SchoolSuite - PLEASE HELP!!!!

[80murphyjoe]

Howdy,

 

I have recently started a new job (my first in education), in a primary school as a IT Tech. The network has some software on it called schoolsuite. This is network management software which locks the desktop down, and enables me to remotely control the machines. The problem is, is that the security is far too secure (especially for a primary), as it has an inbuilt command that shuts the computer down if there is a loss of connection to the server! This is all very good, unless there is a problem with the network card!!! (5 of my machines at the moment), or the switch crashes!!!, or the laptops lose their wireless connection!!! There seems to be no way of booting into windows 'offline', as safe mode doesn't work, and it shuts down windows as soon as it gets to the logon box. Nobody at schoolsuite.co.uk will reply to my emails, and there doesn't appear to be any support threads on this site. Please Help Me!!!!!!

 

Joanne

[Kristianstill]

We use ABTUTOR, real good value, our staff rave how easy it is to use.

 

30 ay trial and then speak to Aileen! Great product.

[witch]

We use ABTUTOR, real good value, our staff rave how easy it is to use.

 

30 ay trial and then speak to Aileen! Great product.

 

Not terribly helpful - I'm sure she would like to change product but I doubt she is able to at this point!

 

Do you know what sort of support agreement you have with the company? If you are supposed to have telephone support you could flag up how that is not possible with SMT in order to get them to understand your issues

 

If it is causing so many problems, I think I would uninstall it - you can justify why (see above). You can lock the desktop down using the usual tools without needing an external program to do it?

[chrbb]

Welcome to our world!

 

Can you log on to the computers as local administrator and if so does that make any difference, is there a school suite service to stop? Have you rooted through all the cupboards for any documentation, any previous tech to contact or even contact with the company that installed the computers?

 

 

Just looked at their support section on their website, can you get into the management console and change any relevant settings?

Edited November 14, 2008 by chrbb
Looked at website

[SpuffMonkey]

Uninstall or disable it temporarily - then do some testing for a solution to switching off this "feature"...or make it happen so much that the school begs to replace it with something decent (like AB Tutor)

[80murphyjoe]

No i cant get in, because it detects a loss of network connectivity and shuts the computer down. Safe mode is disabled or has been crippled by this software. I can't find any of the documentation or contact the last tech and the website has very little in the way of support. The shutdown when no network detected setting seems to be 'tattooed' into the machine. Also, when looking closely at the remote control software, it is just appears NetSupport School renamed as 'Remote Tutor'!!!

[chrbb]

Is the management console installed on the server or can you get to it from any computer?

On a computer that doesn't loose it's network connectivity, (therefore having enough time to do anything before the dam thing shuts down,) can you search the registry and all the computer for references to schoolsuite, netsupport remote tutor etc. There may be a setting in the local registry that you could change,

 

Not had any experience of the software but just trying to think logically, and also feeling your frustration. Have you contacted your local LEA ict support department, our admin machines are covered by our LEA, but they are very helpful if I ask them a curriculum question, they also visit all schools in the area so may know of another school that uses schoolsuite in your LEA that can give you help and advice.

[witch]

Following on; if you can get to the console from any machine, can you connect it directly into your most reliable switch so as not to lose network connectivity?

The software isn't usually installed on the actual server, just pushed out to the machines - can you not get on to the server and connect remotely to uninstall - at least on some of them? Are you sure that there isn't a service associated with it running from the server?

I'm not sure I understand why you can't get into safe mode with networking - it is very rare for this to be disabled - stupid question - are you sure you are pressing the right key to get it? (all computers seem to require a different function key, as far as I can see)

Sorry, I'm not thinking you are not capable, just trying to understand!

Presumably you have tried ringing them - with no luck?

I will keep thinking.

As chrbb said: Welcome to our world!

[chrbb]

Not sure if you've seen this

 

http://www.devermarketing.co.uk/dever/download/schoolsuite_brochure.pdf

 

it's a brochure explaining what schoolsuite is and giving some case studies of schools using it, maybe you could contact one of these schools.