Exams Organiser errors after every upgrade

[Gatt]

Well this is the 3rd time on the trot that this has happened.

 

The last 3 SIMS releases have caused Exams Organiser to fail with an "Automation Error"

No matter who logs on (user or admin) it appears.

 

The ONLY workaround I have is to delete the SIMS folder and re-run SIMSINST.exe which then resolves the problem

 

Until the next update and the cycle starts again..

 

Anyone else get this or is it just me - LEA support of no help btw..

[PhilNeal]

I'm told this happens if you have not got the lastest MS updates applied to the workstation. We always recommend that you take the security and bug fixes for the operating system.

 

If that isn't the case then please let me know.

[Gatt]

Thanks Phil, unfortunately thats not the issue as all updates (for Vista SP1 x86) were installed (we set WSUS to download and install all updates automatically - with each PC doing a scheduled shutdown at 8PM every night to ensure they do get installed!)

[DMcCoy]

I'm told this happens if you have not got the lastest MS updates applied to the workstation. We always recommend that you take the security and bug fixes for the operating system.

 

If that isn't the case then please let me know.

 

It's been happening for some years now, I have been unsucessful in persuading anyone at support to get it fixed. It's occured over several different machine images, all new installs and for all machines and users - thankfully not many need to use the exams module. I think it's probably something missing from the sims permissions that breaks the updates.

 

It is most certainly not a windows update issue, as machines are always fully patched and it works again after reinstalling sims.

[matt40k]

Thanks Phil, unfortunately thats not the issue as all updates (for Vista SP1 x86) were installed (we set WSUS to download and install all updates automatically - with each PC doing a scheduled shutdown at 8PM every night to ensure they do get installed!)

 

 

Have you selected the additional stuff? I know .net is optional.

 

PS: When you reinstall SIMS, do you run SIMSINST, this includes all the .net stuff too.

[PhilNeal]

Thanks for the update. Any further info would be very helpful as well as any others confirming they have the issue. It certainly doesn't happen on our test rigs or in our test schools.

[pete]

This happens here too - I've never had it upgrade cleanly for my two exams organiser users and I've also asked support about it.

 

2003 AD, with affected XP SP3 clients fully patched and appropriately dot netted pre-upgrade. It's the only module that consistently fails to upgrade cleanly, despite correct permissions (or rather, documented as per capita info) being applied.

 

If I log on as a local admin and run simsload.exe it upgrades fine, so it is a permissions problem, but as I have only two users of exams organiser I simply have a patch-night script that wipes their SIMS.net directory and reinstalls a clean version.

[Gatt]

Have you selected the additional stuff? I know .net is optional.

 

PS: When you reinstall SIMS, do you run SIMSINST, this includes all the .net stuff too.

 

 

All versions of .NET and their SP's are installed

 

Always use SIMSINST so it intalls everything..

 

Glad its not just me thats getting it though!

[steve]

We get this too.

[Sivadam]

This issue has never arisen in our establishment.

I assume that is the case in most schools else it would have been reported and solved long before now. Have you guys actually raised cases with Support?

[Steve_T]

I've seen this a few times, the only thing i can think of is the overall setup of the school or it would happen across the board? Luckly most schools only have a few Exams users.

[matt40k]

FYI - The problem is with regards to security permissions, basically if the user doesn't have permission to register the COM stuff, it'll fails "automation error". Simple fix, users need to be power users (I think).

 

Just waiting for it to be confirmed.

 

(pete you are indeed correct).

[User3204]

I have seen this "automation error" too, but I can't think what solved the issue. I have a vague feeling I got it with FMS though, not anything to do with .Net.

 

I will have a look through the errors we have logged, to see if I can find it, the previous SIMS manager used to keep every issue/solution printed in a boxfile (which is great, until you realise it's stored chronologically).

 

I do have two lists of tasks to run through, when installing .net/fms (one each), and I find that when my Techs miss things, it doesn't work, at which point I comment that that was the reason I created the install task list.

[fiza]

This has just happened to us with the June main Release. it happens every time and we have normally just re-installed SIMs on the affected machines. Would love to know what the fix is.

[Gatt]

Yep happened again with the June Release. Whilst it's a PITA - at least it's just the Exams Module which is only really used by one person!

[PhilNeal]

If you have a case number I will look into it.

[bossman]

Have had Automation error on a couple of occasions but not for exams module only Nova-T4.............Strange............Uninstall of Sims then clean re-install via SIMSINST.exe as Gatt has done. It cannot be the windows updates as all the other workstations are all fine after the Sims workstation upgrade and it has only happened on a few occasions.

[Gatt]

No case number Phil - not formally reported it (mainly because I get bounced between LA and Capita each time) and with it only affecting 1 member of staff, it's managable at present - but does get annoying around results time!

[bossman]

@Phil:

 

Why is it that the august upgrade is always so close to the exam results day, could it not be released slightly earlier so people can get over the shock and get little anomalies sorted instead of a couple of days before the exam results.

Am I right in presuming this has something to do with the exam boards and their data formats?

[scebe427]

if the user who triggers the workstation upgrade doesn't have power user rights or above (or haven’t had simsperm.bat, in the sims\setups dir, run to grant the exact rights required) then this will cause these automation errors. When you reinstall the workstation I'm guessing you're doing it as an admin, which therefore fixes the problem... until an unprivileged user runs the next upgrade... then we repeat the process

[pete]

if the user who triggers the workstation upgrade doesn't have power user rights or above (or haven’t had simsperm.bat, in the sims\setups dir, run to grant the exact rights required) then this will cause these automation errors. When you reinstall the workstation I'm guessing you're doing it as an admin, which therefore fixes the problem... until an unprivileged user runs the next upgrade... then we repeat the process

 

Except that using the default simsperm.bat doesn't fix the permissions correctly for exams organiser. Tweaking a couple of permissions regarding COM registration (as Matt pointed out above) does fix it.

[CaterinaAnna]

Happens here every time too.

 

Network manager came & fixed it for me yesterday (it was the first time I'd tried to use exams since the upgrade, so he's not a slacker). He knew what the problem was, fixed it & has assured me it won't happen in August. He didn't explain what was going on but I know he lurks here too, so it's either wait for him to pop up and say what the issue was or/and I owe one of you guys thanks by proxy ...

[PhilNeal]

Bossman yes the problem with the whole exams area is that information is released very late. DCSF define the points allocations by June. We review them and often have to go back to DCSF which often results in finements. When schools get the results there are usually qualifications that were unknown and we have to go back to DCSF for clarification. This can result in a re-release.

 

This year JCQ altered the entry formats about 2 weeks ago. That has to be put into the August release too.

[Gatt]

Phil, are there any major changes for the Augusy release or will it be purely a results update?

[PhilNeal]

There are changes to exam entry formats that JCQ issued two weeks ago. These will be in the August release. You need to be on August or later before starting your next season of entries.