cover shortly. An active backup attempts to back up all files, and then maintain an up-to-date version or versions of these according to a schedule selected by the user. Archive backups differ from active ones because they’re only concerned with data that’s…

1 Add your browser After installation, TinyWall will block most applications from accessing the network by default – including your favourite web browser. Open your browser, then click ‘^’ on the Taskbar notification area, right-click the new TinyWall icon and choose ‘Whitelist by window’. Click inside the browser window, and it should now work correctly. 2 Add other apps You can repeat this process for all your other open applications, or you can choose ‘Whitelist by executable’ to manually locate a program executable. If the app is running, try ‘Whitelist by process’ to select it from a list of running programs. To whitelist it, simply highlight the program’s process name and then click Select to do so. 3 Use Autolearn Some applications use multiple processes, which can be tricky to…

You’ve tightened your router settings, but what about the devices connected to your network? The growth in smart home tech means many more wireless devices are now communicating over the Internet, so make sure these are locked down too. We’ll show you how to use strong passwords and other measures to lock down any account settings screens on page 56-57, but you should look out for firmware updates that can help close security loopholes. If you have a webcam attached to your PC make sure it’s not in a place where it could be used to spy on you. Keep an eye on the activity light – it should only be on when you’re using it. If the camera is a USB model, consider unplugging it when not in use…

1 Set up Enigmail First, you need to install the Enigmail plug-in for Thunderbird. To do that, open the Thunderbird menu and select ‘Add-ons’, then click the ‘Get Add-ons’ button. Type Enigmail into the search box, then click Install next to Enigmail. When it’s downloaded, click Restart Now to restart Thunderbird. 2 Add PGP After installing the Enigmail plug-in, go to Extensions and click Options > Enigmail. You’ll now be told you need GnuPG – click the Setup Wizard and follow the prompts, choosing ‘Install GnuPGP…’ when prompted to download and install the required components (be sure to tick Kleopatra, which is on the list). 3 Create certificate You will now be prompted to create a new key pair for each email account that you have. Enter a passphrase to…

When you enable two-factor authentication, logging into the account on a new device or application should trigger a prompt to confirm your identity, but some older devices and apps – including email apps Thunderbird and Outlook – don’t work nicely with it. The good news is you don’t need to source a separate app or compromise your security – most services that offer two-factor authentication offer what’s known as one-time passwords. These are passwords you can use in place of a regular password to log into an application or device. If an app refuses to work properly even after entering the correct password, try one of these instead. If you’re a Google user, for example, go to accounts.google.com and sign in. Choose your username, then My Account. Click ‘Sign-in &…

Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Most smart devices use Wi-Fi to send you messages and notifications via your home network. Some lights and sensors opt for Bluetooth instead – which is cheaper, but also has a more limited range. What are motion sensors? There are two main types of motion sensor available for use in your home. A basic motion sensor will monitor an entire room, and warn you whenever it detects any movement at all within the room. Door and window sensors are a bit more specialised, focusing just on the movement of a door or window frame, and warn you if an intruder enters your home. What about heating? Smart thermostats can be expensive. A cheaper alternative is a smart valve, such as the Eve Thermo (£59.95), which can be…

If you’re having problems with your PC, many of them can be solved by performing a repair or reinstall of the operating system – whether you’re running Windows 7, 8.1 or 10. On page 70 we’ll show you how to set about repairing your existing Windows installation – it will leave your existing apps, files and settings in place, but can work wonders if Windows has got its knickers in a twist. Our guide to a full, destructive reinstall on page 72 is more drastic, but can sometimes be the best way to fix your PC. And on page 74 we’ll reveal some other reinstallation options for you to try.…

You can trust our reviews Our reviewers are 100 per cent independent, with years of experience in the world of computing. Our rigorous testing procedures mean that only genuine, high-quality products are awarded high star ratings. If you see an item of hardware bearing a high score, you can be confident that it is an excellent product. We choose the best products Thousands of new PC products are released every year and choosing between them can be an impossible task. Our experts select only the best hardware and software to feature in this magazine. Even better, our star rating system makes it simple to find the best products, giving you a fast, trustworthy guide. How we review Our expert reviewers guarantee to test every piece of hardware rigorously and thoroughly,…

So you’re taking a lot of photos. We all are. The first, most important thing to do before taking any more is to make sure they’re being backed up, preferably automatically. You could plug your smartphone into your PC using the supplied cable and drag those snaps into a folder, but that’s not enough: you should also make sure that they’re either heading to iCloud or Google Photos straight from your phone, so you also have a copy in the cloud, just in case something happens to your device. There are simple tools around that can pull off some real results BETTER PHOTOS Even with modern camera phones, it’s easier to take disappointing pictures than it is to take great ones. There’s not much that can be done if your…

Honda’s Asmio robot is no more. The bipedal human-esque creation, which famously fell down a flight of stairs on stage just as its creator was explaining how good it was at keeping its balance, has been retired as Honda seeks to roll its tech into more practical pursuits. Asimo was showing its age – the project first began in the 1980s, and had undergone nearly two decades of refinement since it was revealed to the public in 2000 – and Honda was facing stiff competition. Boston Dynamics, a subsidiary of Alphabet (the parent company of Google), has been working hard on both biped and quadruped bots, and is getting to the point where its Atlas humanoid (which also suffered an on-stage tumble in 2017) can now reliably perform backflips. Boston…

Packed with informative tutorials Every issue, we guarantee to pack the magazine with great tutorials teaching you all the best things you can do with your PC. Each article features step-by-step instructions to make learning new skills fast and enjoyable. Get more from your favourite websites We all have our list of favourite sites but often we miss out on great features because they’re difficult to use or hidden from sight. We’ll show you how to do more online, for a more satisfying web life. Customise Windows to work your way We all know how to do the basics but getting the most from Windows isn’t always easy. Our dedication to the operating system means you get the very best tips and tricks for all versions of Windows. Discover new…

CARRIe’S BEST TIP! Don’t forget about Windows’ own parental control features in Control Panel > User Accounts and Family Safety. It’s very easy to fall down an online rabbit hole: you start with the best intentions and before you know it you’ve spent three hours watching pop videos on YouTube. That’s great if you’re just messing around, but it’s a problem if you’re messing around when you really ought to be working. Cold Turkey Blocker makes it impossible to mess about for a specified time. Windows 10’s parental controls cover similar ground, such as setting time limits, but Cold Turkey Blocker is even tougher: it works across browsers and with virtual private networks, and if you go for the paid-for Pro version you get some really advanced blocking tools. But…

External storage is pretty cheap at the moment, so if your PC’s internal hard drive – or SSD – is groaning at the seams with accumulated documents, photos and video files, why not offload it to an external drive? While emptying your internal drive on its own won’t speed up your computer, it can have many knock-on effects that make it appear like it has – things like file indexing taking less time, which frees up your processor for other tasks, or virus scanning being completed more quickly. Once, there were many ways you could attach a new drive to your PC, but these days the USB socket is king – the blue USB 3.0 sockets being noticeably faster than their USB 2.0 predecessors. If you have a new, powerful…

There’s hardly a day goes by without some new hacking controversy. From online sites getting compromised to people facing down ransomware demands, the always-connected era is one fraught with danger. Prevention is always better than cure, so what can you do to ensure you’re as protected as you can be? In this feature we’re going to arm you with all the tools, tips and guides you need to close the door on drive-by hackers, malware and other online threats to your privacy and security. We’ll start by locking down your PC – ensuring your security software is up to scratch, you have a firewall that’s fit for purpose and that your personal data is encrypted and as difficult to steal as possible. Next, we’ll look at tightening the security of…

If you back up data to the cloud, you may be concerned about its security. All cloud providers promise to encrypt your data for privacy purposes, but what kind of encryption is provided, and where are the keys required to decrypt your data stored? If you’re at all paranoid, you will want those keys kept in your personal possession, a technique which is known as client-side encryption. Sadly, not many cloud backup providers offer this – neither Dropbox nor OneDrive do, for example. If this is a concern, you can encrypt your data locally before uploading it to the cloud – if you’re already using VeraCrypt, for example, you could simply create an encrypted volume inside your cloud folder and store all sensitive data in there. On the other hand,…

1 Check out an app’s Internet needs Any app on your computer (or other device) that needs access to the Internet should make it clear what you need to do in order to open up access to it. You should start by looking into the app’s own settings to find out where you determine which ports it requires and the steps you need to follow to make it work. 2 Set static IP address If you’ve not already done so, you’ll need to set up a static IP address for the device that is running the application. In Windows 10, you should follow the guide at https://portforward.com/networking/static-ip-windows-10.htm.Make sure that you give the device an IP address which doesn’t clash with your router’s DHCP server. 3 Add new port Armed with…

Do you often stay in touch through instant messaging apps such as Skype? While they can be great fun, the bad news is that Skype, in particular, isn’t that secure. If you want true end-to-end encryption for voice, video and text-based chats (as well as secure file sharing), then you’ll need to look into using an alternative solution. The most secure we have found is Retroshare (www.retroshare.net). The only catch is that you’ll have to convince all your contacts to use it too – if this is a deal breaker, take a look at Jitsi (https://jitsi.org/), which supports a number of different messaging platforms. You can install Retroshare (choose the QT5 version when at the download page) to your PC’s main storage drive or run it as a portable application,…

1 Remember logins Once you have installed LastPass, browse to a website and log in using its username and password in the usual way. After logging in, LastPass will pop up a green bar offering to save the website’s credentials for you. Do so, and when you next visit the site, you’ll see a LastPass button appear in the login fields – click this to fill your details in quickly. 2 Update passwords If an existing password you use is a weak one, go to your account’s settings and look for an option to update your password. Click the small padlock button next to the password field to generate a new random password. Be sure to set the password length to longer than the default six characters – ten or…

The tiny Raspberry Pi computer costs as little as £10, and there are lots of DIY projects online that show you how to use the Pi to control smart devices in your home. You can connect the Pi to a tablet and use the tablet as a screen, and even get the Pi to work with devices that use Apple’s HomeKit software. If you’re intimidated by programming, then Logitech’s Pop (£80) is an easy-to-use ‘smart button’ that uses simple commands to control a variety of different devices, including lights, blinds, locks and even Sonos speaker systems.…

Can you suggest an affordable alternative to the multi-room audio systems? Peter Ash Visit www.mysqueezebox.com/download for details of Logitech Media Server, which is now open-source and can output to a variety of speakers and systems. I have hundreds of fonts installed on my PC. What’s the best way to manage them all? Terry Davis Windows’ built-in font tools are a little primitive – try FontBase (https://fontba.se) for a modern, slick alternative. Free and subscription ($3/month) versions are available.…

Windows is pretty good at both keeping itself and its bundled apps up to date – and you can check for updates at any time yourself by heading to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. It’s a different story with third-party apps – some automatically check for updates, but many don’t and keeping tabs on them can be tricky. Unless you download, install and run SUMo from www.kcsoftwares.com/?sumo…

1 Windows 10 Head to www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10 and click ‘Download tool now’. Once downloaded, open MediaCreationTool.exe. When prompted, select ‘Create installation media’ and follow the prompts to create either a USB flash drive or an ISO file (for burning to DVD). 2 Windows 8.1 Download the Media Creation Tool from www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows8 – input your language, edition of Windows 8.1 and PC architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) and then click Next. Choose to create either a USB flash drive or an ISO file and then follow the prompts to the end. 3 Windows  7 Go to www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows7 and enter your product key – choose a 32-bit or 64-bit version as required. Once downloaded, double-click the file to burn to DVD, or use the Windows USB Download Tool (https://wudt.codeplex.com) to create a…

1 Reboot for media If you’re running Windows 7, or have Fast Boot disabled, insert your boot media and start your PC. Look for a ‘Press any key to boot from CD or DVD’ option (even if you’ve booted from a USB flash drive) – press the key and you should find the Windows install process starts. 2 Tweak boot options If you boot back into Windows, restart your PC again, but this time press a key, such as [F11], when prompted to open a boot menu. Do so, select your boot media (choose UEFI if the option appears) to boot; otherwise, enter Setup to change the boot device order. 3 Windows 8.1/10 If Fast Boot is enabled, open Settings in Windows and navigate to ‘Update & recovery’ > Recovery,…

Passwords are a pain, aren’t they? Every single site and service you use or visit seems to need one these days, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of using the same details for all of them – which is a very bad idea. So what’s the alternative? On page 88 we take a look at password managers – apps that enable you to easily create strong, secure and unique passwords for every service or site you use. You really should go check them out, along with all of the other expert hardware reviews that we’ve lined up for your this month. Enjoy!…

Budget phones have changed. For a long time ‘budget’ meant a terrible screen, a catastrophic CPU or something that made using your phone a deeply unpleasant experience. Not any more. While the high-end spirals upwards in price, offering curved glass, ubiquitous notches and more storage space than is absolutely necessary, lower-end handsets get the tech that really matters: decent processors, high-end screens, and camera sensors that produce stunning results. And when a handset costs £300 or less, that’s reasonable enough to justify the purchase outside of a contract. They’re perfect to get for a family member, or just to save some cash. 1 Nokia 8 £289, nokia.com Nokia’s 5.8-inch QHD handset didn’t start off in this price bracket. At launch it was £500, and decent with it. Now…

1 LastPass www.lastpass.com/ LastPass comes in two different flavours – free and premium. Either will generate and store any number of logins in a secure vault that’s protected by your master password, with multi-factor authentication for added security. The free version also offers secure storage for text notes, syncing of credentials across browsers, and access to your secure vault from any Internet-connected device via LastPass.com. It will refuse to autocomplete forms on known phishing sites, and you can export your data. The premium version adds secure cloud storage for files, advanced authentication, and the ability to set up a contingency plan so your loved ones can access your accounts in an emergency. The only downside is LastPass’s popularity, making it a popular target for criminals, but there haven’t been any…

Microsoft’s hardware division isn’t only working on high-end products like the Surface. The company is still creating new and improved peripherals, as is proven by the newly-resurrected Classic IntelliMouse, an updated take on the iconic pointing device. Now refitted with the BlueTrack sensor of Microsoft’s other recent mice, but retaining the comfortable shape that made so many users into stalwart fans. You can buy one for £40 from Microsoft’s online store.…

1 Google’s first ever server was housed inside which toy? A Lego B Play-Doh C Stickle Bricks 2 At which famous organisation was the first web server located? A CERN B NASA C Google 3 What colour was the Osborne 1, the first ever luggable PC? A Grey B Black C Orange 4 How much RAM did the first version of Windows require? A 192K B 512K C 1024K 5 At which university was Britain’s first computer located? A Manchester B Cambridge C Bristol 6 How much did IBM’s first commercial hard drive, the 305, weigh? A 1 ton B 583lbs C 13lbs…

1 Your first search Download and install WizFile from https://antibody-software.com/web/ – a portable version of the app is available if you prefer. Once installed/extracted, launch the program. Type the word or filename you’re looking for – search results will appear instantly. 2 Smart searches You can also use wildcards (‘*’ and ‘?’) in the normal way – for example, you can find all the MP3 files on your PC by entering ‘*.mp3’. Perform an AND search by simply leaving a space between each search term, or separate them with ‘|’ to perform an OR search (*.doc|*.docx). 3 More filters Use the ALL drop-down menu to filter searches by type – for example documents. Select Options > Filters to edit existing filters or create your own custom ones, and choose Options…

CHOOSE A RIBBON Click these tabs to select the Ribbon menu you want. Each one contains different document tools and options. FONTS Changing fonts is the quickest way to change the look of your document, and you can do that easily from here. CONTEXT MENU Sometimes, clicking on an object in a document will make a new Ribbon menu appear. Here it’s 3D Model Tools. STYLES Use these to quickly change how your documents looks – there are plenty of preset styles to choose from. PICTURE TOOLS When you insert an image you can use these tools to resize, move and rotate it. You can rotate 3D objects, too. WORD WRAP On certain objects, you’ll see this icon. It opens a menu that lets you choose how text will flow…

SELECTION TOOLS There are several selection tools; some are highly automated, while others more manual in nature. TOOL OPTIONS The options for your currently selected tool. Changes things such as the selection mode and whether it affects all layers. LAYER AND SELECT The Layer and Select menus help control how the layers and selections you’ve created interact with each other. MODES Change Elements’ editing mode here. We’re using Expert for this tutorial. LAYERS STACK Which layer is on top of which makes a big difference to how they interact. MORE Hidden in here are useful things such as the History palette and colour swatches. IAN’S BEST TIP! We’ve used Expert mode here, but Photoshop Elements 2018 has other modes that are worth exploring, too. Science fiction is full of ideas…

We all do it: we open one web browser tab, then another, then a whole bunch more. Before we know it our computer is wheezing under the strain of so many open browser tabs, we can’t find the website we were looking at ten seconds ago and the tab bar has become totally incomprehensible. And if the browser crashes… Thank goodness for Toby. Toby is a browser extension for Chrome, Opera or Firefox that you can use to tame your browser tabs in two ways. First, you can use it to organise groups of tabs into ‘collections’, which you can then open with a single click later. For example you might have a collection for news sites, or for entertainment, or for work stuff. And second, you can use the…

Here at Windows Help & Advice, we wouldn’t describe ourselves as cheapskates, but you’re more likely to find editor Rob sprinting off home at the end of a working day, rather than risk the chance he has to pick up a bar tab [hey! – Ed]. There is certainly a number of free cloud services that we recommend you could consider for backing up specific types of files, which offer a useful offsite alternative and other services. However, if data is truly precious to you, we strongly recommend you consider paying for a suitable service – if a product is free, then you’re the product. To kick things off, Google Photos offers unlimited free photo storage when you opt to use its ‘compressed’ service. Google has done a ton of…

I had a Windows update a few days ago that I think was the April 2018 Update, but after hoping it would fix my Edge problem – which closes within seconds of opening – it doesn’t appear to have worked. Clive West It turned out Clive’s update had been a minor one. Within days of contacting us he confirmed that the April Update 2018 had finally been installed and that Edge was now working correctly again. How do I switch on reading mode in Chrome? Ali Rouille Chrome doesn’t have a built-in reading mode, so you’ll need to install an add-on – we recommend Just Read – get it from https://chrome.google.com/webstore/. Some of the function keys on my HP-15 notebook have stopped working since the April 2018 Update. Any ideas?…