SecureClient (Surpass) Update loop

[stumot]

Morning All

 

Unfortunately WJEC still insist on delivering exams through their naff software, and as usual its stuck in an update loop, has anyone ever found a definitive fix for this?

 

I have tried so far - putting proxy settings into the "configfiles" folder, changing the shortcut, changing the install location and checking permissions, this has helped on some machines but I haven't got a "fix all" solution.

 

Any help would be much appreciated

[stumot]

UPDATE:

 

I have now managed to fix this by using a power shell script to copy the files from c:\users\public\surpass to program files instead, it must have been conflicting with our software restrictions, if anyone else has this issue and wants to try this solution please let me know and I can post a copy of the PS script used for this (even if its not recommended by WJEC)

[jthompson]

IIRC the software needs to be run from a location that the user is able to write to, specifically to facilitate updates. I think that's why it installs to C:\Users\Public by default, to allow the user to modify the program's files as and when needed.

The location you install it to would also need to dovetail with whatever AppLocker rules you might have to allow said user to run the software as well.

 

For our setup, I created an MST transform file to use with the deployed MSI. The transform file specifies a custom install dir (e.g. C:\surpass_WJEC). This works well for us, as we recently had to deploy a separate instance of SecureClient for Cambridge admissions tests, so we just created another transform to use to install it to a different location again, allowing for the two separate instances to co-exist.

 

To make the tansform file I used orca, loaded up the MSI and created a new transform. In the Property table, for the property CMDLINE specify your desired install dir. note that there is a leading space before that first /.

 /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Surpass"

 

That's a command line parameter that's supported by the SecureClient devs.

Edited March 17, 2022 by jthompson

[stumot]

Nice work, I was thinking of putting the folder in c:\ but my colleague advised to keep it simple and put it in program files instead, as long as the account has write permissions to all folders and subfolders for the surpass install instance I dont think it should matter whereabouts it lives just so long as it can write, thanks for sharing, I tried with Orca myself but had trouble getting it to accept a new install directory, glad to see yours has worked properly for you

[PotNoodleTech]

IIRC the software needs to be run from a location that the user is able to write to, specifically to facilitate updates. I think that's why it installs to C:\Users\Public by default, to allow the user to modify the program's files as and when needed.

The location you install it to would also need to dovetail with whatever AppLocker rules you might have to allow said user to run the software as well.

 

For our setup, I created an MST transform file to use with the deployed MSI. The transform file specifies a custom install dir (e.g. C:\surpass_WJEC). This works well for us, as we recently had to deploy a separate instance of SecureClient for Cambridge admissions tests, so we just created another transform to use to install it to a different location again, allowing for the two separate instances to co-exist.

 

To make the tansform file I used orca, loaded up the MSI and created a new transform. In the Property table, for the property CMDLINE specify your desired install dir. note that there is a leading space before that first /.

 /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Surpass"

 

That's a command line parameter that's supported by the SecureClient devs.

 

Hey I am following the secure client destructions and the command line they say in the help files ends up being for me:

 

 

msiexec /i "P:\PACKAGES\WJEC Secure Client\SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE=/DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Program Files\Surpass\SecureClient" /qn

 

But the "Default install dir" bit isnt working. I see you had to make a transform for it but it doesnt say anything about doing that in the help files?

 

Any ideas, is my commandline wrong or do I need to do the orca transform thing too?

 

Cheers

[jthompson]

Creating a transform file isn't in the official documentation, it's mereley leveraging an option that they do support (i.e. the CMDLINE parameter).

 

Just at a quick glance, check whether you need a space between CMDLINE= and /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR.

 

So it might be that you actually need:

 

msiexec /i "P:\PACKAGES\WJEC Secure Client\SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE= /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Program Files\Surpass\SecureClient" /qn

[PotNoodleTech]

Creating a transform file isn't in the official documentation, it's mereley leveraging an option that they do support (i.e. the CMDLINE parameter).

 

Just at a quick glance, check whether you need a space between CMDLINE= and /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR.

 

So it might be that you actually need:

 

msiexec /i "P:\PACKAGES\WJEC Secure Client\SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE= /DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR="C:\Program Files\Surpass\SecureClient" /qn

 

Hi thanks for getting back! I did some googling and found a guy who was struggling using CMDLINE= on other software. Ended up using his mods which included some extra "" thrown in for good measure and it worked! Just installed it on 31 pcs.

 

Used:

msiexec /i "SecureClientInstaller.msi" CMDLINE="DEFAULT_INSTALL_DIR=""C:\Program Files\Surpass\SecureClient""" /qn

 

No idea how or why but ... yes!

 

Cheers

[mullet_man]

We are about to use the WJEC client soon and I deployed the MSI thinking it would be a normal piece of software and install to Program Files but no found the issue of it going to Public folder and therefore being blocked by our Applocker polices.

 

If I edit the install and install to Program Files how do people get around it wanted to do an update on first run if it's opened by a non admin account?

 

Is it a case of getting the latest MSI before the test and deploying that out so no updates are needed?

[jthompson]

We have a dedicated user account for running the software, which has sufficient privileges on the install directory to allow it to apply automatic updates.

 

If we're conducting an exam that uses the software, the machines would all be signed in in advance of the exam, with the Surpass software already launched when candidates enter the room.

[mullet_man]

We have a dedicated user account for running the software, which has sufficient privileges on the install directory to allow it to apply automatic updates.

 

If we're conducting an exam that uses the software, the machines would all be signed in in advance of the exam, with the Surpass software already launched when candidates enter the room.

 

That might be an option, I've not used a client app for any sort of exam for years now they've all been online so never needed a dedicated account.

 

Thanks.

 

Cheers.

[jthompson]

We also apply a GPO just to that account that sets a URL allowlist for the web browsers, so that candidates can't make use of the requisite Internet access to browse after finishing early.