Surpass - Secure Client (what a pain)

[chazzy2501]

This terrible software is just a pain. From anyone who's had to install it and create shortcuts to the public profile user area, to the old version that needed a portable sql client and .net3.5 with it.

 

The software today had 4 errors in an exam, this is in a room of 8 candidates. It takes over 20 seconds before any feedback is provided when you run the program, (so many pupils ended up loading it twice) This is especially nice as one instatnce will eventually load full screen so you can't clear the other.

 

We had the software say that the pupils code was invalid only to accept it if you tried accept again. (no new inputs, verified myself) (this on two clients)

 

We had 4 clients load with no progress bar for over 4 minutes with 2 coming back with an 815 error "index was out of bounds of the array" The other 2 we moved to other PCs as it wouldn't clear. (wasn't sure if the session was started or not)

[FishCustard]

All "secure exam" software is pants. I'd much rather they provide a bootable environment (lightweight Linux OS they can customise to however they want) - that way it's just a case of boot them all to that, off you go, reboot when done into Windows.

[3s-gtech]

We stopped using it for a while, then it came back, then gone again. It improved over time, but this stuff really should be 100% web based with no local install now - there's no excuse. It can't even be that hard to do due to the .NET and SQL requirements, and it'd allow things like Chromebooks to do it.

[FishCustard]

Or that, yeah. Web-based would be best, but given how paranoid exam boards are if they want total control over the machine they should build their own environment rather than hacking someone else's to bits!

[jthompson]

It's involved a fair amount of thorough prep (as with anything exams-related), but we've not had any major issues with it for a few years now.

[Netwacky87]

We had this the other week. with 2 pupils the 'Secure Client' program locked up after their exam on the feedback. After ringing the helpdesk they wouldn't let the pupils leave the room...They kept them there for about an hour after the exam had finished. I said 'I cant keep these pupils here - they need lunch and its ridiculous...i'm basically holding them hostage!

 

Eventually they let them go and they said their exam was fine - Luckily.

[chris_uk]

What problems are you having with the secure client? We have run 4 test exams and one real exam. We have had zero issues with any of them.

We deploy the software using SCCM, the software is installed with the command line, "msiexec /i "SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\SecureClient" /qn"

It is installed to the c:\secureclient location.

Group policy sets to the permissions on the folder to only allow domain admins and our "Exams - Surpass - SecureClient" group. We have a single user called SecureClient. When this user logs in the only app that loads is the secureclient app. This is controlled via Group Policy that is only applied to the group "Exams - Surpass - SecureClient" We have set the Custom User Interface to be "c:\secureclient\SecureClientInitialRun.exe RunUpdater cache " Due to the permissions that are set on the folder the user that runs the app can automatically update it. It is handy to setup the room 10 minutes before the exam to allow this process to run.

You will also need to create any AppLocker rules for the exe's in the folder and apply them to the group name you create.

 

The only thing we noticed with this setup is that it will show an error message when you first load the app up regarding disk space. After engaging with the technical support for the software they are unable to find a fix for it. It does not cause any issues with the running of the test.

 

More than happy to chat to anybody about it, Skype, phone... carrier pigeon, snail mail... over a cup of coffee.

[stumot]

I tested it last week and the software updated fine, required a reboot and then ran as expected, however this morning it appears that when I try to launch the software it performs an update and asks for a reboot, and then just keeps doing it over and over and over again no matter how many times I reboot the secureclient software just seems to be in a loop of updating with no end in sight, anyone else having this issue?

[mavhc]

If they'd actually test it before releasing it that might be helpful. In actual schools with actual security.

[chris_uk]

I tested it last week and the software updated fine, required a reboot and then ran as expected, however this morning it appears that when I try to launch the software it performs an update and asks for a reboot, and then just keeps doing it over and over and over again no matter how many times I reboot the secureclient software just seems to be in a loop of updating with no end in sight, anyone else having this issue?

 

Have you tried deleting the profile from the workstation?

[chris_uk]

If they'd actually test it before releasing it that might be helpful. In actual schools with actual security.

 

Hi,

 

We are an actual school, and we run actual security... We do not have issues with the software. I've detailed how we do it. We do not make any users admin or power users for the software, yes, we have changed the permissions on the folder and we have added app locker rules, the software just works.

 

Chris

[mavhc]

Hi,

 

We are an actual school, and we run actual security... We do not have issues with the software. I've detailed how we do it. We do not make any users admin or power users for the software, yes, we have changed the permissions on the folder and we have added app locker rules, the software just works.

 

Chris

 

Except you had to alter a load of settings to do it. What kind of application in 2019 installs to c:\? Doesn't include a service to update itself, requires a normal user to have write access to its files, how is that Secure? It's written by idiots.

 

And the best part is 5 different exam boards are paying 5 different sets of idiots to do the same rubbish job 5 times.

[FishCustard]

 

We are an actual school, and we run actual security... We do not have issues with the software. I've detailed how we do it. We do not make any users admin or power users for the software, yes, we have changed the permissions on the folder and we have added app locker rules, the software just works.

 

Chris

 

 

I have to agree with @mavhc here - I don't doubt that it's possible to get the software working (I've done so with similar stuff in the past) with some thought and applied intelligence as you have done. The point is it shouldn't take lots of faffing about!

Edited June 10, 2019 by FishCustard

[jthompson]

I guess the client, in a business sense, is the exam board and not the school. It's not the paying customer that gets the deployment grief.

[free780]

BTL who write the software presume you have a dedicated lab for exams. The software can update as standard users hence why it most cases the default path is C:\users\public\ etc.

My guess is they don't test it using proxy servers which is where the issue could be. You also are reliant on how much bandwidth the exam board have provisioned. It needs to move away from flash player. If it needs to self update this could have been done via a service. It's not the worst piece of exam software.

[jthompson]

It's nicer now that we don't have to run a local server for it.

[mikes]

In a way I prefer the secure client to anything webbased; as it downloads the test and runs it locally. We have an LEA provided internet connection, proxy, and a really terrible gateway that should scan each webpage for viruses but instead just breaks them.

 

We have had a nightmare with web based Hwb (Welsh Assembly platform) tests that used Surpass technology. Some pupils it would just load a white screen with nothing inside. Others, it would not accept their passcode. Others would just display the "spinning wheel" forever. This was with a year 8 class who weren't used to tests and it made some of the children very anxious.

With the Surpass Secure Client, I deployed the .MSI using SCCM, set up a custom user for it (so no using students own profiles), applocker etc and it did work OK. We did have problems on the mock again logging into the actual website to release the exam / get the logon PINs.

I'm not sure if our LEA provided internet connection/proxy just really sucks bad, or if these surpass platforms perform very badly under load.

 

I did not alter any settings when I deployed surpass - I never changed the default install location; I let it install to c:\users\default. I find some really badly written software often has hardcoded references to where it thinks the install location is; if you change the MSI to deploy to c:\Program Files\surpass but Surpass.exe has a hardcoded reference to c:\users\default, undefined behavior can result.

Edited June 11, 2019 by mikes

[stumot]

Managed to fix it with a mass uninstall of the old version and then a reinstall of the latest msi, not sure why it just couldnt update given all the permissions were set and there were web filter exceptions made for it that have worked before, regardless I can breathe easy for the time being

[CoLC-Neil]

Has anyone here installed this on Windows 10 x64 1903 build? I am having issues with it launching and then stating that I need Flash 10.1 or above when I have Flash 32 installed?

[free780]

Bwa ha ha ha! I'm rolling out 1809 and the issued arose. We skipped 1803 so I never tested on 1803. You'd think developers would test on the insider builds. Aparantly the way Secure Assess queries for flash player in a way that MS no longer supported. TBH BTL need to move away from Flash Player.

[CoLC-Neil]

We have just engaged in the Windows 10 migration process and I am looking to run 1903 as even that is getting superseded in December 2020 so only really getting a year out of it, when you have 3500 machines to update a 1 year build cycle is really small! Working on a more streamlined deployment process but that is going to be a while in the works.

 

The application works once you accept to continue to the login but I know people will flap if it throws warnings, we all know what users are like when something looks different.

 

Yeah, flash is well and truly dead, people should really be moving to HTML5 by now.

[kennysarmy]

I've just been lumbered with getting this to work.

 

Downloaded the MSI : SecureClientInstaller.msi

From : https://admissionstesting.surpass.com/LaunchTest

 

Their website states you can set an installation directory using the code :

 

msiexec.exe /i C:\SecureClientInstaller.msi CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\SecureClient" /qn

 

I've edited this as follows:

 

msiexec.exe /i "Q:\SecureClient\SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Program Files\SecureClient" /qn

 

It just pops up the standard MSIEXEC help box

 

If I just run : msiexec.exe /i "Q:\SecureClient\SecureClientInstaller.msi" it does start the installation.

 

If I run msiexec.exe /i Q:\SecureClient\SecureClientInstaller.msi CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Users\Public\Surpass\SecureClient" /qn - nothing happens.

 

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

msiexec.exe /i C:\SecureClientInstaller.msi CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\SecureClient" seems to work - :/

[FragglePete]

Oh, the fun I've had with this other the years with different versions locating themselves in different folders!

 

Currently use a Powershell script to remove the old version and install the new version as have had issues in the past with it not updating or running correctly. We use a deployment system to run the script where it's required on the machines, but it's just a Powershell script.

 

Remove-Item -LiteralPath "C:\Users\Public\Surpass" -Force -Recurse

$msbuild = "\\LOCATION-OF-MSI\SecureClientInstaller.msi"
$arguments = "/qn"

Start-Process $msbuild $arguments

 

Pete

[kennysarmy]

Accepted it can only install to the default location.

 

Now opens but with this error:

 

[ITGuyNW]

I installed it locally, copied all files to a network location then through PDQ copied it to the client with a proxy file (also running a PS command to make sure to remove any previous installations) and that's about it.

 

When the pupil runs the shortcut, the program auto checks for updates