HR Portal Support

[Michael]

Hello all,

 

I've written this guide to make it easier/quicker for Birmingham schools to get using HR Portal again. Due to a recent Service Pack applied, the requirements are now a lot higher. Link2ICT's guidance notes are detailed in article KB0012416, but I've created a GPO/guidance to speed up the process.

 

You can download/install an offline copy of Internet Explorer 11 here

 

Once Internet Explorer 11's installed, you have several options - the manual way, or automated way -

 

Manual

 

On the local PC, download/install Java 8 Update 25 here

 

Create the following folder: C:\Windows\Sun\Java\Deployment

 

Create the following three files in Notepad, rename the file extensions and copy into: C:\Windows\Sun\Java\Deployment

 

deployment.properties

#deployment.properties
#Fri Dec 05 12:59:37 GMT 2014
deployment.modified.timestamp=1417784377677
deployment.version=8
install.disable.sponsor.offers=false
deployment.browser.path=C\:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\iexplore.exe
#Java Deployment jre's
#Fri Dec 05 12:59:37 GMT 2014
deployment.javaws.jre.0.registered=true
deployment.javaws.jre.0.platform=1.8
deployment.javaws.jre.0.osname=Windows
deployment.javaws.jre.0.path=C\:\\Program Files (x86)\\Java\\jre1.8.0_25\\bin\\javaw.exe
deployment.javaws.jre.0.product=1.8.0_25
deployment.javaws.jre.0.osarch=x86
deployment.javaws.jre.0.location=http\://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se
deployment.javaws.jre.0.enabled=true
deployment.javaws.jre.0.args=
deployment.webjava.enabled=true
deployment.security.level=HIGH
deployment.security.level.locked
deployment.user.security.exception.sites=c\:/Windows/Sun/Java/Deployment/exception.sites

 

deployment.system.config

deployment.system.config=file\:C\:/Windows/Sun/Java/Deployment/deployment.properties
deployment.system.config.mandatory=true

 

exception.sites

https://Schoolshr.birmingham.gov.uk
https://schoolsapproval.birmingham.gov.uk
http://Schoolshr.birmingham.gov.uk
http://schoolsapproval.birmingham.gov.uk

 

All the above sets Java exceptions on a computer basis and will apply to anyone logging into the workstation!

 

Add the following two sites to Internet Explorer's Trusted Sites:

 

https://Schoolshr.birmingham.gov.uk
https://schoolsapproval.birmingham.gov.uk

 

Control Panel > Internet Options > Security (tab) > Trusted Sites > Sites

 

Add birmingham.gov.uk to Compatibility View:

 

Open IE, right click at the top of the browser and enabled the Menu bar. Select Tools > Compatibility View Settings, then add birmingham.gov.uk

 

Now in theory you should be good to go!

 

Automated

 

Within your Netlogon share, create a folder labelled JAVA and copy the above three files - deployment.properties, deployment.system.config and exception.sites into it.

 

Download my GPO HR Portal GPO.zip and create a new GPO labelled HR Portal. Import the settings via Group Policy Management.

 

You may/may not need to change the servername. Please check this within: Computer Config > Preferences > Windows Settings > Files. Change the CURRICSVR1 as appropriate. The rest of the path should be left alone.

 

You may also need to change the MSI path for Java8Update25: Computer Config > Policies > Software Settings. Change the path as appropriate to your Java MSI file.

 

You're now good to go. The two required sites will be added to Internet Explorer's Trusted Sites on a computer level automatically:

 

https://Schoolshr.birmingham.gov.uk
https://schoolsapproval.birmingham.gov.uk

 

This GPO will now deploy/install Java8Update25, create the Sun\Java\Deployment directory within C:\Windows, copy the three required files from the Java\Netlogon share and add the two sites https://Schoolshr.birmingham.gov.uk and https://schoolsapproval.birmingham.gov.uk to Trusted Sites, on a computer level rather than user.

 

Now all that's required is to manually add birmingham.gov.uk to Compatibility View (as above)

 

Hope this helps some of you!

[MrPstv]

Time to revive this thread...

Intermittent issues with the HR portal website, hanging, not displaying all content and crashes.

 

Any ideas?

All the recommended prerequisites have been met.

[Michael]

I presume you've tried deleting the cache and/or restoring the browser to factory default?

[MrPstv]

Doh, no Michael i have not tried that...

I will try tomorrow and update if all is ok..

(Problem with user, if i tweak something and weeks later something goes haywire they think i broke it lol....)

 

Thanks again

Edited June 16, 2015 by MrPstv