QUICK TIPS
The APC team tackle problems across the spectrum of devices and software we use. Learn a new trick or fix you can use.
80 We fix your tech problems
My laptop has stopped installing updates since the 1903 update a couple of months ago. It gets to seven percent, then rolls back. Can you help?
Raymond Whitehall
We stepped Raymond through all the standard procedures, including downloading the update manually and running the built-in troubleshooter under ‘Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot’. We also helped him take his first ever system backup using Macrium Reflect Free (www.macrium.com/ reflectfree.aspx) in case anything disastrous happened with our more root-and-branch repairs.
Once done, the next step was to elicit the help of the free version of Windows Repair. Download and install it from www.tweaking.com – once done, you’ll need to reboot into Safe mode. To do this, press Win-R, type “msconfig” and press Enter. Switch to the Boot tab, tick ‘Safe boot’ and select Network, then click OK. Reboot when prompted and you should be taken straight to Safe mode.
Now open Windows Repair and work through the four steps (you can skip the power reset in this instance). The pre-scan is crucial for determining the Windows Package Files are all present and correct (ignore any reparse errors). Run a file-system check (click Check) – if errors are found, run a reboot and check to fix them. Finally, don’t skip the System File Check – this is where you may come across corruption that needs repair.
Once these general checks and repairs have been made, make Registry and System Restore backups when prompted, then click the ‘Preset: Windows Updates’ button to select all repairs related to Windows Update. Finally, click Start Repairs – once complete, your PC will reboot to Safe mode. Open msconfig again, but this time untick ‘Safe boot’ under the Boot tab before clicking OK and returning to Windows proper.
APPLICATIONS QUICKEN STARTUP ERROR IN WINDOWS 10
After transferring my old Windows 7 setup to a new Windows 10 PC using Laplink PC
“Don’t skip the System File Check – this is where you may come across corruption that needs repair. ”
Mover I get the following error on bootup: ‘BILLMIND.EXE – System Error. The code execution cannot proceed because IPROF32.DLL was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem’.
Tom Hirons
BILLMIND.EXE is a startup program related to Quicken, which hasn’t been updated in the UK since 2002. It should run in Windows 10 but isn’t officially compatible. Laplink flags it as being potentially troublesome, but will still attempt to transfer it. You’ll find the error occurs both at startup and when you try to launch Quicken itself.
Thankfully, the solution is simple: reinstall Quicken from its original CD. When prompted during setup, remove the version transferred across, along with any shared component files, then install a fresh copy, which should now work without compatibility settings.
HARDWARE PURPLE HAZE
My new 4K monitor was working perfectly, but after launching a fullscreen virtual machine the display went a strange purple hue – even after I shut down the virtual machine. I was able to fix things with a reboot but am worried it might be a sign of possible physical failure.
Mandy Jones
It may have been a one-off refresh problem, in which case you can safely ignore it – if it happens again, simply shut down and reboot everything. If the problem becomes more persistent, first check your monitor cable is plugged in snugly at both ends. Also check your PC is well ventilated and its cooling fans are doing their job – it may be linked to an overheating issue.
If you’re convinced the problem isn’t hardware-related, open your graphics adapter’s Control Panel – such as Catalyst Control Centre (AMD) or Nvidia Control Panel – and look under the colour settings to verify they’re correct. For example, CCC users should check the Pixel Format setting on the far-right tab, which should be set to RGB, while Nvidia users may have joy experimenting with the settings under ‘Display > Adjust desktop colour settings’.
OFFICE
OFFICE 365 AND WINDOWS 7
I’ve read that Office 365 is no longer supported on Windows 7 as of 14th January. Must I now upgrade to Windows 10 to continue using it?
Karen Chevalier
While we strongly recommend you upgrade to Windows 10 for a host of reasons, Microsoft has announced that it will continue to supply security updates to Office 365 for another three years. You won’t get any feature updates, but Office itself will continue to be secure.
“My new 4K monitor was working perfectly, but after launching a full-screen virtual machine the display went a strange purple hue ”
BACKUPS
CAN I TRUST MY BACKUP? While I diligently back up, I’ve no idea that any of them work. How can I test they’re all okay? Phillip Levell
Neither of Windows’ built-in backup tools – File History or the older Windows 7 Backup and Restore tool –
“Neither of Windows’ built-in backup tools – File History or the older
Windows 7 Backup and Restore tool – have verification options ”
have verification options, leaving you at the mercy of both. You’ll only know if your data has been safely backed up when you try to restore it.
A better approach is to switch to third-party tools with built-in verification options. For example, Macrium Reflect Free users should switch to the Restore tab and click ‘Other actions’ next to a backup to select ‘Verify image’ to manually check it. You can also have backups verified when they’re created by editing your backup definition file under ‘Backup > Backup Definition Files’. Select ‘Advanced Options > Auto Verify Image’ to do so. Similarly, EaseUS Todo Backup Free (www.easeus.com/backupsoftware/tb-free.html) also allows you to check both file- and imagebased backups for corruption – select ‘Tools > Check Image’ to manually check. APPLICATIONS TRANSCRIBE VIDEO EASILY I have some old video interviews of a family member that I’d like to transcribe to text. Is there some way to automate this process? There’s over 20 minutes of interview to capture.
You could invest hundreds of pounds in a program like Dragon Professional (www.nuance.com), but for one-off
transcriptions you’re better served paying an online service like Sonix (https://sonix.ai/), which charges $10 for an hour of transcription. In either event, you’d still need to compare the transcription with the original recording to catch any errors.
Alternatively, if you’re happy to transcribe it yourself, but want a bit of help, then use a free tool called Listen N Write (https://sites.google. com/site/elefantsoftwarefreeware/ listen-n-write-free) which works with a wide range of video and audio files. Load in the file, then press F12 to launch the Smart Pause N Play dictation feature. Finally, type your transcription into the text editor window. The dictation feature pauses the playback every five seconds for a second or so to give you time to keep up. Manual playback controls can also be used, and you can alter both playback time and length of pause via the Options menu.
NETWORKING
NETWORKED PCS CAN’T CONNECT SIMULTANEOUSLY
Andrew Goshawk
Ordinarily this would be a classic case of both computers being allocated the same IP address – typically when one is assigned a static IP address that’s within the range of addresses allocated by your router’s DHCP server. Yet on closer inspection, both PCs had different IP addresses, so this shouldn’t have applied. It was at this point we discovered Andrew was using a very old piece of networking software – HomeNet Manager – as an additional layer of security. Andrew’s PC was still running Windows 7 at this point – so we advised him to remove the program before upgrading to Windows 10.
As soon as the HomeNet Manager software had been uninstalled, his wife and he were both able to access the network simultaneously.
From now on, Andrew’s chosen security software (Bitdefender) should provide adequate security for both PCs on his network; if he wants to occasionally check for possible intruders, log into your router’s administration page to see a list of connected devices; if it doesn’t support this feature, try a tool like Advanced IP Scanner (www.advanced-ip-scanner.com) instead. It’s free to download. few minutes and can’t get back online until I shut down my PC. Please help! I recently bought my wife a laptop, and she’s fine using it until I switch on my desktop, at which point her connection drops. She then gets an on-screen prompt about IP address conflicts every