rdsc

I 2nd this - couldn't get capture to work reliably with the custom settings.ini I wanted for my deployment share, and ran out of patience trying to troubleshoot it. I run it with an absolutely minimal custom settings ini and basic bootstrap [settings] Priority=Default Properties=MyCustomProperty [Default] OSInstall=Y SkipAppsOnUpgrade=YES SkipCapture=NO SkipAdminPassword=YES SkipProductKey=YES If you want to keep installed devices during sysprep (and you're absolutely certain your devices have an identical hardware spec) - set PersistAllDevices to true in Pass 3 - amd64_Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep_6.1.7601.17514_neutral

I'd be highly sceptical of anything that originates from the Renewable Energy Foundation - they've been anti wind power from the get-go and you've got to be suspicious of an organisation campaigning against windpower that's sponsored by Calor Gas? See Will the real Renewable Energy Foundation please stand up? | Leo Hickman | Environment | guardian.co.uk Edit: Digging a bit further it appears that the Dude who wrote the REF's paper, Professor Gordon Hughes, testified at the Energy and Climate Change Committee in July 2012 as a representative of the Global Warming Policy Foundation - the one set up by Nigel Lawson. This website puts it bluntly - "The Renewable Energy Foundation is a front for biofuel and energy-intensive industries, and anti-wind campaigners"

You should be able to do this with the Deploy to VHD task sequence in MDT2012 U1 - you don't need to re-partition if all you want to do is add a native boot, see Michael Niehaus's blog post. There are other ways of doing it where you copy over an already prepped .vhd, but this isn't really recommended as .vhd isn't a compressed file format like .wim

QuietPC are Official Zalman UK resellers and they have the VE-300 so might be worth dropping them a line.

Jim - check this Google faq out - if you haven't made the calendar public - or shared with the whole domain, you need to add it via the calendars unique address. See sharing secondary calendars

Yes - you can create and share multiple calendars with other members of the domain, if you have legacy systems with Outlook though you can only sync your "main" Gapps calendar using the Calendar sync tool.

Not sure I think it's hyperbole - there aren't many Inner London secondary schools which aren't in geographical areas associated with gang activity and crime - they would have had to go out of their way to find one that isn't. London Street Gang Maps seems pretty accurate to me, certainly South and East areas that I know. Danah Boyd has a more reflective take on it - but I don't think there's much question it's commonplace, something most kids have to navigate, now. Strange times.

I haven't tried it, but the manual says dual installs should be ok. SecureClient has to be installed in every testing station, even if you already use BTL Surpass software with another awarding body. It will not interfere with any other pre-existing e-assessment solutions you use, even if you already have installed another instance of SecureClient. http://evolve-info.cityandguilds.com/documents/SecureClient_Central_Installation_Guide.pdf

If you've got MDT setup - all you need to do is go to the C:\DeploymentShare$\Boot find the LiteTouchPE_x86.iso - mount it with something like Pismo File Mount Audit Package and then copy the files to a USB stick that has been formatted correctly. My litetouch bootstick is 189MB - just depends on how many NIC and storage drivers you include

You could try Loxit - Computer Security Cases for Hardware and Data Protection. The Loxbar Open Access, Loxcase Data Protection and PC Security Clamps from Loxit. - I think they manufacture to order but they may hold stock of the basic units.

Bit of a cludge, but if you've got the right HP printers you could do this by enabling "Mopier Mode" - saw this today as I was looking for a solution to a printer that *wouldn't* print mulitple copies: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008/75120-windows-2008-print-server-issues-hp-laserjets.html Simpler explanation on Annoyances.org

I haven't had a lot of experience with iPads yet but our SMT are lusting after them so I've been checking out the management options - the iphone configuration utility is a good place to start (as mentioned above) it's pretty straight forward - the help file is here you can disable the music store, pre-populate wifi settings/active sync, restrict explicit media and in-app purchases etc pretty simply. A more full on Enterprise Deployment guide for Ios4 is here

Haven't any experience of either of these I'm afraid but just seen that MicroDirect have open box 11Z - CELERON 743 2GB 500GB for £270 inc VAT which seems like a good price.

You could look at TypingMaster Online - they've added a junior course for 8-12 year olds, but it was already pretty customisable. Works best via an ActiveX on the desktop. The Web-console allows teachers to customise their courses and track progress - student details and report data are import/export via csv. We've used it for about 5 years and it's been no trouble at all.

That's a big shame if it blocks sites like lingro: The coolest dictionary known to hombre! which is a brilliant translation/language learning tool. If you create an account you can save the words you've asked for a translation on as flash cards you can test yourself with later. You can upload static files (worksheets etc) to it as well if the resource is not on the web.

Simon - cheers, been lurking for a while and got a lot of good stuff out of the forum. I checked the measurements of the room we had trouble with and we can get the unit through an opening - Height 196.5 cm x Width 77.5 cm. The Selectasize techs can adjust the projector mount to vary this, but this was at the lower end of the adjustment, so it won't go through anything much lower than that.

Simon - no, never been convinced of the benefit of wireless Projectors, our teacher's tablets connect via Aruba 802.11n wireless AP's so I'd rather the final link was hardwired. We got the Portaboard Economy with 77" Smartboard for £3,015 ex vat. Not sure where you are, but Selectasize will drop off a demo unit for a week if you want to look at one. If they're going to be moved over solid/hard flooring make sure you get the rubber wheels - default spec are plastic wheels which are fine on carpet but no good on hard surfaces.

Selectasize.com do a mobile solution called Powerpoint Presenter which is a Sanyo XL50 Ultra short throw mounted on a height adjustable Unicol trolley with a 70" Dry Wipe board for £1995 ex vat. We've got 3 in use at the moment with smartboards mounted and teachers seem happy with them. Need to check door/lift dimensions if you want to move them between floors as they don't drop that low down.