Access classic Display settings [Problems & Solved]

We’re not massive fans of the new Personalisation dialogue, which is now part of Settings. If you’ve a hankering for the Display Settings dialogue from Windows 7 and 8, create a shortcut to it on the desktop: right-click some blank space and choose ‘New > Shortcut’.


Type the following into the Location box: control.exe desk.cpl,Settings,@Settings Click ‘Next’, give it a suitable name and click ‘Finish’, then use this shortcut to tweak display settings.

Tighten privacy in Edge [Problems & Solved]

If you stick with Edge, there are some important privacy settings you need to switch on before relying on it. Launch the browser, then click the ‘…’ button in the top right-hand corner and choose ‘Settings’.

 Scroll down and click ‘Advanced settings’ and make sure the ‘Block pop-ups’ slider is set to ‘On’. While you’re here, flick ‘Send Do Not Track requests’ to ‘On’, then set Cookies to ‘Block only third-party cookies’ for greater privacy

Change default app by file type [Problems & Solved]

If your app isn’t listed when trying to set it as the default via Settings, try this instead: browse to a file you want to open, then right-click it and choose ‘Open with > Choose another app’.


 Then tick the ‘Always open this app…’ box before selecting your chosen default. If it’s not in the list, click ‘More apps’ to reveal more choices, and if your chosen program still isn’t there, click ‘Look for another app on this PC’ to manually select it. Start your search under Program Files or Program Files (x86).

Change default apps in Settings [Problems & Solved]

After upgrading to Windows 10, Microsoft changes your default browser to Edge. To fix this manually, click ‘Start > Settings > System > Default apps’.

Click the Edge entry and then pick your browser from the list that pops up. You can change other key app defaults here: video, photo, mail and so on. For a wider range of app choices, click ‘Set defaults by app’. Advanced users can also set defaults by file type or protocol using the appropriate links.

Where has the Charms bar gone? [Problems & Solved]

Windows 8’s Charms bar – accessible from the right-hand edge of the desktop – has disappeared in Windows 10… For those who miss it, here’s where you find its tools now: first, the Power and Settings buttons are accessible directly from the Start menu itself, while the Search box on the Taskbar replaces the Search charm.


Other Charms, including Settings, Share and Print are now incorporated into Microsoft Store apps – some apps make them available via the hamburger-like menu on the app’s title bar; otherwise they’re hidden inside the app itself

Disable Cortana [Problems & Solved]

There’s little doubt the Windows 10 search bar is useful, but it links into Microsoft Cortana by default. If you decide you don’t like Cortana’s additional tools, reduce its functionality to that of previous versions of Windows: click the search bar to open Cortana.

If you’re using it for the first time, click ‘Not interested’ to disable it; otherwise, click the Settings button and flick the ‘Use Cortana’ switch to ‘Off’. You can also disable the web portion of Windows 10’s search capabilities from here too, restricting searches to files, programs and settings on your PC.

Add shortcuts [Problems & Solved]

Once extracted, browse to the x64 (64-bit) or x86 (32-bit) folder, then double-click WinXEditor.exe to start tweaking. Click the ‘Add a program’ button and choose ‘Add a program’ to manually browse for a program, or ‘Add preset’ for options such as shutdown and restart entries.

You can also easily add individual Control Panel applets and administrative tools, including Disk Cleanup, Task Scheduler and more. Organise applications into groups, and remove any you don’t need. Click ‘Restart Explorer’ to update the menu, or ‘Restore defaults’ to undo all your changes if you make a mistake.

Restore classic Start menu [Problems & Solved]

If you’ve upgraded from Windows 7, you might not like the new Start menu at all. If you’re hankering for the ‘classic’ style, then download and install Classic Shell from www.classicshell.net. During installation, untick all entries except ‘Classic Start Menu’ and ‘Classic Shell Update’.

Once it’s installed, click the Start button to configure it – the default settings should be fine, so click ‘OK’. The classic Start menu blends in with the Windows 10 look, but provides settings and shortcuts you’ll be more familiar with – there’s even a shortcut to the Windows 10 Start menu too.

Customise the hidden Start menu [Problems & Solved]

Like Windows 8 before it, Windows 10 has a hidden Start menu – press the [Windows]+[x] keys or right-click the Start button to access it. The menu includes handy shortcuts to hidden parts of your system such as the old Control Panel, Run dialogue box and Event Viewer. But why stop there? Add your own, or rearrange and delete existing shortcuts courtesy of the Win+X Menu Editor.

Download the zip file from http://winaero.com/ download.php?view.21, right-click it and choose ‘Extract All’ to save it to a suitable folder.

Lose the File Explorer ribbon [Problems & Solved]

We’ve loved the File Explorer since its introduction in Windows 8, but if you’re not a fan of its ribbon interface, then you can disable it and restore the Windows 7 look using a program called OldNewExplorer – download it from http://tihiy.net/files/OldNewExplorer.rar. You’ll need a program capable of extracting RAR files to use it – try 7-Zip (www.7-zip.org).

Once extracted, launch the program and click ‘Install’, then tick the various boxes to change how File Explorer looks – close and reopen any File Explorer windows to see the effects.

Restore the Start screen [Problems & Solved]

If you prefer the full-screen Start screen experience from Windows 8 and 8.1, click ‘Start > Settings’ and go to ‘Personalisation > Start’. Flick the ‘Use Start full screen’ to ‘On’ and when you next click the Start button the menu will appear full-screen, with the tiles given all the space they need.

Click the menu button in the top left-hand corner to reveal the new Start menu’s left-hand pane with the shortcuts to ‘Most used’ and ‘Recently added’ apps, plus File Explorer, Settings and power buttons as well as the ‘All apps’ menu.

Where’s your product key [Problems & Solved]

If you’ve taken advantage of the free Windows 10 upgrade offer, then you won’t have been given a product key. You won’t need it going forward – you can note it down using Belarc Advisor (www.belarc.com), but what you’ll discover is it’s identical to everyone else who has upgraded to the same version of Windows (whether it’s Home or Pro) as you.

 Should you need to reinstall Windows, skip the bit where you’re asked for a product key and Microsoft will recognise your PC as legitimate and activate it with no problem.

Save bandwidth [Problems & Solved]

Did you know that Windows 10 uses peer-to-peer technology to deliver Windows updates? What this means is your internet connection is used to share updates you’ve downloaded with other users.

If you’re on a slow broadband connection, or you’d rather not let Microsoft do this you can change it. Click ‘Start’ and choose ‘Settings’. Select ‘Update & Security’ and click ‘Advanced options’ under Windows Update. Next, click ‘Choose how updates are delivered’ and either switch the feature off or select ‘PCs on my local network’ to further cut bandwidth usage by only sharing the updates between PCs in your home.

Create a reinstall disc [Problems & Solved]

It also pays to be able to reinstall Windows from scratch should you need to. You’ll need a blank DVD or spare 8GB USB flash drive. First, download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwaredownload/windows10 – choose the 32-bit or 64-bit depending on your system type (press [Windows]+[Pause/ Break] and look under System if you don’t know this).

Now launch the tool. Select ‘Create installation media for another PC’, click ‘Next’ and follow the prompts to select your language, edition and architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Insert your USB flash drive, or create an ISO file you can then burn to a single DVD.

Make recovery disc [Problems & Solved]

What happens if Windows 10 fails to boot? You need a system recovery drive that gives you access to Windows 10’s repair options. You can create a full-blown reinstall disc with these tools (see the next tip) or you can press a spare 1GB USB flash drive into service instead with just the repair utilities in place.

 To do the latter, plug the drive into your PC, then type ‘recovery’ into the Search box and click‘Create a recovery drive’ under Settings.Untick ‘Back up system files to the recovery
drive’ ticked and follow the prompts to create your drive. Should you need to use it, restart
your PC with the drive plugged in to access the tools.

Bring back Libraries Windows 10 [Problems & Solved]

Bring back Libraries

The Libraries feature may be niche, but it can also be incredibly useful. If you’ve upgraded from Windows 7 you may bewondering where they’ve gone – thankfully they’re still present, but hidden by default.
To bring Libraries back, open a File Explorer window and switch to the View tab on the ribbon. Click the ‘Navigation pane’ button on the left and choose ‘Show Libraries’. Note, Libraries can also be seen if you have ‘Show all folders’ ticked – they’ll appear under the ‘This PC’ section in the Navigation pane.

Switch System Restore back on Windows 10 [Problems & Solved]

Switch System Restore back on

Don’t ask us why, but Windows 10 disables System Restore by default. The first thing to do, then, is switch it back on. Press the [Windows]+[Pause/Break] keys together to open System Properties and click ‘System Protection’ in the left-hand column.
You should see Protection Settings have been switched off for all your drives. Locate your Windows drive (it should be marked ‘System’) and click the ‘Configure…’ button. Select ‘Turn on system protection’ and allocate up to 10% of your available space using the slider. Click ‘OK’ twice to finish the job

Windows 10 fixes – your problems solved

There’s lots to like about Windows 10, but you can make

 it even better by eliminating some common annoyances

Windows 10 blends the best features of Windows 7 and 8.1 together, but there are still potential
hurdles to overcome if you truly want to enjoy it. In this feature we’ve rounded up 32 annoyances you’re likely to come across with your new operating system, which you might want to change. You’ll discover how to restore features taken out of Windows 10, such as the DVD Player or

Windows Media Center, make sure settings are correctly applied to protect your privacy and security, plus resolve issues with the minimum of fuss. Once you’ve worked your way through our list, you’ll have a PC that’s working for you, not the other way round. Without further ado, then, it’s time to get Windows 10 firmly in line…

Windows 10 [Problems & Solved]

Switch System Restore back on
Bring back Libraries
Make recovery disc
Create a reinstall disc
Save bandwidth
Where’s your product key
Restore the Start screen
Lose the File Explorer ribbon
Customise the hidden Start menu
Restore classic Start menu
Add shortcuts
Disable Cortana
Where has the Charms bar gone?
Change default apps in Settings
Change default app by file type
Tighten privacy in Edge
Access classic Display settings
Customise the Start menu
Bring back Gadgets
Restore Windows Photo Viewer
Restore Briefcase
Bypass login
Watch DVDs on your PC
Replace Windows Media Center
Restore classic [Alt]+[Tab] switcher
Tame Quick Access
Disable Wi-Fi Sense
Resolve any HomeGroup issues
Improve the Windows Update
OneDrive changes
Restore Solitaire
Remove unwanted apps
Run older apps
Recover harddrive space

Get Cortana running in the UK Cortana Windows 10 Assistant For Windows

Microsoft’s awesome Windows assistant might not work for some. Here’s how to get her going One of Windows 10’s best features is Cortana, the voice-activated personal assistant. Setting it up is simple – click the Windows button, then type ‘Cortana’ and follow the instructions. However, we found Cortana didn’t work on one of our computers – it said our region and language wasn’t supported.
If you encounter this, click the Windows button, type ‘Settings’ and click the icon. Now choose ‘Time & Language’. Click ‘Region & Language’, then select ‘Add a language’. Pick ‘English’, then choose the ‘United Kingdom’ option. Once it’s installed choose ‘Options’, then ‘Speech’ and download the language pack. Restart your computer, type Settings to get to the ‘Time & Language’ options. Click ‘Speech’, then pick ‘English (United Kingdom)’. Now you can set up Cortana.

Google OnHub Internet Routers

Google OnHub

Why is there a vase in this magazine?

That’s no vase. It’s actually a wireless router for use in the home. Dubbed Google OnHub, it’s the latest product fromthe search engine giant.That can’t be a wireless router because itdoesn’t look like a rejected piece of military hardware. OnHub’s slick looks are one of its big selling points. The antennae are usually on display, but here they’re concealed within its cylindrical housing. And rather than featuring more blinking lights than a town-centre Christmas tree, its status is reflected via a subtle glowing ring on top. Is setting it up needlessly complex, like

most wireless routers?

No, and this is another of its advantages. Connect it to your phone line and turn it on and the rest is handled via a simple smartphone app. You can also use this to allocate bandwidth, so your streaming TV series can take priority over your kid’s shoot ‘em up. How does the OnHub compare with a

normal router?

Pretty favourably. In reviews its ease of use is matched by decent range and fast speeds. It’s also future-proof, so it’ll handle Bluetooth Smart Ready, Weave, and 802.15.4 – the technologies that will power internet-connected smart homes.

When can I get one?

Google hasn’t announced a UK release date and price for OnHub yet, but it’s available in the US for $200 (£130). There will be more coming soon, too – this one’s manufactured by TP-Link, but Asus has partnered with Google for another router later this year. Maybe it’ll look like a
bowl of potpourri.

Going Live How livestreaming is taking over the internet

Twitch.tv can be hugely
entertaining and as
adrenaline-pumping as
any other live sport

The web has become alive with constant video feeds. Welook at the best sites, and show you how to start your own Livestreaming is one of the hottest buzzwords on the internet at the moment. YouTube has launched its own livestreaming channel, while apps such as Meerkat and Periscope turn smartphones into broadcast systems. But what actually is livestreaming? Simply put, a livestream is an as-ithappens feed of video and audio, much like television. However, unlike television it’s broadcast over the internet rather than the airwaves, and there are billions of streams to choose

from. If you’ve ever watched a show live on BBC iPlayer you’ve seen a livestream, and if you’ve taken part in a Skype conversation with video then you’ve created your own. Thanks to advances in broadband and mobile internet speeds, as well as improving hardware, livestreams have become more interesting over the last couple of years. Meerkat and Periscope are the most popular smartphone livestreaming apps, using devices’ cameras to create an ongoing video feed. As it happens

You normally need to download their apps to create and view, but there are web viewers available at meerkatstreams.com and onperiscope.com. They offer a new perspective on what’s going on around the world – one stream we caught came from a mobile phone as it travelled down the conveyor at an airport security check-in. Meanwhile, gamers are catered for with twitch.tv. This streaming site was bought by Amazon for $970 million last year, and it attracts 43 million viewers every month. And while it’s easy for non-gamers to dismiss twitch, it can be entertaining and as adrenaline-pumping as any other live sport. The fresh-faced gaming.youtube.com does the same thing, but it’s a little easier to set up if you want to try your hand at game streaming

Google Drive The cars of the future

As the major tech companies invest in vehicles we look at

the pros and cons of these tech-heavy four wheelers

             
When it comes to in-car technology we’ve progressed miles beyond the standalone satnav, and we now have entire computers embedded into the dashboard. Pick up one of this year’s models and you’re likely to find a smart display that lets you know your car’s location, speed, status, and access your music collection and messages. This is just the beginning of a revolution. Earlier this year Nokia’s Here Maps service was bought by Audi, BMW and Mercedes for $3 billion, with the aim of using it to control self-driving cars. There are rumours Apple is working on a car, and Google is currently testing autonomous vehicles on American streets. The advantages of self-driving vehicles are numerous. An autonomous car can go further without the driver getting tired. An array of sensors ensure hazards are reacted to more quickly than a human could, while automated braking safely brings the vehicle to a halt. More advanced ideas include the ability for the car to drop its passengers
off and then drive itself to a quiet area to park, or driverless trucks freighting goods around the country. The biggest obstacle facing driverless car manufacturers is one of trust. Driving is an isolated and personal experience, and inviting an artificial entity to transport your nearest and dearest is an understandable concern.
               There are also concerns that driverless cars could go wrong – just one
catastrophe could completely undo the public’s faith in such vehicles. Safety is absolutely paramount to tech companies, of course. But new cars already include features such as automatic parking, and the shift into fully autonomous vehicles is likely to be a gradual slide. Simple manoeuvres are likely to come first, then it’ll be able to tackle more problematic infrastructure such as Swindon’s magic roundabout. Estimates from the car companies believe self-driving cars are about 10 years away, but in the meantime there will be a lot of exciting innovations in the automobile industry