Tricky_Dicky

Hi, Within Active Directory I have several Organizational units each with their own GPOs. Basically if the top level has a policy set(e.g. security) should that be then inherited to all child objects unless it is over ridden. So as long as I don't configure it differently it will use it. Also, is there anyway to check how big the GPO is? I don't know if that's a stupid question, but our laptops seem to take ages to log on and I'm trying to figure out why. Regards Richard

Hi, I'm running a simple Windows 2003 AD domain and one of our teachers has bought 7 macbooks. I've got them to bind to the directory no problem and the home drive appears to be mapping fine but I can't get it to do the following: 1)Set up the proxy server on logon, I need Safari to set it to eduproxy.bgfl.org on port 80. I set it up originally but it doesn't remember it for each user logon. 2)He uses a program called Comic Life which is licensed for each machine but when a new class logs on it asks for the licence key again. Any ideas? Rich

Looks like a good machine. I'm in a 3 form entry primary as well and they are eating up hard drive space at the moment so get as much as you can. One of the Assistant heads has just discovered the delights of filming the assembleys.... Rich

"Only newer models of controller will allow you on the fly array expansion....most require you backup the data, destroy the original array and recreate it to incluse the new drive" How hard is it to do that if I get some new drives? I asked the original vendor for a price and it came in at £300 per drive and then 3 days labour at £300 a day which I thought was crazy, hence I didn't get it done. Rich

richard_s, I can't see any software that is already installed and there is now decent information on the sales order. Only that it is Intel, so I'm a bit wary of just installing one. It might be just faster to reboot it at lunch and look then. Rich

It's showing C: 24.4GB and D: 111 so a total of 135.4 which I'm hoping is RAID 5. Is it possible to just put another drive in? Rich

Hi, Is there anyway of telling how the RAID is configured on a server without taking the server down? I have found the original order form for the server which states it has 3 Fujitsu 72Gb Hard Drives and an Intel RAID controller but it doesn't say how it's configured. If it is(and I'm hoping it is) configured in RAID 5 can I just add another disc of the same size in and should the computer pick it up and format it to part of the Array or will I have to rebuild the entire array thus loosing data? Any help is much appreciated as I'm down to 3Gb and closing .... Rich

Cheers guys, but I think I've found it myself. In GPO: User Configuration -> Admin Templates -> System -> User Profiles: Connect Home directories to root of share- Set it to disable or don't configure Seems to have done the trick, don't remember changing it in the first place though which is worrying. I'm blaming Friday afternoon Rich

Help, I set the homedir via Active Directory to \\server-name\Data\Home\Student\%username% and for some strange reason it has stopped mapping it. Now it only maps it to \\server-name\Data. It still applies the permissions correctly so they can only see there folder but it isn't mapped correctly. Have I done something stupid or am I missing something obvious? Rich

I've just had a quote in for Exchange prices are: Server 2008 £89.69 Exchange 2007 £133.04 CALS:£1.27 each This is purely what I have been sent from a supplier so you might fair better/worse and it did come with hardware so a discount might have been built in some how. Rich

We already use the BGFL service. Would it be possible that there are different levels of service available do you think instead of just basic POP?

Have you used Exchange before? The main reason for going for it is the use of shared calenders and resources. It also allows excellent mailing lists and controls. There are loads more reasons, but I'm just not that happy with the current POP email setup, it doesn't provide any functionality. I'll have a look at the Raptors, would you recommend anywhere in particular for them? Rich

If it is a commerical DVD that you have bought from a shop, then it is illegal. However, if it is a specific educational film then read the copyright on each disc. We have some of the "Real-Shorts" range which state that you can copy them for educational purposes. To rip a DVD to the harddrive I use DVD shrink to get it from the disc on to the computer and then Handbrake to convert it to what ever size/format I want. If you have a mac, then Handbrake will do the lot.

Having spent the last week looking long and hard at just what we have and what we need I'm getting more inclined to follow your advice David. The quote for the SAN came in and I'm sure if you fully utilize the speed and capabilities then it's an amazing piece of kit but after spending some time with the teachers and kids and seeing what is actually used I just don't think it is necessary. I think spending a few pounds on a decent large simple file storage server, a new AD and then Exchange is going to be the way to go. Quick one on hard drives: Everyone seems to go for crazy fast and relatively small SAS drives now, for what I need should I just buy normal large SATA drives on a RAID6 configuration? Cheers for all your input guys, nice to know there is support before I start crying. Rich

apoth0r, You have raised some excellent and very valid points. It wasn't a SAN in particular I was looking for, it was just one of the options I came across. The main things are large volume storage as more and more of our children are creating photos, videos and music. I have a teacher who is very keen on setting up podcasting and the school as a whole is being led by a head teacher who is very forward looking. The last thing I want to do is spend X amount now and find out in 12 months time that I've got to spend X again. I would rather spend X+X.5 now and have the system to support the school for the next 3 years. Please keep the ideas coming, especially personnel examples as they are really helping. Rich

I'm in Alum rock, that would be awesome if I could. Where are you? I've been speaking to Sun over the last few days about their 7000 series in regards to virtualisation and it looks pretty good, however I'm very keen to actually go and have a look at some in a working environment to see if it is suitable. Current load is: 1 IT suite of 30, 3 trolleys of 30 laptops(don't work,but that's another thread), about 30 classroom machines, 50 ish staff laptops and 7 shiny new mac books. We have about 700 children as it's a 3 form entry. How does that compare to other people? I didn't buy the Cisco switches so can't comment on that, they were in already and I think they will be fine once they are configured properly.

Could do, but is that not a bit risky running everything on one physical machine?

Hi all, I've only just started as ICT Technician in a large primary and I'm trying to figure out the best way of improving the system. So basically I'm asking for any opinions in regards to what hardware/software you use and how to set it up all(in a broad overview kind of way) Currently have: 1*Curriculum server - running server 2003, AD, file/print the lot basically. 3 years old and has no space left All of the switches are Cisco installed by Link2ICT(or at least through them), not happy with the config as it won't let me Ghost anything without grinding to a halt. Emails are pop3 hosted by Link2ICT I think the following would be best: New AD server File/Print server Exchange server Possibly virtual desktops What do you think? Would you do the same/different? Regards to budget, I don't really know what I have available. Hardly anything has been spent in several years and so if I go forward with it chances are I'll get it within reason. Rich

Is there anything in particular you did to set up the console? I've tried following the tutorials but it seems to miss large chunks of problems. :S Rich

Hi Little-Miss, We have them in all of our classrooms and the teachers would actually die without them. Not only do they have an excellent range of software already built in but lots more is made available online all the time. Note on installation:- They normally come with a USB connection which is fine if the host computer is within 5 meters of the board, if it's going to be more than that then it's probably best to use a serial connection. Rich

Thanks all for your help on this matter, I've now got Ghost Cast working after giving up on the Console part of things. Will see how I get on reimaging the 60 laptops now Rich

Sorry for not replying earlier but internet access was down(through BGFL, is that a common occurrence?) Michael, what do you mean "fine in principal"? Am I missing something obvious? I'll do a search round now for some never network drivers and see if that helps. We also have just had 31 new NEC machines through Tempus and one was causing a slight problem so I'm sending it the image that was created when they were originally done and will see what happens, but at the moment it seems to be working. Also, is anyone having trouble with their volume licence key not working using SP3? Cheers Rich

Hi, I'm the new(and only) ICT Technician at a large primary school. Among a whole load of problems one of the more pressing ones is the 3 laptop trolleys that don't work properly and so I've set up one laptop with all the correct software and info with the idea of creating an image and sending it out to the others to make deployment faster, however it won't Ghost! They are Toshiba Satellite Pro A120 Laptops and I'm using the Symantec Ghost Console to try and create the image. The server can find the laptop I am trying to image, shuts down and appears to go through the motions of setting creating the image but it doesn't boot in to Ghost Console. In the logs I am getting the message "To Virtual Partition" and that's when it's failing. Any ideas or help would be great, I've got a massive amount of work on here as nothing appears to have been updated in years and this is a real headache. Cheers in advance Rich