Experts solve your computing problems
APC and its readers can be one giant helpdesk. If you have a technical problem, chances are one of us can solve it.
SECURITY EXTRA CLOUD ENCRYPTION
I’d like to add another layer of encryption to my cloud storage account, but only for selected folders. What’s the best way to do this? John Derby You could set up an encrypted container using VeraCrypt (get it from
veracrypt.codeplex.com) inside which your most sensitive folders are stored. Keep a local, unencrypted copy of your files – just in case.
1. To start, open up VeraCrypt and then click ‘Create Volume’ > ‘Create an encrypted file container’ > ‘Standard VeraCrypt volume’. Click ‘Select File…’ to choose a location within your cloud storage folder, and give it a suitable filename.
2. Using the default encryption options should be fine, so click Next. Set a suitable volume size large enough to contain all the files and folders you plan to store in here, then set your security (password, plus an option for a key file).
3. Now we need to format the container. Choose a file type (FAT is the default, consider NTFS), then wiggle your mouse until the bar turns green. Click Format, followed by Yes and OK when prompted. Click Exit, then choose ‘Select File…’ to load your container.
4. Now select a drive letter and click Mount (or ‘Auto-mount Devices’ to mount on startup). Supply the password and – if applicable – key file and click ‘Mount’. Once done, move sensitive files into the container for additional security. Matt Hanson
HARDWARE PICK THE RIGHT GPU
I recently built a new PC for gaming (I play
Fallout 4, Witcher 3, XCOM 2, and Skyrim) and web browsing (YouTube, Kodi, and so on). It’s based on an ASUS Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1, Intel’s Core i7-6700K at 4GHz, 16GB of Corsair DDR4 memory, a Samsung 850 EVO 500GB boot drive, a Seagate 1TB SSHD for loading games on, and an EVGA SuperNOVA 850 P2 PSU. The Intel HD Graphics 530 engine in the Core i7 scores 7.1 in the Windows Experience Index, which is 0.4 points higher than the Radeon R9 290 2GB in my A10-based machine, even though it wouldn’t run Fallout 4. The CPU scores 7.8 and the memory/boot drive both score 7.9. I’d like the video card I buy to get as close to 7.8 as possible. So, I’m looking for a 4GB card in the $300 to $500 range that can handle my current and future games, including Hitman, Mass Effect Andromeda, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Star Citizen. Which would you recommend for my system? Jon Poole First off, don’t worry too much about those WEI scores. Your Radeon R9 290 is hands-down a better piece of graphics hardware than the integrated HD Graphics 530. The Windows System Assessment Tool runs several DirectX 9 and 10 graphics tests, along with benchmarking Windows Media encode and decode performance. Certain subtests likely favor Intel’s hardware, particularly since that powerful AMD Hawaii GPU is almost certainly hamstrung by your A10 APU (regardless of the A10’s operating frequency, its performance is more comparable to Intel’s Core i3 family).
Before you sink another $300 to $400 on a new graphics card, try that R9 290 in your new build. We’re willing to bet it’ll feel a lot smoother in that faster Skylake-based machine, right up to 1,920 x 1,080. If you plan to game at higher resolutions, then you’ll want a 4GB card, at least.
A GeForce GTX 1070 is definitely out of your price range, and the 4GB Radeon RX 470 and 3GB GTX 1060 are actually now both available for a little less than $300. That said, if you have closer to $350 to spend, then a 6GB GeForce GTX 1060 offers the best bang for buck at that pricepoint (if the old 290 doesn’t do it for you).
SECURITY TIGHTEN PROTECTION
I’ve read with concern the claims that a number of major cloud email providers – Yahoo, Hotmail and so on – have been hacked. Obviously we should all change our passwords, but what else can we do to protect ourselves? Steve Hodge Whether or not the claims are true, the recent news about so-called hacking of major companies is a wake-up call to us all. There are two key things you can do to add extra protection to your accounts. First, use randomly generated passwords that are impossible to guess. This works in conjunction with a password manager such as LastPass ( lastpass.com) — try KeePass ( keepass.info) instead if you’d prefer to store your passwords locally.
Second, log into your accounts and look for an option to switch on twofactor authentication. Whenever you — or anyone else — attempts to log into your account from an unknown PC, browser or device, a prompt to enter an authentication code will be flagged up. This is tied to a trusted device — typically your mobile phone — which has to be present to receive the code, either via text or using a trusted app like Google Authenticator. It means hackers can’t get in even if they get your password. Graham Barlow
HARDWARE ACHIEVING 4K AT 60HZ
I’ve heard of people using 4K TVs with 60Hz support as monitors through the HDMI interface. I’d like to do the same. I thought you could only do 4K at 60Hz with Display Port. Can you explain the details of whatever new version of HDMI makes this possible? Do you need a video card with special HDMI 2.0 ports? Dan Winnette There are a couple of ways to get 60Hz out of a 4K display, and both rely on available bandwidth. The first is Display Port, which you’re familiar with. Version 1.2 offers a high enough data rate to support 3,840 x 2,160-pixels at 60Hz. That’s the standard most of today’s graphics cards expose. Version 1.3 and 1.4 support 4K monitors at up to 120Hz, and displays with those kinds of specs started to hit the market towards the end of last year. AMD’s and Nvidia’s current Polaris and Pascal GPUs (respectively) include Display Port 1.3-capable display controllers, and select models even have DP 1.4 support. Your alternative is HDMI 2.0, and yes, you need a graphics card that supports this. All of Nvidia’s current 10-series GPUs and AMD’s RX 400 cards support HDMI 2.0. However, you can also buy an active Display Port 1.2a to HDMI 2.0 adapter for roughly $50, so even selected older graphics cards can be made to play ball (if an entirely new card isn’t an option). APC team
OFFICE OFFICE UPDATE ERRORS
I’m pleased with my new Windows 10 PC, but looking under the update log in ‘ Settings’, I see errors, such as Office XP Service Pack 3 (error 0x80096004). I’ve been using XP for years, but why is it not recognising I’m using Windows 10 rather than XP? Terry Douglas This sounds as if it was Office XP rather than Windows XP that was installed on Terry’s system – this isn’t rated compatible with Windows 10, so we’re not sure how it was successfully installed. Terry subsequently revealed he was still using a HP iPAQ RX3000 PDA, which came with a copy of Outlook 2000 that he’d managed to install for syncing contacts from the device via Windows Mobile Device. Terry is willing to switch to Windows Live Mail if he can keep the contacts synced, but WMD only supports Outlook. As his current version still appears to work, we suggested leaving it alone for now and not worrying about the update error. Nick Odantzis
HARDWARE CONSTANT REBOOT AFTER UPGRADE
I replaced the monitor for my PC and transferred a more powerful graphics card into it from another computer I’d upgraded. However, since doing so, the PC annoyingly keeps rebooting every couple of minutes. Why is it doing this?! Hoping you can help? Gail Rose
“Always uninstall your old graphics driver before shutting down and replacing the card — even if it’s the same manufacturer.”
We suspected that Gail may have swapped between NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards or vice versa without first uninstalling the old card. Sure enough, she revealed that the error message mentioned ‘Catalyst Control Centre’, a reference to the AMD driver software. Gail located and removed this from her PC and the error messages ceased. Always uninstall your old graphics driver before shutting down and replacing the card — even if it’s the same manufacturer. Windows will automatically detect the new card and install the correct drivers for it. Cat Ellis
HARDWARE WHERE’S MY PRINTER’S INK ABSORBER?
I have a Canon Pixma IP3300 and I cannot clean the print head because it tells me that the ink absorber is almost full. The manual tells me nothing — how do I empty or replace the ink absorber? Jim Duncan Ink absorbers are small, spongy pads that are found in a black rubber frame under the ink cartridge assembly. Their job is to absorb any excess ink that might accumulate during printing and cleaning of the print heads.
Canon recommends you get your printer serviced, but if you’re feeling bold you can replace or even rinse them out yourself. Access them by opening the ink cartridge compartment, then wait for the cartridges to move all the way over before disconnecting the power cord. Now carefully extract the rubber frame and remove the absorbers from this. Replacements are a bit hard to come by in Australia, so check eBay, try an overseas option (we found some at www.thesuppliesshop.co.uk), or you can try cleaning them yourself. Make sure you’re wearing rubber gloves, then place the ink pads in a bowl of warm, soapy water. Rub and squeeze the pads to remove the ink — you’ll probably need to replace the water several times until all the ink is removed. Once done, squeeze any excess water from the pads and place them to dry on a stack of paper or kitchen towels, replacing any that become saturated. Once dry, place them back in the rubber frame, and fit that back in the printer, then press and hold the power button while reconnecting the power cord. Release the button for five seconds when power comes on, then push it again to reset the printer and remove the error message. Cat Ellis
INTERNET SPEEDING UP RURAL INTERNET
I recently moved to a rural area constantly have to deal with very poor browsing speeds. Is there any way to boost my connection? Ian Parker There is, and it won’t cost you a cent. The Opera browser ( www.opera.com) has a couple of built-in tools you can use to ensure your browsing is as fast and efficient as possible. Once you’ve got it installed, follow these steps. 1. Click the Menu button and select ‘Opera Turbo’ – this setting ensures any web pages you request are first sent to Opera’s own servers where they’re compressed. These smaller pages are then sent to your PC where they load quicker. 2. Opera also features ad-blocking technology to speed up page loading by leaving out potentially band widthsapping adverts. You should be prompted to switch it on, or you can do so via ‘Menu > Settings > Privacy and Security’. 3. Many content-driven sites depend on the income from ads to survive. After visiting a site, click the blue shield icon in the Address Bar to review how many ads are blocked — click the ‘Speed Test’ link to see how much time is saved.
If the site loads quickly even with ads, we recommend you whitelist it — this means ads will only load on that site in future. It ensures the site receives much-needed revenue, while penalising those sites that are plagued with slow-loading adverts. Nick Odantzis
HARDWARE VR FOR VIRTUAL TRAVEL
I’ve been a subscriber to your mag for a number of years and greatly enjoy it, even though I am not into gaming. I am, however, quite interested in VR/AR. This is more from the perspective of immersive travel experiences. I am ready to buy or build a new PC now, and initially use integrated graphics. Eventually, I’d like to add a discrete GPU, as the strongest performer in AR/VR apps emerges over the next year or two. Today’s on-die solutions are quite sufficient for my daily needs (I easily get by now with an old Core 2 Duo E6750/ Radeon HD 3650 combination). If it were not for AR/VR, I would most likely be pursuing a more compact PC. Guidance for an office-oriented machine, future-proofed against AR/VR requirements, would be appreciated. John Roling Enthusiasts have (finally) witnessed the dawn of virtual reality over the last year and the hardware world continues to marches on at its familiarly furious pace, while VR/AR platforms continue to take shape. Thus, it’s difficult to predict what a future-proofed machine will look like during the tumultuous birth of an industry, aside from “as high-end as possible”.
Even though your interest is immersive travel — what many might consider an educational experience — don’t expect drastically relaxed hardware requirements. Browsing through the titles showcased on http://share.oculus.com, virtual exploration of the Roman Colosseum, GE’s Subsea Experience, and up-close encounters with dinosaurs all call for GeForce GTX 780 Ti or higher graphics cards, while more recent additions simply cite Oculus’s 2016 recommendations.
So, whether you plan to game or not, prepare for the VR experience by buying a system with at least a Core i5-6500, 8GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 1060 or Radeon RX 470. APC team