Exam Marker 2

[gumbygaz]

Morning,

 

We've got about a dozen teachers asking for us to install e-marker2 (the AQA Exam Marker Software). It's a little web app program which after a bit of fun we've installed it and it runs. However, as soon as they click onto the password field it comes up with a network error. This does this even on a machine which I've added as an exception in Smoothwall so it should be totally unfiltered.

I can't find any documentation regarding firewall rules etc, We've tried it on a non-domain joined laptop at home and it worked..... We were under the impression (and they've been told by AQA) that it shouldn't be run on a School devices. However, we're under a bit of pressure from SLT to get this to work because it's good CPD for the teaching staff..

 

I've had one of the teachers call the support line (we don't have access to this) and she was told it's because it's a school device on a school network. So she's asked what we need to do to allow it, and awaiting 3rd line tech support to call her back.

 

Are we missing something obvious, has anybody else get it to work?? Is there something programmed in the software that's stopping it, like detecting if domain joined?

 

Thanks in advance!

[simpsonj]

Same issue here...

[gumbygaz]

At least it's not just me then! I'll let you know if we here anything

[paulkerton]

Generally we point out that exam marking is not a school duty and its a job they're taking on the side, so it shouldn't be done on a school device, and I'd definitely push back on SLT too.

 

Ultimately, learning to upload and organise their holiday photos is also good CPD, but we don't let them do that either

[Ghosty2]

ive managed to get it to work as a systems user however i think group policy is blocking it for the staff. Just wanted to know what rule did anyone set on GP? was this done in app locker?

The application just bombs out on installation on staff members devices even if its Admin elevated.

[clareq]

With the caveat that it shouldn't be installed on school devices, would creating a locked down local user for the teacher work?

[Ghosty2]

i would have to trail that. however staff would not like that i already know they will be up in arms

[kevin_lane]

same issue here I ended up making local login and sent her on her way with the software installed

[clareq]

i would have to trail that. however staff would not like that i already know they will be up in arms

 

Make it clear they are not supposed to install it on school devices (it would be nice to see their contract with the Exam Board, to see if it says this), that you are going out of your way to help, and this is the work around that can make what they want happen.

[gumbygaz]

Cheers all.

 

We've got about 15 staff asking for it :/ - The head has just informed us that the school laptops are for teaching & learning and since AQA don't support school devices it's unfortunate they can't use them for the marking and basically told them to use home devices. I think they may have e-mailed him all a bit too much about it! So looks like we're back to what we were trying to say at the beginning, good few hours wasted trying to sort it. I do wish I knew what was blocking it, suspect it's the redirected profiles breaking it....

[synaesthesia]

The exam boards now only recommend it's not used on work devices, and no longer actively disallows it. It seems to be OK for us installed normally but not on the school's internet connection, which they're more than happy with for working from home.

[simpsonj]

With the caveat that it shouldn't be installed on school devices, would creating a locked down local user for the teacher work?

 

Just tried this, didn't work here

[clareq]

I wonder if it's your web filtering then? If I need to test whether something will work at home I tether it to my phone for a few minutes. Surely they are marking at home, on their personal internet, not at school.

[jthompson]

If this is the same package that cropped up with a couple of staff here, the following AppLocker rules will suffice.

 

Two EXE publisher rules are needed, to allow your users to install and then run the software.

 

Name: E-Marker setup.exe publisher rule
Action: Allow

Publisher: O=DRS DATA SERVICES LIMITED, L=MILTON KEYNES, C=GB
Product name: 
File name: SETUP.EXE
File version: 16.0.30530.185 and above

 

Name: E-Marker application publisher rule
Action: Allow

Publisher: O=DRS DATA SERVICES LIMITED, L=MILTON KEYNES, C=GB
Product name: E-ASSESSMENT™
File name: DRS.PLATFORM.UI.FRAMEWORK.HOST.EXE
File version: 22.6.0.0 and above

 

The first one is obviously to allow the downloaded setup file to be run. That then downloads and installs the application to the user's own profile. The second rule allows that installed application to be run.

 

Not aware of any issues with it once running, but that may yet come to light, I suppose.

Edited May 26, 2022 by jthompson

[jthompson]

I wonder if the recommendation to not use the software on school-managed devices is a combination of: not wanting to field support calls about installations being restricted; exposure of sensitive exam board data to school IT teams (i.e. no longer purely under control of the examiner).

[simpsonj]

I wonder if it's your web filtering then? If I need to test whether something will work at home I tether it to my phone for a few minutes. Surely they are marking at home, on their personal internet, not at school.

 

It could be the school firewall,their support gave a URL to whitelist, which I've put in place, but the Firewall requires a list of IP addresses, which they didn't supply. I should have tethered to my phone, but they'll give it a go from home to see if that works.

[gumbygaz]

The teachers told us that it didn't work them at home either - unless they've changed something the last couple days. I'll have another look.

[CHiLL]

If this is the same e-marker software that WJEC uses (by DRS or something like that)...then giving the folder in Program Files (x86) full permissions for the user that will be using it worked for me.

 

The software doesn't work when in school or via the VPN, though that's because our filtering blocks it. I'm not bothering fixing it, because IIRC, staff aren't allowed to use the software on the school's network (think I got that from a previous teacher who was doing it). I created a local user on the staff laptop for them to log into at home, instead of using the AOVPN and gave that account full permissions on the folder in Program Files (x86). I've had confirmation from the member of staff that it works for them at home, using the local account on the laptop.

Edited May 26, 2022 by CHiLL

[Ghosty2]

Thanks jthompson, i will give that a try and see what that does

[simpsonj]

Worked for me when I tethered another teacher's laptop to my phone, so I'm presuming it could be a Firewall issue as well. If anyone happens to know the IP address ranges e-marker use, that would be very helpful! That said, likelihood is that they'll do the work from home anyhow.

[simpsonj]

Worked for me when I tethered another teacher's laptop to my phone, so I'm presuming it could be a Firewall issue as well. If anyone happens to know the IP address ranges e-marker use, that would be very helpful! That said, likelihood is that they'll do the work from home anyhow.

 

But apparently not for the other teacher when tried at home...

[noelmm]

I've tried this several time over the last few years on domain joined devices, only ever got it working on 1 and couldn't replicate it. My official guidance now to all staff with this request is they need to provide their own laptop and we do not support the software.

[simpsonj]

But apparently not for the other teacher when tried at home...

 

*sigh* The email sent to us from their technical support said to whitelist *.e-marker.co.uk having checked the Smoothwall logs, this is incorrect, instead whitelist *emarker.co.uk instead. You may also want to whitelist ste2pco005.blob.core.windows.net/clickonce/e2-p-005/e-marker2.application as that is where the application downloads from. Having done the above, the software now works on a teacher account absolutely fine. I'll double check with another teacher account after school.

[Max_Power]

We've had the exact same issue. Runs, try to login and greeted with a red error box saying the requested connection is unavailable and the system will now shutdown (or words to that effect).

[Ghosty2]

did anyone get this this to work in the end?