southhamster Posted October 26, 2020 Posted October 26, 2020 Wow, that would disadvantage themWe do help with using remote learning logins etc. What we can't help with is fixing 9 yr old machines - they are the best we can do for a couple of families with nothing else but when they fail we have no spares. That's what I meant.
Ironside Posted October 27, 2020 Posted October 27, 2020 Well on the plus side, looks like Newsnight has done a thing about this tonight so people may actually be aware of the issue. Out of interest, what laptops are youse getting? I know one user here got a bunch of Geobooks that's being sent straight to E-Waste due to being utter garbage, but I've also heard word of chromebooks and HP laptops?
elsiegee40 Posted October 27, 2020 Posted October 27, 2020 Well on the plus side, looks like Newsnight has done a thing about this tonight so people may actually be aware of the issue. Out of interest, what laptops are youse getting? I know one user here got a bunch of Geobooks that's being sent straight to E-Waste due to being utter garbage, but I've also heard word of chromebooks and HP laptops? We have a thread on the Geobooks... http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/218211-geo-geobook-1e-education-laptops-horrible.html
Rob_D Posted October 27, 2020 Posted October 27, 2020 Out of interest, what laptops are youse getting? I know one user here got a bunch of Geobooks that's being sent straight to E-Waste due to being utter garbage, but I've also heard word of chromebooks and HP laptops? We got some not terrible, but pretty low spec HP laptops. They seem to plug along fine for web based stuff and light document editing.
CHiLL Posted October 27, 2020 Posted October 27, 2020 We've had a range of devices: - Second hand Lenovo Thinkpads running ChromeOS - Second hand HP ProDesk (monitor mounted) desktops running ChromeOS - Brand new low-spec HP 250 laptops running Windows 10 via Intune We're currently attempting to prep our latest batch of HP 250 laptops that the council delivered they won't give us the device hashes of the machines to migrate them to our Intune. Ok, fine, we can get them ourselves from the laptops with a Powershell script. They've supplied us with the wrong local admin passwords, so we can't log onto them to run the script to get the hashes. They're saying those are the passwords they were provided from DfE and we need to contact them directly.
Ironside Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 We have a thread on the Geobooks... http://www.edugeek.net/forums/hardware/218211-geo-geobook-1e-education-laptops-horrible.html That is what I was referring to in my message, I was asking as to what else people had received since I'd heard word of other kinds of laptops being provided.
Ironside Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 (edited) We've had a range of devices: - Second hand Lenovo Thinkpads running ChromeOS - Second hand HP ProDesk (monitor mounted) desktops running ChromeOS - Brand new low-spec HP 250 laptops running Windows 10 via Intune We're currently attempting to prep our latest batch of HP 250 laptops that the council delivered they won't give us the device hashes of the machines to migrate them to our Intune. Ok, fine, we can get them ourselves from the laptops with a Powershell script. They've supplied us with the wrong local admin passwords, so we can't log onto them to run the script to get the hashes. They're saying those are the passwords they were provided from DfE and we need to contact them directly. I mean low-spec isn't surprising and I believe Thinkpads are typically pretty decent, but second hand sounds less than ideal. Is it better to work with than I'm expecting or is it a bad experience? Also, desktops? Seems less than ideal if the idea is to return the devices after a certain time period given the setup, the amount of associated peripherals required, etc? Also the mixture of ChromeOS and Win 10 seems potentially like a bad fit for schools specifically built around 1 OS, but then I suppose a well skilled IT team would be able to adapt. It doesn't help that the lack of clear communication between DFE and school IT team makes setting up the devices much harder than it ought to be. Edited October 28, 2020 by Ironside
mavhc Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 We've had a range of devices: - Second hand Lenovo Thinkpads running ChromeOS - Second hand HP ProDesk (monitor mounted) desktops running ChromeOS - Brand new low-spec HP 250 laptops running Windows 10 via Intune We're currently attempting to prep our latest batch of HP 250 laptops that the council delivered they won't give us the device hashes of the machines to migrate them to our Intune. Ok, fine, we can get them ourselves from the laptops with a Powershell script. They've supplied us with the wrong local admin passwords, so we can't log onto them to run the script to get the hashes. They're saying those are the passwords they were provided from DfE and we need to contact them directly. Weirdly USB boot was left enabled on the HP laptop I got sent, so easy to reset the password
CHiLL Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 Weirdly USB boot was left enabled on the HP laptop I got sent, so easy to reset the password We managed to get the correct username/password combo in the end, after a lengthy phone call with the council. Turns out the passwords were right, but they were telling us to use 'Administrator' as the login, when it should have been 'localadmin'. I didn't check USB boot, as I assumed the boot menu would have been password protected, as the BIOS was. That would have been our next step, using USB boot to reset the passwords.
Accura2k7 Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 We just got our batch of LA HP 250's... but as a Special Needs school, we need certain software installed so we wiped them and rebuilt them with our images... Got a nice Python script that generates the HP BIOS passwords nicely
DGardiner Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 That's not quite how it works. Because schools aren't closing entire year groups as much, but telling smaller groups to self-isolate. Whilst this has been the case spread around our trust if you have an internal outbreak it becomes a bit more unmanagable - Weve only got by because a sa trust we have mobilised all of our already on hand equipment between the schools. 1 Full school closure so far - but around 5 have had partial. It would have made sense for them to have blocked people from ordering more than they require at the time. We did this as we deemed it in the spirit of the programme, if everyone cast their lot their would have been people without once the stock ran out. and now weve been shafted for doing so. in one school we went from over 100 allocated to 20... whilst the wording seems to lead me to beleive their may be a bit more room to dispute requirements as you need them now its more red tape for an already slow/convoluted proccess
enjay Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 (edited) It would have made sense for them to have blocked people from ordering more than they require at the time. Also, they've suspended orders over half term. We know we will have 100+ students being educated at home next week (we closed a year group on the final day of term), but I can't claim laptops for them until Monday... Edited October 28, 2020 by enjay
mavhc Posted October 28, 2020 Posted October 28, 2020 We just got our batch of LA HP 250's... but as a Special Needs school, we need certain software installed so we wiped them and rebuilt them with our images... Got a nice Python script that generates the HP BIOS passwords nicely This one? Dogbert's Blog: BIOS Password Backdoors in Laptops
the_quick Posted November 2, 2020 Posted November 2, 2020 We have something weird happening now. 2 looked after students were gve chromebooks from LA. Both of them have LA google account created for students - on one of them we were able to add our school account for this kid (by "add person") on second one this options is locked - same authority. Those LA google accounts are mainly useless for those kids, as they don't have access to their google classrooms, emails and so on.
DGardiner Posted November 2, 2020 Posted November 2, 2020 We have something weird happening now. 2 looked after students were gve chromebooks from LA. Both of them have LA google account created for students - on one of them we were able to add our school account for this kid (by "add person") on second one this options is locked - same authority. Those LA google accounts are mainly useless for those kids, as they don't have access to their google classrooms, emails and so on. Are both chromebooks enterprise enrolled?
enjay Posted November 2, 2020 Posted November 2, 2020 According to the website, I still can't order laptops despite having over 200 students currently self-isolating. Any ideas, and any way of resolving this sooner than waiting 3 days for them to respond to my email?
ITJS2015 Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Hi Everyone I am wondering what technicians are doing in a primary school environment in regards to the Covid-19 Laptop scheme where students are being given a laptop for online learning if we go into a 2nd lockdown with schools closing. Looking at the Gov website , 4G devices are only given to secondary schools which i don't really agree with but as this scheme is introduce we are trying to safeguarding our students by putting in place a filtering system either it being an MDM or a 4G Dongle. Currently my laptops are unsecured from the scheme and the reason for it was that we could put out own software on as much as we wont. I know the secured way through the scheme would of been locked down through our council and it wouldn't work very well with out primary students. Could anyone who is working with primary schools please demonstrate what they are planning on doing with your laptops in case of a second lockdown, are parents going to have to take responsibilities for there actions on using the device appropriately ? Is there a way or providing a service where we can manage the filtering where is doesn't cost to much per year ? Is there a way of locking down workgroup users ? using local group policy ? I know there is a family app within windows 10 which we can use to manage but its assigning that particular laptop to a student if a bubble bursts. Can anyone help Thanks
LeMarchand Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Whilst my schools are in slightly rough to rough areas, we've had naff all freebies to give out. Our thinking was that we might as well leave them as is, as the learning will be over the net and they all have access to Google Docs or O365. That way any failures in the filtering aren't our fault.
PyROm Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 The problem we have is that a lot of our students don't have anything more than a mobile phone and no internet at home (other then a small amount of mobile data), so it isn't practical for them to use o365 on it.
StevieM Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Personally, I don't see why it would be the school's responsibility to provide Internet filtering - especially if the device is connected via the family's home router. We give book tokens to pupils as prizes; it's up to parents to ensure that their children don't use them to buy 'adult material'.
DGardiner Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Personally, I don't see why it would be the school's responsibility to provide Internet filtering - especially if the device is connected via the family's home router. We give book tokens to pupils as prizes; it's up to parents to ensure that their children don't use them to buy 'adult material'. If theyre using personal computers id agree. If theyre using school issued equipment and/or internet I would say you need to provide filtering.
paulkerton Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Personally, I don't see why it would be the school's responsibility to provide Internet filtering - especially if the device is connected via the family's home router. Ehhh, I sympathise with your logic process, but you'll end up getting blamed for providing them a route to bullying/grooming etc if it did happen. Better to play it safe.
localzuk Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 Personally, I don't see why it would be the school's responsibility to provide Internet filtering - especially if the device is connected via the family's home router. We give book tokens to pupils as prizes; it's up to parents to ensure that their children don't use them to buy 'adult material'. The tokens are no longer yours when you hand them over. Computers are still yours, as you retain ownership, and therefore responsibility. So, as the owner you're covered by the KCSIE statutory guidelines, and legally have to provide appropriate filtering. If the devices belong to the LEA, then the responsibility is there's instead.
LeMarchand Posted November 3, 2020 Posted November 3, 2020 The problem we have is that a lot of our students don't have anything more than a mobile phone and no internet at home (other then a small amount of mobile data), so it isn't practical for them to use o365 on it. We have the same problem, but I was specifically replying to @ITJS2015. Unfortunately we don't have the budget to provide as many laptops/internet connections as would be needed.
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