[sims] Sims Updates

[Neville]

Whenever there is a Sims Update we have to go around to every single machine and login with an administrator account and then run Start - All Programs Sims Applications - Sims.Net

 

This is very time consuming because we have over 600 machines is there a way we can let staff do this themselves without giving them an admin account on the machines.

 

We are also in the process of creating a new image with Sims Pre installed so if we need to give any permissions and stuff for this to work we can do this on the image before we roll it out so this problem wont occur when they have further updates.

[Mcshammer_dj]

have you tried to apply the simsperm.bat to the staff group

[Ghostgame]

Have you had a look at Solus3?

[Chuckster]

Staff at my school are able to do this without having an admin account nor being part of the administrator group on the machine.

 

I did this by enabling software restriction policy and allowing the following path rules:

 

%LocalAppData%\Temp\*.tmp

%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp\*.tmp

\\simsserver\simsshare\*

S:\*

 

The S drive is mapped and is set to hide through GPP, thus no user can browse the share unless they explicitly type in the drive letter in the address bar.

[synaesthesia]

Use Solus3, it's not the bad bad bogeyman it once was (and some people say still is!). It'll save you a lot of time.

I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST PUTTING SIMS IN ANY WINDOWS IMAGE. You will bulk out the image unnecessarily and are likely to cause yourself more problems down the line unless you refresh and roll out that image bi-annually.

[matt40k]

@Chuckster You've missed off the Program Files\SIMS\* folder where the application lives!! @Ghostgame has a point, that way users don't have permissions to a protected folder that can undermine software restriction polices. Also you won't have issues with Exams or Nova etc that need to register COM components.

[Neville]

Hi I know this sounds daft can somebody just please walkthrough and clarify what I need to please eithe MAt40k or Chukster.

[Chuckster]

Use Solus3, it's not the bad bad bogeyman it once was (and some people say still is!). It'll save you a lot of time.

I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST PUTTING SIMS IN ANY WINDOWS IMAGE. You will bulk out the image unnecessarily and are likely to cause yourself more problems down the line unless you refresh and roll out that image bi-annually.

 

I've had SIMS in my image build for a year without any issues. Staff simply click on the SIMS.Net icon and it'll upgrade itself to the latest version.

 

 

@Chuckster You've missed off the Program Files\SIMS\* folder where the application lives!! @Ghostgame has a point, that way users don't have permissions to a protected folder that can undermine software restriction polices. Also you won't have issues with Exams or Nova etc that need to register COM components.

 

You're absolutely right!

 

One thing I forgot to mention in addition to what @matt40k said is that I've got a security group set up called 'SIMS Users' in AD. I've applied this group to the SIMS folder residing on machine (C\Program Files\SIMS) with Full NTFS permissions.

[sparkeh]

Use Solus3, it's not the bad bad bogeyman it once was (and some people say still is!). It'll save you a lot of time.

I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST PUTTING SIMS IN ANY WINDOWS IMAGE. You will bulk out the image unnecessarily and are likely to cause yourself more problems down the line unless you refresh and roll out that image bi-annually.

Yeah S3 isn't all bad. Wouldn't say its 'there yet' but its usable. The UI still seems like it was designed by someone who has never used a single piece software in their lives but it actually does the job now. Mostly.

 

I've had SIMS in my image build for a year without any issues. Staff simply click on the SIMS.Net icon and it'll upgrade itself to the latest version.

Sure, but imo its not great to roll out obsolete software and make the user upgrade it to the latest version, but that's just me.

[synaesthesia]

As above. I'd rather not fill systems with cack - as an employee of Capita I'd be shot if I ever suggested doing that! SIMS doesn't need any help in filling up with cack , it's quite good at that on it's own!

[zag]

Make the teachers AD group power users on the local machine, that will fix it.

 

Otherwise use Solus 3, but its very bloated.

[Neville]

Can somebody please give me some clear instructions on what to do please I have just created the Security Group for all the Sims Users.

 

Now what do I do next please because I am confused at the moment.

[PhilNeal]

On the interface issue we're making some huge improvements. Should be out March 14.

[Neville]

Are you sure making the AD security group for our Sims Users of the Power Users group will fix this on a Windows 7 machine because the Power User Group doesnt have any more special permissions than a standard user in Windows 7

[vikpaw]

As above. I'd rather not fill systems with cack - as an employee of Capita I'd be shot if I ever suggested doing that! SIMS doesn't need any help in filling up with cack , it's quite good at that on it's own!

As an employee that last sentence is more worthy of being shot for.

[synaesthesia]

I should also quickly hasten to add that should have read ex-employee!