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Pearson onscreen platform installation woes

IT_Man_Dan

By IT_Man_Dan
in Educational Software

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korova_blue

korova_blue

Posted
Posted

So I've been trying to install this hell software for a week now:mad:. Have installed the server, the administrator console and the invigilator console and the individual clients, and all seemed ok. The problem is the demo test won't run at all, tried on 10 clients, and on each and every one of them as soon as the test is launched there is an unrecoverable error due to 'Test Violation Loss of Focus' . Re-launching the test causes the test player to crash. I then tried to re-run the demo test on a workstation with the absolute bare minimum of services running - no updates, no anti-virus, no firewall etc. administrator logon. Still the same 'Test Violation' errors. So, long story short I've not been able to get a single demo test to work.

 

(There have been other random annoyances as well such as 'Learner number not recognised for this order' errors which are intermittent)

 

Has anyone else been having problems with the software this year?

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
...Has anyone else been having problems with the software this year?

Some of the symptoms you describe could be due to the admin station not running the console software for Pearson onscreen testing. It is a while since we last had this software running, but I seem to recall that the 'Test Violation Loss of Focus' problem was put down to our stations losing contact with the console/being unable to reach the console at all.

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speckytecky

speckytecky

Posted
Posted
I also found the system a tad difficult to get working but fair play to Pearson's support they ran me through it and we have run several tests now without issues. Their helpline number is: 08444632535
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  • 2 weeks later...
hyb80

hyb80

Posted
Posted
So So glad I checked as I have 5.3.4813.4 install from the link they sent me and they tell me that they switched it that week......they didnt tell me this though!!! thanks @korova_blue for the heads up. I now have time to get this sorted.
  • 1 month later...
6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted

We have Pearson tests on Monday. I tested the software today and the student stations are looking for the Invigilator console on a station that has been rebuilt and renamed (so it does not exist as far as the software is concerned) This despite re-installing and restarting the client stations and despite this software working since the 'new' invigilator station was introduced (don't know why it is looking for a station that has not existed for over a year?)

 

Looks like I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow getting this working again.

Sam_Brown

Sam_Brown

Posted
Posted

We've had this issue before.

 

We ended up having to create a new user and run the exam as that user so we had the option to point to a new Invigilator machine. There might be a way to change this from within the existing user but never done this before.

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
We've had this issue before.

 

We ended up having to create a new user and run the exam as that user so we had the option to point to a new Invigilator machine. There might be a way to change this from within the existing user but never done this before.

 

I had a similar thought on the drive home. Tomorrow I am going to delete user profiles. If that does not work I am going to create a new user and test again. Hopefully, there will be an answer here before I have to take more drastic action.

 

:(

mullet_man

mullet_man

Posted
Posted

You need to press ALT+Shift+F12 and access the secret menu ( with the password, do you know it?)

 

I think there you can choose configure and am sure can change the invigilator pc.

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6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
You need to press ALT+Shift+F12 and access the secret menu ( with the password, do you know it?)

 

I think there you can choose configure and am sure can change the invigilator pc.

 

Thanks. Something else to try tomorrow.

 

:)

 

Not sure if I have the password though.

 

:(

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
Thanks Dave. Fingers crossed you get it sorted, I know how stressful those exams can be.

At the moment it seems like you might have shortened my expected 'long day' tomorrow by a substantial amount. Thanks again.

 

:)

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6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted

ALT+Shift+F12 didn't work. Deleting profiles didn't work. Reinstall didn't work. A new user didn't work. Station rebuild didn't work.

 

Thinking what my next move is. Perhaps I will download the MSIs again and start afresh.

Tefters

Tefters

Posted
Posted (edited)

I simply have an AD account called prarsonexam which I bulk logon a room, launch the client and then have the students take the test.

 

As long as you have the relevant ports open between Server > Invigilator > Client and Servet > Net you should ok.

 

I run NetSupport and that does not interfere with Pearson.

 

This thread has reminded me however I need to go deploy this on several machines this week again.

 

Edit - Silly thought, could it be any GPO restrictions you have in play? I created a normal domain user account outside of GPO's for this just for ease. Computer GPO's could also be a factor?

Edited by Tefters
6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
I simply have an AD account called prarsonexam which I bulk logon a room, launch the client and then have the students take the test.

 

As long as you have the relevant ports open between Server > Invigilator > Client and Servet > Net you should ok.

 

I run NetSupport and that does not interfere with Pearson.

 

This thread has reminded me however I need to go deploy this on several machines this week again.

 

Edit - Silly thought, could it be any GPO restrictions you have in play? I created a normal domain user account outside of GPO's for this just for ease. Computer GPO's could also be a factor?

 

We have Exam users for the students to use to take the test. These are the same users we used last time and should work again. I will be creating a new user that has not seen the network before to try to fix the current problem.

 

Re: GPOs: There have been no changes to the GPOs since this last worked so I don't think that this is the answer.

 

:(

Tefters

Tefters

Posted
Posted
We have Exam users for the students to use to take the test. These are the same users we used last time and should work again. I will be creating a new user that has not seen the network before to try to fix the current problem.

 

Re: GPOs: There have been no changes to the GPOs since this last worked so I don't think that this is the answer.

 

:(

 

Sounds like something cached in app data then on the profile

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
Sounds like something cached in app data then on the profile

I just spoke to the Pearson helpdesk. They said that my Exam Centre Service is too old and should be re-installed. Waiting for the Person E-Mail now.

6Foot2

6Foot2

Posted
Posted
Seems about right... typical phone every 6 months to see if there's a new version. Would be easier if they had a portal download

 

A better error message when there is an issue would be helpful too. This one led me down so many wrong paths.

 

:mad:

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