[ipad] Apple Configurator 2 - Some Apps install, others don't.

[Joanne]

I'm on with testing a new image for our KS1 iPads. I have all the licenses for the apps with VPP. I am signed into AC2 with VPP account. I assign 2 profiles - 1 with general settings and the other for Lightspeed MDM. I have checked on Lightspeed and changed a setting with regards to installing apps (just in case) but this hasn't made any difference.

 

AC2 installs my Blueprint fine. When I then switch the iPad on, half of the apps are inaccessible. The ones installed are mixed paid for and free, the ones not yet installed are also a mix of paid for and free. Why won't they install??? Tried restarting, tried signing in to the app store on the iPad with an apple ID, nothing.

 

When you press on them they just say waiting...

 

[Joanne]

OSX Sierra

iOS 9.3.5

Apple Configurator 2.3

[Joanne]

OK I've tried wiping an iPad and installing a problem app seperately - it was fine. Now used a blueprint and app is waiting...

 

This is my KS2 blueprint and it's weird that an app like Morfo has installed fine on this one but not the the KS1 one....

 

 

It's almost like one of my profiles is causing an issue, but it has worked in the past. I'll double check all settings.

[Joanne]

My 1st profile configures WiFi settings only. 2nd profile does MDM. Settings on MDM allow install of apps.... o.O

 

Edited October 11, 2016 by Joanne

[Joanne]

If I add the apps one at a time on configurator, they apply on the device fine. Hmmm... wondering if I will have to do this instead with the full trolleys...

[biz]

Is it different apps every time? Do you use caching server?

[Joanne]

I do use a caching server. It's the same apps for all the iPads I apply the blueprint to. I ended us just selecting all of the problem apps and adding them separately as a bunch. Didn't take too long and DIDN'T ERROR!! I was shocked.

[gtg93]

I'm having this exact issue now and can't find any information on it... Don't suppose you got anywhere else with it afterwards?

 

My next step is to try the apps one by one as you've done above - just seems a pain more than anything :/

Edited November 16, 2016 by gtg93

[Joanne]

You don't have to add them one by one, you can hold cmd and select all the apps at problem. It's not the best solution, but worked in the end.

[gtg93]

You don't have to add them one by one, you can hold cmd and select all the apps at problem. It's not the best solution, but worked in the end.

 

Yep - this is what I ended up doing, except some apps wouldn't add at the same time as others so took 4/5 attempts. Weird!

[Joanne]

incredibly frustrating!

[Koldov]

Were you updating/installing apps whilst connected to a charge/sync trolley and Apple server or once configured do you unplug and let them update over Wi-Fi?

 

Had a similar problem with our iPads when we needed to install a few apps at once...

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/netbooks-pda-phones/176329-how-do-i-get-iworks-imovie-back.html

 

(second post).

 

Only to say that I had a VERY frustrating couple of weeks trying to figure out why they weren't installing.

 

Some were 'loading' others were 'waiting' or 'installing', totally random. I was in and out of MDM removing and reinstalling, resetting iPads etc.

 

The only thing I can think of that was our Wi-Fi network/access points just couldn't handle it and somewhere along the line the iPads gave up (there didn't seem to be any automatic kick-start to get them going again), also the 'bytes served' on the caching server would be big spikes and then nothing for days...

 

What actually helped a bit in the end was splitting them up into batches of 15 and places them in different parts of the school, so they could share the load over different APs.

Edited November 17, 2016 by Koldov

[Joanne]

to add to this - I'm re-imaging the other trolley now and it is happening again, but not on all iPads. I have taken one iPad that had the issue, plugged it in with a lightning cable direct to the mac, re-applied the blueprint and it has loaded all of the apps.

 

STRANGE!

[Joanne]

Were you updating/installing apps whilst connected to a charge/sync trolley and Apple server or once configured do you unplug and let them update over Wi-Fi?

 

I'm using charge/sync trolley which allows you to connect 12 at a time. I can understand the updating over wi-fi issue. That must be annoying!

[Koldov]

So you have all of your apps on the mac in configurator?

 

We do have a mac-mini and charge and sync trolley, but we only use that for the initial wiping, supervising and configuration profiles. The apps are all assigned via MDM and so are delivered and update over wi-fi.

 

Yes, annoying!

 

It still sounds a little like a bandwidth issue if you can do one ok, but start having trouble the more you do at once.

 

Even with the iPads in the trolley hooked up to the mac, some will crap out on configurator doing 10 at a time, but doing them individually works nearly every time...

[Joanne]

Yeah what I do is wipe, prepare and supervise with AC, apply blueprints which includes apps which are purchased with VPP and then a profile adding them to our MDM. I don't tend to use the MDM for apps because it asks for an Apple ID to install the app (even though all of the VPP info is in there!). I use the MDM to lock down. I have an apple server for app caching on site.

 

I'm pretty sure there is a better way of doing it... but believe me... I've tried a lot of ways! Hah!!

[gtg93]

I'm just doing some more this morning, and I have the issue if I just do one at a time. I have to apply the blueprint then the apps afterwards... Really strange - personally it seems to be only since I updated the mac to OSX El Capitan (10.11.16) but maybe that's coincidence.

[tmoon-mint]

I'm just doing some more this morning, and I have the issue if I just do one at a time. I have to apply the blueprint then the apps afterwards... Really strange - personally it seems to be only since I updated the mac to OSX El Capitan (10.11.16) but maybe that's coincidence.

 

I have a work around. Its quite annoying but seems to work for me. I download the IPA files for all the apps I want from iTunes (yes I know this is wrong but ill get to that in a minute) and add them to the blueprint.

 

Once they are installed on my devices I use my MDM to convert them to managed distribution apps and then remove the Apple ID.

 

Give it a try works for me.

[Joanne]

To be honest, I don't think there is a wrong way with iPads because the right way is so inconsistent. It's good to get loads of solutions down though!

 

I'm just glad I don't have to do this for a while again.

 

How often do you guys completely wipe and start afresh? I do it about once a year.

[tmoon-mint]

To be honest, I don't think there is a wrong way with iPads because the right way is so inconsistent. It's good to get loads of solutions down though!

 

I'm just glad I don't have to do this for a while again.

 

How often do you guys completely wipe and start afresh? I do it about once a year.

 

I would agree that every year is about right. Just as you would reimage a machine I would also "reimage" the iPads.