Surpass - Secure Client (what a pain)

[Ironside]

I don't know what to do about it honestly. Hoping someone has a solution.

[Ironside]

This was fixed by reinstalling the software on affected PCs.

[3s-gtech]

Right, just hit (and maybe solved) another one today.

 

You know that proxy settings file? It only seems to use it for the update check. The actual software? No, that uses system proxy settings, so we have to allow internet access on the exams accounts.

 

Without this, I was getting 403 errors as our proxy can't be bypassed and isn't transparent.

 

I know the cretins that wrote this rubbish software can't read this, but how do you not die in the night by forgetting to breathe?

[3s-gtech]

Updated to the 2503 version today, as directed by the board.

 

It doesn't load for me - just locks the screen but never shows the login window. Used the same process as earlier versions, but now on Windows 11. Log file does not indicate any error has occurred.

 

Anyone else wasted their time on this?

[JonFromRHS]

On 29/10/2025 at 14:54, 3s-gtech said:

Updated to the 2503 version today, as directed by the board.

 

It doesn't load for me - just locks the screen but never shows the login window. Used the same process as earlier versions, but now on Windows 11. Log file does not indicate any error has occurred.

 

Anyone else wasted their time on this?

Yes I have started experiencing this today after Octobers update.

I get blank shortcut on our Exam users desktop after admin installation - our exam user has all text suggestions disabled via GPO.

I have tried using an older installer for v24.2.70.44 and the shortcut appears on the exam users desktop as it should but the app obviously cannot update due to the versions behind that it is.

I am currently communicating with WJEC about this as other schools in our County Borough are working without issue but ours doesnt want to play ball.


Install as Admin using the latest version downloaded from WJEC.

Run the app as admin to make sure its up to date.

Run the app as admin and the message ERROR 8053: secure client cannot be opened until Windows Text Suggestions are disabled.

Log on as our Exams user - App performs update check and then freezes the screen with no task bar and shortcuts cannot be clicked just like the screen of the application should be loaded but it isnt loaded.

I have scoured the web for Filtering Urls to add into our smoothwall filters list and added all that I can find.

This was working perfectly for our exams during the summer and I keep it updated every month by running the application via IMPERO remotely after hours to make sure the application is kept up to date.

This is becoming a very frustrating application to fault find.

I have literally registered on edugeek just to respond to this post.

 

 

Regards

 

Jon

[JonFromRHS]

27 minutes ago, JonFromRHS said:

Yes I have started experiencing this today after Octobers update.

I get blank shortcut on our Exam users desktop after admin installation - our exam user has all text suggestions disabled via GPO.

I have tried using an older installer for v24.2.70.44 and the shortcut appears on the exam users desktop as it should but the app obviously cannot update due to the versions behind that it is.

I am currently communicating with WJEC about this as other schools in our County Borough are working without issue but ours doesnt want to play ball.


Install as Admin using the latest version downloaded from WJEC.

Run the app as admin to make sure its up to date.

Run the app as admin and the message ERROR 8053: secure client cannot be opened until Windows Text Suggestions are disabled.

Log on as our Exams user - App performs update check and then freezes the screen with no task bar and shortcuts cannot be clicked just like the screen of the application should be loaded but it isnt loaded.

I have scoured the web for Filtering Urls to add into our smoothwall filters list and added all that I can find.

This was working perfectly for our exams during the summer and I keep it updated every month by running the application via IMPERO remotely after hours to make sure the application is kept up to date.

This is becoming a very frustrating application to fault find.

I have literally registered on edugeek just to respond to this post.

 

 

Regards

 

Jon

Just had this because ofcourse non of this was followed when they released the the updated version that requires Text Suggestions disabled ffs!


 

 

 

Thanks for updating us about the things you have tried so far. With all the information you have provided, I would like to suggest you try manually installing the current version (25.03.070.039) of SecureClient (using the link: https://wjec.surpass.com/LaunchTest/SecureDelivery )on a PC with Admin permissions first to get the Client working on a device with no restrictions. When you get to the point where you get the error message 8053 – Windows Text Suggestion, please ensure Group Policies are in place which set the below registry keys to ‘0’

 

Windows 11

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\input\Settings\EnableHwkbTextPrediction

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\input\Settings\MultilingualEnabled

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableAutocorrection

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableSpellchecking

(The above keys relate to the following settings:  Show text suggestions when typing on the physical keyboard; Multilingual text suggestions; Autocorrect misspelled words).

 

After setting registry keys, please launch Client software and see if it gets to the point asking for an 8-character keycode. You can then test whether it fully works on a machine with no restrictions with a valid keycode. Please let me know when you get to this point, then I will provide a valid keycode for you to check.

If this works successfully without any errors, it will be easier to figure out the actual issue stopping the Client on exam user account with restricted permissions.

Let us know how far you can get on a machine with unrestricted permissions using above instruction. 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

[3s-gtech]

That's exactly what I saw when AB Tutor Control was running. Killed ABTC, and it loaded as normal. They suggest remote monitoring software can cause this, and Impero will almost certainly cause this behaviour.

 

You can't test it remotely now.

 

Edit to add: this solved my last issue. It was ABTC. It appears that you cannot remotely test your clients now, at least with that software. Exam board support suggest that this may be the case for other remote control software too.

Edited November 7, 2025 by 3s-gtech

[JonFromRHS]

2 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

That's exactly what I saw when AB Tutor Control was running. Killed ABTC, and it loaded as normal. They suggest remote monitoring software can cause this, and Impero will almost certainly cause this behaviour.

 

You can't test it remotely now.

Does that mean I need to remove IMPERO from the machines we are using it on?

Or just load it manually on the machine?

[3s-gtech]

Try stopping the service, first and foremost. With ABTC I just had to not be viewing the screen.

[JonFromRHS]

1 minute ago, 3s-gtech said:

Try stopping the service, first and foremost. With ABTC I just had to not be viewing the screen.

Cheers bud will give this a go.

[synaesthesia]

"You'd like us to remove or disable software which either wholly or partly protects our students and indeed the school as part of our KCSIE obligations?"

 

My answer would be immediately no, fix your software or provide alternative means, Safeguarding trumps your poor efforts at educational software regardless of the fact it may be for assessments. 

[JonFromRHS]

Just now, synaesthesia said:

"You'd like us to remove or disable software which either wholly or partly protects our students and indeed the school as part of our KCSIE obligations?"

 

My answer would be immediately no, fix your software or provide alternative means, Safeguarding trumps your poor efforts at educational software regardless of the fact it may be for assessments. 

It could just be the viewing of the screen during remote control.


Will be testing this after lunch (which cant come soon enough lol) and will report back if its resolved the issue.

Then I will test whether I can still logon via impero and run the shortcut file path to load the application without viewing the screen itself.

 

 

But I agree with your statement 100%

[synaesthesia]

Yeah, hopefully it's that simple - Impero is less likely to be a problem as it wouldn't (or shouldn't) be anyone's sole method of safeguarding compliance, however it may raise concern over software which might - senso, securely etc. 

[JonFromRHS]

1 minute ago, synaesthesia said:

Yeah, hopefully it's that simple - Impero is less likely to be a problem as it wouldn't (or shouldn't) be anyone's sole method of safeguarding compliance, however it may raise concern over software which might - senso, securely etc. 

Correct its not our sole safeguarding method just another tool but if we need to remove it completely the IT teachers wont be happy as they use it as a teaching tool to get attention of students, send files etc etc.

[mavhc]

wonder if you can make a gpo for exam users that disables the impero services, and if so, are they reenabled once another user logs in, or do you need a second that enables the services

[JonFromRHS]

59 minutes ago, synaesthesia said:

Yeah, hopefully it's that simple - Impero is less likely to be a problem as it wouldn't (or shouldn't) be anyone's sole method of safeguarding compliance, however it may raise concern over software which might - senso, securely etc. 

No need to disable the IMPERO client - its worked by manually logging on and running the application.

Just testing now to see if I can remotely log on and run the file using IMpero and have it come up the same or whether it fails.

If it fails it means I would have to manually start the applications during exam season.


Edit

It can still be run using IMPERO but you cannot have the THUMBNAIL Preview showing the desktop screen.

Needs to just be the IMPERO computer list rather than thumbnails of whats happening.

Edit 2

I am not turning off the Impero software instead I am not viewing their screens and it works.

 

Edited November 7, 2025 by JonFromRHS
after testing

[mikes]

Wait so what happens if you load the Surpap client get everyone on the exam then switch to thumbnail view ??   will it break in the middle of the exam?  I've always had Impero running during our exams but haven't actually used it to remote monitor the screens during the exam (I can see all the screens from the middle of the room)

[JonFromRHS]

23 minutes ago, mikes said:

Wait so what happens if you load the Surpap client get everyone on the exam then switch to thumbnail view ??   will it break in the middle of the exam?  I've always had Impero running during our exams but haven't actually used it to remote monitor the screens during the exam (I can see all the screens from the middle of the room)

I can test this next week for you. 
 

not sure if it fails to load or just fails to show a preview. 

[JonFromRHS]

24 minutes ago, mikes said:

Wait so what happens if you load the Surpap client get everyone on the exam then switch to thumbnail view ??   will it break in the middle of the exam?  I've always had Impero running during our exams but haven't actually used it to remote monitor the screens during the exam (I can see all the screens from the middle of the room)

 

one thing I know for certain is the thumbnail view on IMPERO shows a blank desktop minus the task bar across the bottom but not sure on client end what happens. 

[3s-gtech]

During an exam?! It'll probably crash, lock up, then need multiple phone calls and a hysterical exams officer yelling at you because the clients are all locked out and need resetting via the console by the exam board *Vietnam PTSD montage*

 

Best tested with one of those scheduled dummy exams

[3s-gtech]

Another year, and our install of SecureClient has metaphorically shat its pants, then eaten that, been sick, and rolled around in the faecal/vomit mix.

 

Currently it won't run from a fresh deployment (that did work earlier in the year) coming up with an issue with SQLite. Board are saying we need to install SQL Server Compact Edition which I have never had to do - I'm wondering if they cocked up the compilation and left it out somehow.

[JonFromRHS]

12 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Another year, and our install of SecureClient has metaphorically shat its pants, then eaten that, been sick, and rolled around in the faecal/vomit mix.

 

Currently it won't run from a fresh deployment (that did work earlier in the year) coming up with an issue with SQLite. Board are saying we need to install SQL Server Compact Edition which I have never had to do - I'm wondering if they cocked up the compilation and left it out somehow.

Must admit this sparked my curiosity as I havent loaded mine for about 2 months.

Just loaded up straight away - I have been regularly (once per term) loading these up using IMPERO to sign them in and then check the room to make sure they are on the Login Screen for the Surpass testing.

On a fresh MDT build I did the other week I downloaded at the start of this month the latest updated MSI file and its working on that one too without any errors.

[JonFromRHS]

18 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Another year, and our install of SecureClient has metaphorically shat its pants, then eaten that, been sick, and rolled around in the faecal/vomit mix.

 

Currently it won't run from a fresh deployment (that did work earlier in the year) coming up with an issue with SQLite. Board are saying we need to install SQL Server Compact Edition which I have never had to do - I'm wondering if they cocked up the compilation and left it out somehow.

Sorry just checked the date stamp on the MSI and its 17-4-26 that it was downloaded from WJEC Surpass so only a week old.

https://wjec.surpass.com/launchtest/securedelivery
 

Edited April 23 by JonFromRHS

[3s-gtech]

Tried a manual reinstall of the MSI, same thing. Runs the updater, then complains about SQL in an Edge window. This is on 25H2.

 

How are you deploying it?

[JonFromRHS]

7 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Tried a manual reinstall of the MSI, same thing. Runs the updater, then complains about SQL in an Edge window. This is on 25H2.

 

How are you deploying it?

 

previous deployments have been via GPO and attaching the MSI to the room OU in GPO management. 
 

however since that deployment I use IMPERO to run the app and allow it auto update during start up. 

We are running 24H2 though. 
 

Can you set up a 24H2 VM to test if you still get the same errors?

 

Could be Surpass haven’t updated their MSI for use with 25H2 yet?