WJEC SecureClient software

[Mark182]

Just had this wonderful email land:

 

Dear colleague,

 

 

 

This email is regarding the WJEC SecureClient software. Please forward the email to relevant colleagues in your centre, including members of your IT support.

 

 

 

We are notifying you that the WJEC SecureClient software will be updating 9pm on 26 September to version 24.02 from version 24.01.068.064 (released on 25/06/2024).

 

 

 

If you haven't updated since 25 June then please relaunch the WJEC SecureClient now to auto-update to 24.01.068.064 and then re-launch again after 9pm on 26 September to auto-update to the newer version. If you miss the interim update you'll need to uninstall and reinstall.

 

 

If you're already on 24.01.068.064 you just need to re-launch the WJEC SecureClient after 9pm on 26 September to auto-update to the newer version.

 

 

You can check your version number of the WJEC SecureClient software by launching it and clicking on 'Surpass- Powering Assessment'.

 

 

Additionally, following the release of version 24.01.068.064 windows text suggestions will need to be disabled before launching the WJEC SecureClient software.

 

 

 

Please see below for instructions on how to do this:

 

In Windows 10:

 

• Navigate to Settings > Devices > Typing.

 

• Ensure that every setting under the following categories are turned off:

 

Spelling

Typing

Hardware Keyboard

Multilingual Text Suggestions

 

 

If using Group Policies, centres need to ensure the Group Policies in place are setting the below registry keys to ‘0’.

 

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableAutocorrection

 

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableSpellchecking

 

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\Settings\EnableHwkbTextPrediction

 

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\Settings\EnableHwkbAutocorrection2

 

• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\Settings\MultilingualEnabled

 

In Windows 11:

 

• Navigate to Settings > Time & language > Typing

 

• Ensure that the following are disabled:

 

Show text suggestions when typing on the physical keyboard

Multilingual text suggestions

Autocorrect misspelt words

Highlight misspelt words

 

 

If using Group Policies, centres need to ensure the Group Policies in place are setting the below registry keys to ‘0’.

 

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\input\Settings\EnableHwkbTextPrediction

 

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\input\Settings\MultilingualEnabled

 

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableAutocorrection

 

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\TabletTip\1.7\EnableSpellchecking

 

 

 

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

WJEC E-Assessment Team

 

 

 

029 2026 5328

[email protected]

[3s-gtech]

Yes, I saw that too. Not to worry - updating the software is as straightforward as explaining quantum string theory to a toddler. While on fire.

[jthompson]

The version numbers for this software shown by wmic or appwiz.cpl are different from those shown within the software and described in their advisory. This makes for a lot of tedious work when needing to check what version is deployed across our rooms.

[3s-gtech]

I tend to do a ‘install on one, copy the folder, deploy that folder’ approach. It’s a bit crap, but then so is the software.

[mikes]

The version numbers for this software shown by wmic or appwiz.cpl are different from those shown within the software and described in their advisory. This makes for a lot of tedious work when needing to check what version is deployed across our rooms.

 

yeah I noticed this too. I ended up guessing based on modified date. Poo poo software and still no Chromebook client. I'll download it once then robocopy it over more than likely

[jthompson]

I stand somewhat corrected: the version numbers from wmic do match up after a fresh deployment of the latest MSI. Our most recently deployed MSI was for version 12.something, and that never moved forward despite the app performing its own updates during launch. After deploying the latest MSI (v24.1) over the old one, our inventory stuff is reporting that version number.

[Areku]

anyone been able to get these reg keys to work? I've added them but every time the client fires up it says they are not present..

[jthompson]

anyone been able to get these reg keys to work? I've added them but every time the client fires up it says they are not present..

 

Yes. Group policy user config applied to the user account that we run the software under.

[jthompson]

I've just downloaded the MSI installer from https://wjec.surpass.com/LaunchTest/SecureDelivery, hoping that it would be v24.02 and that I could deploy that out ahead of tests and use my inventory to monitor progress, but it's still the earlier v24.01. They were very specific about the timing of the release of their update, so I'm annoyed that they've not provided an up to date MSI. Leg work for me today, then

 

EDIT:

They've confirmed that there's been a delay to the release of the new version and that once it's out, the MSI link will be updated too. The WJEC Surpass home page does state what the current version is, so watch that.

Edited September 27, 2024 by jthompson

[3s-gtech]

Ah, good to see consistency in the quality of provision.

[mullet_man]

We are running a WJEC test later this week and I just happened to take a look as I'd not been sent any information about all these registry keys that need changing.

 

Will these affect the computer in day to day use? Turn off autocorrect for Office etc?

[jthompson]

We are running a WJEC test later this week and I just happened to take a look as I'd not been sent any information about all these registry keys that need changing.

 

Will these affect the computer in day to day use? Turn off autocorrect for Office etc?

 

IIRC they're user-specific, so if you're using a dedicated user account for running the software, then no.

If your candidates are running the software under their regular user accounts, then you may need to consider reverting things afterwards.

[mullet_man]

We used dedicated accounts but locked down so wouldn't be able to access settings.

 

I'll have a look tomorrow, am thinking we just use the web browser version in the future. The software always has issues.

[karmicsynergy]

we getting the below after using GPO to push out the regkeys, i can see the regkeys on the device, if we run WJEC SecureClient as admin it works but as a standard user the below

 

 

we do lock down these settings from the student accounts but there all turned off, anyone got any ideas

[Ironside]

Hello all.Just a word of advice for anyone doing the Group Policy method who is inexperienced (read - me) - the reg keys are not intuitive in the original email.

 

Here's what you need to do:

Make a group policy

 

In Group Policy Management Editor go to User Config, Preferences, Windows Settings, Registry.

 

1. Right click > New > Registry Item.
   
2. Leave action as Updat
   
3. Using HKCU\Software\Microsoft\input\Settings\EnableHwkbTextPrediction
   
4. For Hive, select HKEY_CURRENT_USER. This is what the email means by HKCU.
   
5. Put in the Key Path as the provide reg key, minus the last section
   
6. The Value name is the last bit, so EnableHwkbTextPrediction
   
7. Set value type to REG_DWORD and Value Data to 0 (if set to hexadecimal you can either do 00000000 or swap the base to Decimal and put in 0)
   

I fought with this little thing for a while before realising my mistake in including HKCU and \EnableHwkbTextPrediction in the keypath!

[mikes]

yeah I noticed that too - sloppy as it looks like a path with a default value left in.

I deployed ours via group policy preferences to our dedicated exams user and the client does load. Haven't done any exams with it yet though. We are doing it on paper where-ever possible despite the protestations of the teachers who want them to do it on computer.

"They are more comfortable on computer" the teachers say. Problem is in a computer room they will rush through the exam, press submit, then sit there bored for 40 minutes - they can't leave the room and they can possibly distract others. At least on paper they might look back through the paper when waiting and might see some answer they missed earlier which they can't do on PC client as once submitted it's submitted.

[Ironside]

Just want to say to anyone making last minute panicked setups for mock exams - WJEC Secure Client is NOT updating to 25.01, they canceled that and the current latest version is still 24.03.090.033.