Wednesday 9th March 2016
Q & A / Discussions
Windows 10 Update Loop
Margaret's Windows 10 laptop recently did an update and is now stuck in a loop where it just reboots but never finishes the process. My suggestion is to use the Start-up Options by booting from a Recovery Drive and then go back to a previous Restore Point prior to the failing update(s). Margaret had not made a Recovery Drive, but this can be done on any other W10 system.
The process for making a Recovery Drive is covered in a revised 'Computer Essentials' document on Image Backup which was issued to the group (see Computer Club Documents on the right). I had a W10 Recovery Drive USB stick, so I demonstrated this to the group and lent it to Margaret so that she can try going back to a Restore Point.
The document covers the process of making a System Image backup onto an external hard drive. This is a good thing to do from time to time in case your hard drive ever fails. I also recommend doing this before upgrading a W7 or W8.1 system to W10 - just in case the upgrade process fails.
Safe Mode
Using the Recovery Drive as described above also allows you to start a W10 (or W8.1) system in Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a simplified version of the operating system that can be useful when the full version of Windows does not work for some reason. On W7 and earlier versions of Windows, you could enter Safe Mode by pressing F8 when the system starts to boot - this does not work on W10 or W8, so if the system will not boot normally, you will need to use the Recovery Drive.
Solid State Drives
We discussed the use of Solid State Drives (SSD) in PCs. An SSD works faster than a conventional Hard Disc Drive (HDD), but the SSD costs more. Also SSDs are only available in sizes up to about 500GB. Some modern PCs, including laptops, compromise on drive size, speed and cost by fitting two drives - an SSD and a larger HDD. In these so-called hybrid systems, Windows and your programs would be installed onnto the faster SDD, while the larger HDD would be used for your data.
USB 3.0
Modern PCs often have faster USB 3.0 ports in addition to the old USB 2.0 ports. The USB 3.0 ports are denoted by their blue plastic interior, but they are otherwise physically the same. If you are buying an external hard drive, it makes sense to by a USB 3.0 device. This will still work if you plug it into a USB 2.0 port, but you won't get the speed advantage.
USB Type C Connectors
A new physical USB connector called a Type-C is stater to appear on newer systems. It will work at USB 3.0 speeds, but the connector is smaller and is reversible, i.e. it plugs in either way round.
Reset Windows 10
There is an option to Reset Windows 10 if you are having major problems. Use this with care because it will completely re-install Windows and remove any programs/apps you have installed. Optionally, it may also remove all your data, leaving you with a clean, out-of-the-box version of Windows. The Reset option can be access using the Recovery Drive or, if the system is booting, by going to Start, Settings, Update & Security, Recovery and click on Get Started under Reset This PC (note that you have to be logged on as an Administrator).
Diagnosing Faulty RAM
Brian asked about diagnosing a RAM memory problem. The best way to diagnose this is by removing a memory module, assuming there is more than one module. It usually does not matter which socket the memory is plugged into and it might be worth trying each socket in turn to eliminate the possibility of a faulty socket.
Blocking Spam
it is best to control Spam by logging into your web mail, e.g. by going to gmail.com and signing in. If mail in the Inbox is spam, select that item and then click on the Spam button - this should teach it to treat future mail from this sender as spam. If an item has been wrongly identified as spam and gone into you spam box, then you can select it and click on the 'Not Spam' button to teach it that mail from this sender is safe and should go into your Inbox in future.
Download Windows Store Apps Using Someone Else's Account
Arthur asked if it is possible to sign in to the Windows Store on someone else's system to download apps. I'm not sure about this, and I have not tried it. It may be possible but I think it is not advisable. As it's free to set up a Microsoft Account, I would say it would be better and simpler for the user to set up their own account.
What To Look For In A New PC
Most people opt for a laptop, although desktop system and all-in-one's (where the PC is essentially built into the monitor) are also available. The most common laptop size has a 15.6" screen (this refers to the diagonal measurement of the screen). The average user does not need a very powerful system and systems are available from about £250. About 4GB of RAM and a 500GB Hard Drive is reasonable. Paying more, say up to £350, can get you a faster processor. A handy way to compare the hundreds of different processors is to use www.cpubenchmark.net. Use 'Search for your CPU model' to find the processor in your current PC and then the one(s) you are considering buying. The site gives a 'benchmark' number allowing you to compare the speed of one processor with another.
Remember that you can connect other devices to your laptop including additional keyboard and mouse. Most laptops have either a VGA or an HDMI port which allows you to connect a second monitor. By going to Display Settings in Control Panel, you can choose to extend the desktop across both monitors - effectively making the two monitors work like one large monitor. So you can have the advantages of an easily portable laptop when you are on the move, and a large screen and full-size keyboard and mouse when you are back at your desk.
An alternative non-Windows laptop is a Chromebook. This does not run Windows, it runs a Google operating system called Chromium which is effectively just a web browser. It cannot run Windows apps/programs such as Microsoft Word. However, many people are happy to just work within a browser - it means they can search, use email, Facebook, shop and bank online, etc. You can use online apps on this browser (just like any other browser) and this includes going to office.com where you can run free versions of Word, Excel, etc.
VGA or HDMI
Ray asked about the difference between these two types of video connector. Modern laptops may only have an HDMI. HDMI gives a better signal as it is digital, while the VGA is an anaolgue signal which can loose quality, especially over a long cable. HDMI also includes audio, so if you have a monitor with built-in speakers, you do not need an extra audio cable. VGA does not include audio.
Office Software
You can purchase the Home and Student version of Microsoft Office, which includes Word and Excel for just over £90 from Amazon. This is a one-off purchase and will not be updated. Alternatively, you can subscribe to Microsoft Office 365 for about £70 a year which gives you a 5-user licence to all the Office products - but you will have to pay the subscription each year.
Alternatively, you can install the free LibreOffice which has a word-processor (Writer) which is compatible with Microsoft Word, a spreadsheet (Calc) which is compatible with Excel and a presentation package (Impress) which is compatible with Microsoft's PowerPoint. It is a fully-featured free office suite.
As mentioned above, you can use feature-reduced versions of all the Microsoft Office products in any web browser by going to office.com - you will need a create a Microsoft Account if you don't already have one, but that is also free.
Next Meeting
Wednesday 13th April 2016 at 1:30 pm.
Reset Windows 10
There is an option to Reset Windows 10 if you are having major problems. Use this with care because it will completely re-install Windows and remove any programs/apps you have installed. Optionally, it may also remove all your data, leaving you with a clean, out-of-the-box version of Windows. The Reset option can be access using the Recovery Drive or, if the system is booting, by going to Start, Settings, Update & Security, Recovery and click on Get Started under Reset This PC (note that you have to be logged on as an Administrator).
Diagnosing Faulty RAM
Brian asked about diagnosing a RAM memory problem. The best way to diagnose this is by removing a memory module, assuming there is more than one module. It usually does not matter which socket the memory is plugged into and it might be worth trying each socket in turn to eliminate the possibility of a faulty socket.
Blocking Spam
it is best to control Spam by logging into your web mail, e.g. by going to gmail.com and signing in. If mail in the Inbox is spam, select that item and then click on the Spam button - this should teach it to treat future mail from this sender as spam. If an item has been wrongly identified as spam and gone into you spam box, then you can select it and click on the 'Not Spam' button to teach it that mail from this sender is safe and should go into your Inbox in future.
Download Windows Store Apps Using Someone Else's Account
Arthur asked if it is possible to sign in to the Windows Store on someone else's system to download apps. I'm not sure about this, and I have not tried it. It may be possible but I think it is not advisable. As it's free to set up a Microsoft Account, I would say it would be better and simpler for the user to set up their own account.
What To Look For In A New PC
Most people opt for a laptop, although desktop system and all-in-one's (where the PC is essentially built into the monitor) are also available. The most common laptop size has a 15.6" screen (this refers to the diagonal measurement of the screen). The average user does not need a very powerful system and systems are available from about £250. About 4GB of RAM and a 500GB Hard Drive is reasonable. Paying more, say up to £350, can get you a faster processor. A handy way to compare the hundreds of different processors is to use www.cpubenchmark.net. Use 'Search for your CPU model' to find the processor in your current PC and then the one(s) you are considering buying. The site gives a 'benchmark' number allowing you to compare the speed of one processor with another.
Remember that you can connect other devices to your laptop including additional keyboard and mouse. Most laptops have either a VGA or an HDMI port which allows you to connect a second monitor. By going to Display Settings in Control Panel, you can choose to extend the desktop across both monitors - effectively making the two monitors work like one large monitor. So you can have the advantages of an easily portable laptop when you are on the move, and a large screen and full-size keyboard and mouse when you are back at your desk.
An alternative non-Windows laptop is a Chromebook. This does not run Windows, it runs a Google operating system called Chromium which is effectively just a web browser. It cannot run Windows apps/programs such as Microsoft Word. However, many people are happy to just work within a browser - it means they can search, use email, Facebook, shop and bank online, etc. You can use online apps on this browser (just like any other browser) and this includes going to office.com where you can run free versions of Word, Excel, etc.
VGA or HDMI
Ray asked about the difference between these two types of video connector. Modern laptops may only have an HDMI. HDMI gives a better signal as it is digital, while the VGA is an anaolgue signal which can loose quality, especially over a long cable. HDMI also includes audio, so if you have a monitor with built-in speakers, you do not need an extra audio cable. VGA does not include audio.
Office Software
You can purchase the Home and Student version of Microsoft Office, which includes Word and Excel for just over £90 from Amazon. This is a one-off purchase and will not be updated. Alternatively, you can subscribe to Microsoft Office 365 for about £70 a year which gives you a 5-user licence to all the Office products - but you will have to pay the subscription each year.
Alternatively, you can install the free LibreOffice which has a word-processor (Writer) which is compatible with Microsoft Word, a spreadsheet (Calc) which is compatible with Excel and a presentation package (Impress) which is compatible with Microsoft's PowerPoint. It is a fully-featured free office suite.
As mentioned above, you can use feature-reduced versions of all the Microsoft Office products in any web browser by going to office.com - you will need a create a Microsoft Account if you don't already have one, but that is also free.
Next Meeting
Wednesday 13th April 2016 at 1:30 pm.
