PrimaryTech

Hi all. Our 2003 DC threw a wobbler after a restart and basically the C: became corrupt ( chkdsk fail loop followed by registry errors) I couldn't even get it to boot into Directory Services Repair mode So far Ive pulled all the data off the other drives (hallelujah Linux live CDs) and reinstalled Server 2003 afresh on the C: partition. I've got a set of tape backups made with ntbackup but didn't create the ASR disk (lesson learnt). Can I restore the C: and system state from the tape to a USB drive and then reboot into directory services repair mode and run a backup restore to get back the system state and C: drive? Any help gratefully received!

Do plenty of research before spending the cash. Ive spent nearly 3 months looking at wireless solutions and have just bought Ruckus kit. Wireless really is 'you get what you pay for', we had Netgear WG102s and they were OK for 10 laptops but for managed stuff Meraki, Aerohive and Ruckus all produce decent kit.

Hi all. Just installed 12x 7372's connected to a zd1112 and they will be used by some b/g/n netbooks and a class set of iPads. My intention was to either: A: set 6 up using only the 5GHz radio with an SSID for the iPads then 6 using only 2.4GHz with a separate SSID for the netbooks, or B: Set all 12 up with a 5GHz iPad SSID and a separate 2.4GHz SSID for the netbooks. Range isn't an issue and theoretically B should be the best (Why buy dual band if you only use 1, as in A?) But Im worried the netbooks would somehow cripple the access point in scenario B? Any advice gratefully received

Thanks for the replies, I had not thought of the regulation side of things. Your lapsafe trolley sounds identical to ours round2it, and I'm doing just as Plexer says, using those for IEC sockets for manufactured PDU's, the bespoke psus for the laptops will be removed. I will check with our insurance company as to changing use, I know it will be safe as the iPads are pulling much less power but I'm also aware that the trolley is 5 years old.

Hi all, We're currently retiring a set of 15 laptops and replacing them with 32 iPad mini's. The laptops are house in a lapsafe trolley and I'm looking at adapting it for the iPads. Currently the back of the trolley is as in the 3 pictures: What I'm intending to do is remove the PSU's from the back of the trolley and use the 4 IEC sockets with 4 of these 8 Way socket to give me 32 sockets for the iPads. The ratings of the laptop brick PSU's are 19v and 4.22A x 15 laptops. The ratings of the iPad chargers are 5V 1A x 32 iPads. Am I right in assuming that the trolley will be able to handle the iPads as their current draw is less than that of the laptops?

Hi all, Our school is looking for a new wireless system and we've decided on Ruckus as we need to support iPads and these seem to be the best for that. currently I've got the choice of 7363's or 7372's and I was wondering which is the better one to go for? I tried to compare them using Ruckus' website but wireless networking is note my forte and some of the terminology they use is a little confusing. Budget isn't a consideration, I'm just looking for the best AP out of the 2. Thanks in advance, Primarytech.

Hi All, I'm looking for recommendations of any companies in Cornwall that provide wired and wireless installations. Our network infrastructure is due an overhaul to support iPads and I'm currently looking for companies to quote. Any recommendations would be gratefully received, especially if they've done work for one of your schools. Thanks in advance!

Hi there, I'm looking at upgrading our school's wireless infrastructure and I'm torn between Ruckus and Ubiquiti Unifi Pro's for our install. I'm wondering if there are any schools in Cornwall using Ubiquiti's Unifi products that I could come and see. I've seen loads of demo's of Ruckus kit but as yet haven't found a Ubiquiti install:( Any offers gratefully received

Hi there, One of my schools is due a new photocopier and I was wondering whether people went straight to the manufacturer or used a 3rd party for leasing / support? We currently use Ricoh direct but if anyone has some recommendations for companies they use that would be great (We're slightly crippled by needing an AirPrint MFC though )

Thanks for the responses, have added in some budget for some Gig managed switches. I'm planning on VLAN-ing the AP's, putting the iPads on the 5GHz channel and the other wireless clients on the 2.4GHz channel. Those Ubiquiti Unifi pro's seem almost to good to be true, anyone using them that could advise how many clients they would (adequately) support?

How do I find out what type of fibre I have?

Hi all, We're in the process of updating our wired network to help support lots of mobile devices and I've come across an issue with a fibre connection between two switches: Currently they are connected by an ST terminated fibre patch that is then connected to a media converter that is then connected to the switch (100M/bit connection). We're going down the route of Gig switches so the fibre needs to either be converted to a suitable connection to a switch (SFP, Gbic) or failing that a new media converter with an ST - SC patch. I'd really like to avoid the use of a media converter but fibre connections baffle me so any help on a possible solution would be greatfully received.

I had a go at doing it 'properly' and so far it's been OK. Fresh install of Win7 then into Audit mode, sling on all the software, create the Unattend.xml, sysprep shutdown then boot to PE and image to USB HDD using ImageX. Just waiting until end-of-play today to try and use the Image on another machine...

Hi all, We're looking to upgrade our wireless network (and possibly our wired) to support batches of iPads, initially 30 but with the potential to scale to around 200. Currently we have a Netgear WG102 AP in each of our 8 classrooms that just about support either 15 laptops or notebooks. I've been looking at Ruckas and Meraki products (Specifically the Meraki MR16) and I'd like to know how many clients one of their managed AP could comfortably manage? Our classes back on to each other so I'm wondering if 1 AP between 2 classes would suffice? Also, our wired network is 100M/bit, would I need to upgrade our switches to 1Gb, and would these need to be 'managed' as well? Sorry there's 3 questions in one post but I'm assuming there are others that have had to go through this process

@LeMarchand I was reading that first link this morning and I've managed to set up an answer file from that, really useful. Now I'm at the stage when I've got a machine in audit mode so I'm now chucking all the curriculum software at it ready to have a go at sysprep'ing and imaging...

That's it, there's sooooo much reading to do if you go through the MS way of doing it. I've found a couple of decent walkthroughs and I've got some time this morning so I'm going to give the 'official' way a go. I suppose in the long run I may need to do this for 000's of PC's one day so I might as well do it right

Hi there. One of the schools I'm supporting is ready to go down the Windows 7 path (After waiting for 8 to come out, then realising it was awful) and have a suite full of PC's of identical spec. Can I use Windows Complete PC Backup to capture an image and restore it to the other PC's. I did this for Vista in another suite with 10 PC's and it worked fine but I wondered if there were any issues with doing it for Windows 7. PS: I'm aware of the 'proper' way of doing this WIAK, WSIM, ImageX, DISM, WinPE USMT etc but I'm only imaging 12 PC's. Any tips or advice gratefully received.

I totally agree, Education and Business must be 2 of Microsoft's biggest clients and they irriversibally change the start menu to try and break into the already-saturated phone tablet market! - - - Updated - - - I totally agree, Education and Business must be 2 of Microsoft's biggest clients and they irriversibally change the start menu to try and break into the already-saturated phone tablet market!

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone is actually deploying or thinking about deploying Windows 8 to clients? I'm in the process of setting up one of our suite machines with W8 and Office 2013 to test functionality / compatability with existing apps but in previous roll-outs I've waited until SP1 before deployment. My reasoning is that we're a mixed XP/Vista setup and instead of rolling out 7 and then rolling 8 in a year or 18 months time maybe I could roll-out 8 now. I'm aware that I'll need at least 1 machine on W8 to administer GPO's and that AFAIK there's no easy way to manipulate the start screen but I was wondering if anyone else is planning to deploy now?

I'm having an odd issue using iOS and Outlook. I can send emails from my iPad and they appear fine in Outlook, however, when replying to an email that was originally sent in Outlook 2010 my text appear an unreadable yellow when recieved by Outlook. I've had a look at this thread on the Apple forums https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3921223?start=0&tstart=0 but I'm looking for a solution as opposed to a work-around. Anyone else had this issue?

Thank you to mwnci for showing me around one of his schools, I still would like to look at another school so any Cornish schools using tablets who wouldn't mind having a chat about impact on curriculum and implementation drop me a PM.

Would some thing like Meraki work for you? Meraki Systems Manager I was demo'd it by an IT tech for use on iPads but it may work for iPods too.

Hi all, I'm looking to produce a case study for the governors into the use of tablets in school and was wondering if there are any primary schools in Cornwall using either iPads or tablets that I could contact? Ideally I'm looking for schools that are using them throughout the school and my main focus is on pupil use. Our head is quite keen on iPads but I'd like to look at alternatives as well. Thanks in advance!

Hi all, Our school currently has 2 Smartboards that were given to us but we've never used. 1 is a Smartboard SB580, the other is a Smartboard SB660. Both come with pens / USB cable / mounting batons. Free to any school that can make use of them and can pick up from mid - Cornwall. PM me for more details.

If you haven't already got it have a look at AndSMB, it's an app for browsing Windows shares on your network.