Edexcel Promissor (problem)

[rob_f]

It was Adult Literacy and Numeracy, thankfully no longer my concern! I believe the tests embed HTML content into them via the IE rendering engine, and the ALAN tests just have static images and multi-choice options. Fairly bog-standard and unlikely to cause trouble.

[CyberNerd]

This is where you make technical complaints.

 

Ofqual - Welcome to Ofqual

 

The exam boards are not going to admit to problems, and are unlikely to change their behavior unless they are forced to

[RoyG]

Only found out about the IE6/IE7 fiasco this morning. Reverting to IE6 on 100 machines is not an option.

 

After a bit of stalling, Edexcel have agreed to send us the tests in paper form! Result!!

 

KS3 tests - RIP! Promissor - RIP! Ain't technology wonderful?

 

Roy

[CyberNerd]

Edexcel dida requirements needs IE7, no IE6

 

Edexcel - DiDA: Home: SPBs: Moderator's toolkit

 

Edexcel promissor requirements

 

The only version of Internet Explorer that is supported is IE6. If IE7 has been installed, this must be removed and replaced with IE6 before testing begins.

 

The fact that they dictate which operating systems schools must buy is bad enough, but they can't even agree within their own organisation !

 

mayhem

[tech_guy]

We ran nearly 40 odd ALAN Level 1's and 2's today. Only one machine borked during the test and the student was able to retake it later in the day. And that we think was due to the student clicking on things multiple times.

 

Interestingly, the sample tests sent to us by Edxcel which we installed on to the network fell over when 20-odd students all tried to run the same one.

 

Relieved it's all done and dusted now. Until next time.

[Heath]

It is definitely permissions on the program folder on the workstations. Use either xcalcs to set read write permissions on the promissor folder or use AD file system.

 

We had this problem and Edxcel were very unclear. they just said it was a flash problem.

The problem is definitely to do with the workstation. I have an exam1 user locked down with GP. They can't do anything with the account except run the 'Promissor' software. We also run IE7.

 

Every time we have a problem to do with the graphics it's to do with the permissions on the C:\Program Files\Promissor folder.

[googlemad]

IE7 is a new one to me, I must check that out! (But then we have no problem in the Study Centre who got upgraded to IE7).

 

I've had to resort to creating a Novell user with full admin rights to a PC hoping this will cure any problems! The trouble is we do the dummy tests and they run flawless, then we run the real ones and they bugger up!!

[Sylv3r]

Just incase anybody is not aware they is another update of this software due for release on the 8th July and you have 30 days to upgrade to the latest version.

 

Any tests after this cut off won't run on the current software.

[CyberNerd]

versions.The trouble is we do the dummy tests and they run flawless, then we run the real ones and they bugger up!!

 

We found that they use different versions of the software for the test and the live versions. We had a problem with thin clients - the test software worked fine for Thin Client's but the final exam wouldn't work at all. The tech support were appalling, eventually admitting that they wouldn't support thin clients at all. we complained to Ofqual who are supposed to regulate this nonsense.

I hope more people make a complaint until they scrap this rubbish

Ofqual - Welcome to Ofqual

[googlemad]

Just incase anybody is not aware they is another update of this software due for release on the 8th July and you have 30 days to upgrade to the latest version.

 

Any tests after this cut off won't run on the current software.

 

 

I've got enough things on at summer without updating their piece of rubbish on 200 odd computers! (Deep Freeze too so I have to unthaw, install, thaw which is annoying)

 

I never saw a problem with the good old pen and paper method of doing exams!

[googlemad]

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me yesterday afternoon as the exams still didn't work in the non Deep Freeze room! Luckily they booked a spare room where the exams could be moved till.

 

This time a lot of students got into the exam, then Promissor just quit itself!

 

I reckon it is the Edexcel account on our server causing the problems as in Deep Freeze rooms we use a pcuser account. Is there any way to see the permissions for the pcuser account on the server and copy these permissions to the Edexcel account on the server (Windows 2000 server)?

[manick]

We are having a problem with the software here. It appears that there is a problem connecting to the server, Edexcel are blaming SWGFL, and SWGFL are blaming edexcel.

 

At the moment all the attention is being focussed on port 443, edexcel are claiming that our incoming port 443 should be open (can see no reason why????). We are stuck in a stalemate at the mo. A lot of other schools in this region are apparently suffering the same problem, anybody else??

 

Cheers

 

manick

[rush_tech]

We had problems yesterday, could'nt communicate with their servers, spent about 15 mins on the phone to work out it was their servers that was the cause of the problem. There was a lot of trouble in the Derby area yesterday apparently

 

**EDIT** just tried to log into the administrator FAILED another phone call

[TechMonkey]

I was told yesterday that RM have filtered traffic on port 80 and 445 to www.catglobal.com. RM are "in talks" with edexcel but wouldn't explain what this meant or give any estimate of time.

 

Guy I spoke to had had about 300 calls that morning.

Edited July 3, 2008 by TechMonkey

[manick]

Have just been in a long conversation with Edexcel, they are denying any responsibility, and are claiming this isn't a national problem. Have stated that we have people far and wide on a certain forum, they say they've had no calls from anywhere else and therefore blaming SWGFL. Can anybody confirm that they have phoned edexcel regarding this problem.

 

Cheers

 

manick

[DMcCoy]

It's working fine from segfl

[rush_tech]

I was told yesterday that RM have filtered traffic on port 80 and 445 to www.catglobal.com. RM are "in talks" with edexcel but wouldn't explain what this meant or give any estimate of time.

 

Guy I spoke to had had about 300 calls that morning.

 

We're not on RM and we were having problems yesterday. Our ports are not blocked

[manick]

We can now get on with registrations (nobody is admitting to changing anything!), but have a new problem in that students do not have any tests. Just to keep anyone interested up to date.

[JonahIJ]

Anybodya had any issues with the update? ESM Server update went fine, but when we tried it on the workstations, Promissor told us there was an update available, OK, extracted some files to run setup.exe, then... nothing. Nothing at all.

 

Can't even run the installer to do a fresh install as it won't allow it.

[Roger]

We have had exactly the same problem here.

Also it is not possible to remove the client software using Add/Remove programs !!

Removing or re-installing from the App. does not work either!! (this is using all latest downloads from Edexcel site)

Spoke to Edexcel re. problems, had to try editing registry to uninstall, did not work - could not help, said it was our clients!!

We have decided to re-image clients over summer, quicker than chasing Edexcel for a solution.

 

Roger

[Sylv3r]

Anybodya had any issues with the update? ESM Server update went fine, but when we tried it on the workstations, Promissor told us there was an update available, OK, extracted some files to run setup.exe, then... nothing. Nothing at all.

 

Can't even run the installer to do a fresh install as it won't allow it.

 

We had this problem here this morning also with full administrator rights to the workstations.

 

I downloaded the latest Administrator client from the Catglobal website and rolled that out to the workstations over the top of the old client - was a bit of a pain with all the kids sitting waiting to start the tests!

[itwasntme]

May I ask how you deployed it? Edexcel told me I would have to install it manually to each PC, if I wanted a method of deployment I would need to generate my own MSI for it. Since it started off as 'we only need it on 4 or 5 PC's' I didn't bother MSI'ing it to start with, it has since grown in blobs of 2-3 up to approx 110 PCs .

[Sylv3r]

May I ask how you deployed it? Edexcel told me I would have to install it manually to each PC, if I wanted a method of deployment I would need to generate my own MSI for it. Since it started off as 'we only need it on 4 or 5 PC's' I didn't bother MSI'ing it to start with, it has since grown in blobs of 2-3 up to approx 110 PCs .

 

Created and rolled out an MSI as you have said. It includes the name and location of the ECM server so once it is installed on the machines its ready to go.

[MyDejaVu]

Anybodya had any issues with the update? ESM Server update went fine, but when we tried it on the workstations, Promissor told us there was an update available, OK, extracted some files to run setup.exe, then... nothing. Nothing at all.

 

Can't even run the installer to do a fresh install as it won't allow it.

 

after the administrator server downloads the client, you need to run the update manually, it will not launch after you download the client, the update will be located in the "updates" folder within your ESM shared folder.

 

this avatar is new ->

Edited July 17, 2008 by MyDejaVu

[ChrisH]

Thought we were done for these this year but we will be doing some on results day maybe. So server install goes ok then I need a manual update on each machine? Hmm think I will rebuild the machines and install fresh just to be on the safe side.