Wordshark & Numbershark - Need admin to log on

[adamchapman]

I really hope someone can help!

 

Our SEN dept use wordshark and numbershark on 4 computers. They are reach running the standalone versions. (Version 3 I think)

 

From a clean XP image, I have installed both programs logged on as admin and tested fine. However when a pupil logs on and runs the program the CD is located and then a message pops up saying that an admin must log on before the program can be used.

 

I then log off as pupil, and back on as admin. Run the program and log off admin.

 

When I log on as a pupil it now works without any problem!

 

The support team said to try a MS Hotfix to allow restriced accounts to access the cd rom drive to play games but this hasn't worked.

 

Group poilcy software restrictions are in place, but this software is Allowed. - Access given to the CD drive also.

 

One thing I am going to try is to use the 'Run as' tool to try run the program as an admin / power user. Do you think this would do the trick?

 

any help appreciated!! - this is driving us mad!

[joe90bass]

I'll ask our techie when we're back in on Tues. I know he's had fun with these progs as well.

 

The current one he's battling is text detective, always seems to be the numeracy/literacy support progs...............

 

I think the title of this forum sums it up very well!

[john]

I had no problems with them from what I remember, install, logon as admin, make a test child account, give them full control over the whole WS / NS folder on teh C Drive so they can add new accounts and save progress, voilla all works fine.

[adamchapman]

thanks John, will give that a try when I'm back in work.

 

I'm on a weeks holiday now!

[karldenton]

Was there ever a solution to this? Just got the same problem now i've upgraded the last few machines to XP

[Stuart_C]

Just in case you haven't found a solution I have spent the AGES on this.

 

Everyone (well Domain users) needs control over the wordshark-shared folders.

I would then look at

1: XP Patch

and apply the MS patch and the driver update (the restart the machine).

 

After receiving an number of complaint's E-mails about me taking over 6 weeks to fix it (2 weeks waiting for the software from the HOD, and this at the start of term when I asked for it before the summer hols as I knew it would be problematical) and it being a necessity for students, I've not heard anything in a while so I assume it's fixed.

[timbo343]

We have this too, but ours is stored on the server in a hidden area, not on the local machine... it took about a day for us to sort the permissions out.

[WATTYUK]

Hi i have wordshark 3s on the server hidden and we have ranger 5 installed its becoming a right royal ball buster and if a teacher logs in its fine if manager logs in also fine but a student not a chance ive added it all to ranger title checks let them see all they need to and gave permissions and i just want to shove the install cd where the sun dosent shine!!

[flyinghaggis]

any help appreciated!! - this is driving us mad!

 

We're running the networked versions of the software (Wordshark/Numbershark) and they run happily without admin rights (or the CD in the drive) if upgrading your licences is an option?

[AyatollahPies]

Seem to remember having this issue some time ago. Think we resolved it by copying the full contents of the CD to a local folder and running the install from there.

 

Never requires access to the CD then and pupil access rights didn't seem to cause problems either.

 

This was sometime ago though and I'm struggling to remember what i did this morning, never mind a year ago or so.

[korifugi]

Just sorted an issue with Wordshark myself - as already stated above the pupils MUST have access to the wordshark-shared directory. (I just put it into a student shared network folder and hidden it)

 

While it's telling the OP that they need to log in as admin - have you created an admin or suchlike account within wordshark yet? You'll need this to be able to set other users up within word/number/cheese-shark.

 

Just create a username and password within the program, then you can either import a csv file for users or create another wordshark account(s) for the TAs and let them create the student accounts.

[mr_wordshark]

Hi i have wordshark 3s on the server hidden and we have ranger 5 installed its becoming a right royal ball buster and if a teacher logs in its fine if manager logs in also fine but a student not a chance ive added it all to ranger title checks let them see all they need to and gave permissions and i just want to shove the install cd where the sun dosent shine!!

 

Hi - Ranger advise that you use the network version of the software rather than the domestic single user CD. They provided install instructions for Worshark/Numbershark on Ranger, which is at:

 

Ranger

 

This almost always works for the CD version as well - though on a small number of XP machines you also need the Microsoft XP patch which is detailed at:

Download details: SafeDisc Windows XP Fix for Microsoft Games

(They never did put this up as a normal update: NOTE that on a couple of occasions GPOs in place have prevented this fix from applying)

 

Other related possible fixes are at:

1: XP Patch

 

Hope this helps - please do contact Wordshark Support if it does not.

Cheers

Rik

(Wordshark Support Manager)

[mr_wordshark]

I really hope someone can help!

 

Our SEN dept use wordshark and numbershark on 4 computers. They are reach running the standalone versions. (Version 3 I think)

 

From a clean XP image, I have installed both programs logged on as admin and tested fine. However when a pupil logs on and runs the program the CD is located and then a message pops up saying that an admin must log on before the program can be used.

 

I then log off as pupil, and back on as admin. Run the program and log off admin.

 

When I log on as a pupil it now works without any problem!

 

The support team said to try a MS Hotfix to allow restriced accounts to access the cd rom drive to play games but this hasn't worked. Group poilcy software restrictions are in place, but this software is Allowed. - Access given to the CD drive also...!

 

Hi Adam

Reviewing this in the light of more experience over the past couple of years: I think the clue is "Group policy restrictions" - We have come across a couple of cases now where the MS hotfix has not installed correctly, prevented by a GPO. Your symptoms are indeed a perfect fit with the MS XP patch symptoms+GPO preventing application of hotfix.

The hotfix is for the domestic CD version only - the network version normally used in schools is unaffected, so we don't get too many cases like yours thank goodness!

 

There are also other related fixes possible, detailed at 1: XP Patch

In your case, the problem could be with secdrv being set up to "on demand" rather than on "Automatic"

 

Hope this helps a little, just sorry I can't help you sort the GPO out.

Best wishes

Rik

(Support manager, Wordshark/Numbershark)

[OverWorked]

Just in case you haven't found a solution I have spent the AGES on this.

 

Everyone (well Domain users) needs control over the wordshark-shared folders.

I would then look at

1: XP Patch

and apply the MS patch and the driver update (the restart the machine).

 

After receiving an number of complaint's E-mails about me taking over 6 weeks to fix it (2 weeks waiting for the software from the HOD, and this at the start of term when I asked for it before the summer hols as I knew it would be problematical) and it being a necessity for students, I've not heard anything in a while so I assume it's fixed.

 

This fixed it for me.

 

I have Shark running on loads of XP machines for years no problem. I have tried and tried to install it now on a newly installed XP SP3 machine and got the problem.

 

Installing the XP patch fixed it.

[mr_wordshark]

Hi "Overworked" - Thanks for confirmation that the "XP Patch" fix still works! We haven't had to use it for a few months, given so few new XP machines are being commissioned.

 

No wonder you are "Overworked" - we keep thinking that MS just might fix the "feature" in XP that causes this problem in a future service pack..... around 8 years after MS were first aware of the problem, so it must be getting close to the top of their "to be fixed" list!

Best wishes

Rik

(Support Manager, Wordshark/Numbershark)

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[OverWorked]

The strange thing is, that I've been using Shark for years and have never needed the patch before.

[mr_wordshark]

Not too strange: We have this symptom reported to us rarely these days, perhaps 3-4 times per year. Only a small number of XP machines ever were affected, so far as we can tell well under 1%. Whilst MS are "coy" about what causes the problem, I suspect it is only an issue with particular combinations of specific XP releases, XP settings, chipsets, CD drives and perhaps other factors. Given the chance of finding out what these are is so slight, I long ago gave up trying to make sense of it. The more important thing is that as soon as we have a customer reporting the symptom, we know from long experience what the answer is.

 

This so far has worked fine. Sadly, a few techs then apply the patch to machines that then get reimaged back to the non-patched state but don't see that this will then cause the problem to reoccur! Occasionally techs try to apply the patch without appropriate rights and are then grumpy when it doesn't work. Thankfully, other techs are on this forum and seem (most of them!) rather more on the ball - as you clearly are!

Rik

Support Manager, Wordshark/Numbershark