ExamWritePad GPO installation

[mwild]

For those that deploy Examwritepad by GPO how do you handle permissions? Do you run a seperate GPO?

 

I have installed ExamWritePAd by GPO but non-admin users cannot run. I have checked the security settings and non-admin users do not have Read/Execute permissions so I need to set. How do others do and how do you manage this?

Edited April 18, 2024 by 6Foot2

[6Foot2]

Tagging @ass17.

[ass17]

How you apply permissions depends on your normal way or working with file permissions. For most they will use either scripting using cacls or File/folder permission in a GPO.

I would say use a GPO specific for file perms. If you have never done this before you can use this guide below

http:// https://www.lepide.com/how-to/assign-permissions-to-files-folders-through-group-policy.html/amp

 

Domain users or a specific group will only require read permission for the ExamWritePad folder and its sub folders.

[_techie_]

I would say there is something fundamentally wrong with your system if users cannot read from %PROGRAMFILES%.....

That is all that should be required. Where are you installing ExamWritePad to?

[6Foot2]

I would say there is something fundamentally wrong with your system if users cannot read from %PROGRAMFILES%.....

That is all that should be required. Where are you installing ExamWritePad to?

 

As I recall from using ExamWritePad it's "portable" in the sense that it can be installed, potentially if required, to a shared folder location where all users may run it, rather than deploying it to a client computer's hard disk. This worked well enough for me.

 

In fact, it simplified management of ExamWritePad: When the time came to update it, I simply extracted the new version to the shared folder location and I had the new version ready for all users without having to wait for SCCM (my application deployment method) to send it around the network.

[mwild]

What I thought was a permissions issue was something else. Once installed I have found that if the program is opened by the admin account it then works for the non-admin users. If it is not opened first by the admin account then the program does not open from non-admin accounts. I mis-interpreted this as a likely permissions issue.

[6Foot2]

What I thought was a permissions issue was something else. Once installed I have found that if the program is opened by the admin account it then works for the non-admin users. If it is not opened first by the admin account then the program does not open from non-admin accounts. I mis-interpreted this as a likely permissions issue.

 

So your problem is sorted now, or are you still having an issue? The way I read your reply, I can't be sure.

 

[ass17]

What I thought was a permissions issue was something else. Once installed I have found that if the program is opened by the admin account it then works for the non-admin users. If it is not opened first by the admin account then the program does not open from non-admin accounts. I mis-interpreted this as a likely permissions issue.

 

I’m not sure why you have to do this? Is this normal windows behaviour for all software?

ExamWritePad is consistently the same when it runs the first time or 100 times, this baffles me… Especially when the vast majority of schools probably didn’t have to run as admin.

[mwild]

As long as I open by admin first then problem solved. Thanks.

[mwild]

I’m not sure why you have to do this? Is this normal windows behaviour for all software?

ExamWritePad is consistently the same when it runs the first time or 100 times, this baffles me… Especially when the vast majority of schools probably didn’t have to run as admin.

 

I don't understand this either. But I have done numerous testing and this is the case. I do not have this issue on other software.

 

If I do not run as admin first what happens is I click on examwritepad and you see the windows hourglass (or spinning wheel - I cant remember which) briefly but the app never opens.

[TechMonkey]

Might be worth running Process Monitor and see what it is trying to do. This is not normal behaviour and sounds like somewhere is trying to be written to that has been locked down.

[ass17]

Might be worth running Process Monitor and see what it is trying to do. This is not normal behaviour and sounds like somewhere is trying to be written to that has been locked down.

 

I would interested to know the outcome of such, I can’t seem to replicate the run as admin scenario.

[mwild]

I would interested to know the outcome of such, I can’t seem to replicate the run as admin scenario.

I would like to get to the bottom of this as well for future reference. I will do some testing when it gets a but quieter and I have the time. I will post here any updates.

[ass17]

Im pretty sure this issue is down to the end-user trying to create the ExamWritePad folder within the ProgramData folder, which they might not have permission to do so.

 

ON newer version of EWP the installer now generates the folders within the above hidden folder, so shouldnt happen moving forward. If you want belt and braces, just make sure the following path has read/write access to all your students. C:\ProgramData\ExamWritePad\ExamWritePad\