Prommisor - Installing using a batch file/macro?

[googlemad]

I need to install Promissor on around 40 machines - They are heavily used and ghosting seems a bit long winded.

 

I need to install Promissor from a network share, then set permissions on the newly created 'Promissor' folder in C:\Program Files so the Everyone local user group has full access and then create a shortcut on the desktop.

 

Any easy way to automate at least some of this?

[Ric_]

I was trying to do this earlier.... the installer is an Installshield one so if you can record the installation you can then use WIWW to make an MSI. Unfortunately, the standard switches didn't seem to want to play

 

I ended up giving up in the end since I only had to install it onto my six terminal servers.

[plexer]

I take it that this promissor is the new edexcel online testing package?

 

I'm still waiting for my instructions.

 

Ben

[Ric_]

@Plexer: Indeed it is.... you should have had the instructions by now since you are supposed to have it installed by the end of October.

[plexer]

Yes I know I am but I've checked with the exams officer today and she's not had any more info.

 

Ben

[plexer]

Just gave tech support a ring I think because the email with attachments is over 4mb we would never have received it on easymail so I used my personal account and now have the details.

 

Doh!!!

 

Ben

[jsnetman]

It is possible to use WinstallLE to make the MSI and was very straight forward. Just run winstall, install the prommisor administrator package then run winstall again, and deploy the MSI.

[jcollings]

I've done the server side and 1 client. All works well/

 

I rang Edexcel and suggested that an MSI may be a plan as lots of schools need this - was told "oh we didn't think of that" and "We'll add it to the list"

 

I always get annoyed when people like this don't figure that hundreds of schools use MSI - it isn't difficult is if FFS!

[Gatt]

our problem is in finding a suitable room room to run the exams..

[SpuffMonkey]

We AutoIT'd it - seemed to go OK - though its not as easy as the old system - specially as it demanded a server with no other web server stuff running - which was a pain.

[browolf]

I always get annoyed when people like this don't figure that hundreds of schools use MSI - it isn't difficult is if FFS!

 

that annoys me too.

that smacks of projects being directed by non-technical managers and coded by programmers that have never worked in a school or had to install anything more than 1 at a time. and prob think we have like 10 computers each.

 

its good business to find out your customers needs.... oh wait are we really their customers, or the government. we're just the poor saps that get to figure a way out of this mess.

[googlemad]

Right we're in the dog doo as if we don't get this installed soon they lose funding

 

Anyway gonna get it done on Monday, but has any of you actually run through a test on the software? As with Zenworks we had to give the 'Everyone' group full permissions on the Promissor folder and its contents but we're going back to DeepFreeze so not sure if that is still an issue? We only had to do that as on a sample test one of the images didn't display...

[bandgeekmafia78]

We ended up installing this manually to 30 machines. I know its a ball-ache but it didn't take too long. Promissor is actually a nice piece of kit and we use it here a lot.

[plexer]

Someone may like to try this:

 

http://www.plextech.co.uk/blog/?p=12

 

Ben

[Kyle]

I did it manually on 58 machines, took me just over an hour. 40 odd kids at the test this morning with no problems.

[jsnetman]

I have a working MSI for the promissor client and will provide instructions for editing the registry and setting the correct permissions to suit your setup. If you want it pm me.

[plock]

I have a working MSI for the promissor client and will provide instructions for editing the registry and setting the correct permissions to suit your setup. If you want it pm me.

 

A huge thank you has to go to 'jsnetman' for his MSI!

 

I have now a fully automated Promissor install happening using GP.

 

I have the MSI being pushed out then a batch file adding the registry key and allowing the user permissions on the Promissor directory.

 

Here is a copy of my script for those of you that may wish to use it.

 

@echo off

IF EXIST "C:\promissor_installed.txt" GOTO :END

regedit /s \\SERVERNAME\NETLOGON\promissorclient.reg

cacls "C:\Program Files\Promissor" /t /e /g Everyone:F

ECHO Promissor is now installed at %DATE% %TIME% >C:\promissor_installed.txt 

:END

 

Good luck!

[jsnetman]

Good to hear you got it working plock, but a little warning, I used your method of setting the permissions using Xcacls and found to somewhat of a disaster that it was not working correctly. The flash files that are required for the tests did not actually show up. I don't know if this is a difference between Xcacls and Cacls in the way it applies permissions, I ended up using the File System object in AD to set the permissions.

 

I would suggest you run a demo test to check that flash is ok.

[plock]

Cheers for that warning, we're scheduling a demo with Edexcel as we speak.

 

Perhaps the ‘Everyone’ group wasn't inheriting on new items that appear in the Promissor directory.

 

I've just checked this with my setup and it does seem to be happening. I'll give some feedback after the demo.

 

Did you use the same switches as my above post?

 

Cheers!

[ozydave]

Hi just setup the onscreen testing. I contact the support line to find out what kind of network resources it has when testing 60 students. They could not answer me.

Any of you guys know what impact the testing has on the network (if any).

Thanks

Dave

[sahmeepee]

OK, I've tried to get this working, but no joy. I installed the ESM server and installation went through smoothly.

 

Unfortunately I can't get it to accept my username and password. They work on the website so there's no problem there. It seems to be a problem with it getting through our ISA2006/Websense set up, but I can't seem to nail the problem.

 

I've made it connect by IP address and added the IP to an allow rule in ISA and also tried setting up an allow rule with all permutations of their hostnames/IPs and http/https.

 

When I monitor in ISA I get anonymous requests even when I have proxy credentials set in the config. When I access the same URL from a browser it shows my account hitting ISA and the connection is allowed.

 

Has anyone else had similar problems or used ISA+Websense successfully?

[sahmeepee]

Praise the lord, I've finally got this beast working (at least the server end of it). After much head-scratching I had it narrowed down to some sort of authentication problem.

 

Our ISA server was set to only allowed authenticated connections which I suspected may have caused the issues, but turning that off didn't help so I fired up WireShark. That told me that the ESMServer DOESN'T TRY AGAIN IF IT FAILS TO AUTH FIRST TIME! So any subsequent login attempts are effectively discarded, even if you've made changes to firewall rules etc.

 

I also found that it was using Basic auth, which I had disabled (all our clients use Integrated). As with all quality software it stores your proxy user/pass in plaintext in the registry and sends the main user/pass for accessing the software in plaintext across the internet (normal http/SOAP). Good job the passwords are highly secure... erm..

 

Obviously the only troubleshooting support the software gave me throughout my trauma was telling me my userid/password was wrong! Can we move this thread to FFS!!! so I can justify swearing?!