TheScarfedOne

Hmmm... I'm sure I've seen these cheaper somewhere else recently . Will do a trawl, and might get some more - they do rather nicely for a suite.

To do this - you would need something like SMS, now called SCCM. This allows for scheduled rebuilds or targetted rebuilds of machines even if they are still alive. These are Microsoft options... obviously there are other corporate solutions too.

Similar experience here - was only able to get original HP branded ones to work. Netgear and others which we tried were all not recognised.

Firstly, thanks to all the people who have contacted me after my last posts on Sharepoint. I was expecting "some" interest - but have had a bit more than I bargained for!! Anyway - as there is such a desire for more info on it, and getting it set up in Schools, I thought I would try to put pointers out there on the way we have done things here. So - first question, yes we use MOSS on top of WSS. WSS is free, MOSS is not. However, it depends what you want to do with your setup as to whether you need MOSS or not. With MOSS, you get Blogs, Exchange Webparts and MySite (as well as a few other bits). However, MySite you can do another way - see Richard Willis' blog for more on that one. Exchange Web parts arent really required as you can do this with a Page Viewer Web Part. Blogs is the sticking point, but there is some work on Codeplex to create a better solution than the built in. Second question - how have I got our environment to look like it does. Well, this is done with Masterpages and CSS not themes. I started off by pulling out the base config from CKS (the Community Kit for Sharepoint, also on Codeplex). Then, using CSS - customised the look and feel. I have also editted the Masterpage a bit too. Third - webparts! I think I posted a load of them in my last blog - so go look!! All of them are off Codeplex, so I cant claim anything about them - other than hunting them down (which is no mean feat... there are loads out there and not all free!). Credit to all the developers, and I can testify that they work! Anyway... thats your lot for now, but if you want any help setting up, or want to talk through ideas - post a comment and we'll get a discussion going. I also keep an eye on the forums and there are loads of others in there who are "SharepointHeads"!! Finally - what do I do?? Well, Im a College Network Manager, and dont sell anything! Impartial... Some people did ask...

Light dusting here - not enough to close the place a la few weeks back when Exeter made the news!!

We've been running with a trial here. Went well - probably will get it. We had some issues with codecs last time - mainly cos we use the KLCP. Tweaked this (swapped to the corporate version from standard) and all sorted.

We've gone with planet names here... previous place went with StarTrek stuff. Before that, it was good old Server1, Server2 etc....!

This sounds like absolute hell. I guess at least from the sounds of it you have a sympathetic staff. The last thing you would need would be them on your case too. It sounds a bit deja-vu of the CC2.4 --> CC3, where the implementation was rushed leaving lots of schools with all sorts of issues. Keep letting us know how you are getting on.

We've done all our customising with Masterpages and custom CSS rather than by theme. Have a look at my blog for some screenies. The best thing to do is have a trawl of the net, see something you like and adapt. Starting from scratch would make my head hurt!!

We did (or started) a phased change over 2 years ago with 3 departments who wanted to be early adopters. Then, we get them to spread the news, and now most of our departments are using it. We are hoping to finally "remove" the shared areas for Sept. Heres to hoping!

ISA again here. Two options, use the OWA webparts in MOSS, or just use the Page Viewer webpart. Either will work...

AAM is the place to go. Im sure I posted some excellent links to some blog articles before in another post. If I find them, I will link them to this post too. Failing that, I will blog on it as well. It can be a bit of a pain to get right first time.

Spoke to Ben Jones from Capita a few weeks ago at a meeting (who is on the SLG team), and they are keen for user feedback on features. Im not sure if he is on here or not, but there are some Capita people about. Get onto SupportNet and send it as a feature request. Sounds like a useful idea though, I know they are working on some enhancements to the Student Details parts (including adding SEN details). The one I am after is viewing past reports! It shouldnt have been missing in the first place though!

Seconded, get over to the kraal. After that, hunt down ajp (hiding around here somewhere!). His blogs are excellent. Mike and the gang at Twynham are very active too - and have a blog. There is also the Microsoft Schools blog, which has taken a serious turn to Sharepoint stuff recently. I'm a user too - and blog on it a bit. There are plenty of us using it, so shout and we will help out as best we can. Stuart

We need to do a South West Sharepoint User Group meeting at some point - I know there must be a fair few schools using it down here. Would love to get to more of these meetings, but the travel costs are usually prohibative.

You can do other handy stuff by messing about a bit more with the annoucements webpart - like adding an image. Once Im back in on Mon, will screen grab in Sharepoint Designer how to do this. In the meantime, heres one taken from our Visitors Portal - used for non-curriculum groups such as Governors, and our MFL Partner schools which we wanted to keep separate.

LOL - you can tell what time we all got to work today!! Logon - Edugeek, check posts! :-)

This lovely bit of scripting below removes all existing network printers (leaves local - eg LPT and USB alone)... we use it to make sure that when users log on, they only get the printers we want them to have. Yes - printer connections do persist in user profile. ' WSH - Windows Logon Script ' Type and Target: Printers Logon Script for Workstations ' Location: King Edward VI Community College ' Compiled: August 2007 ' Author: Stuart Wilkie ' Section 1: Error Handling and Variables ' ==================================================== ' Declare variables and enumerate existing printer connections On Error Resume Next Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") Set WshNetwork = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Network") Set oPrinters = WshNetwork.EnumPrinterConnections Dim computerName computerName = LCase(WshNetwork.ComputerName) ' Delete existing connections to network printers For i = 0 to oPrinters.Count - 1 Step 2 On Error Resume Next if Left(oPrinters.Item(i), 3) <> "lpt" And Left(oPrinters.Item(i), 3) <> "usb" then WshNetwork.RemovePrinterConnection oPrinters.Item(i+1), true, true else end if Next ' Citrix specific section if (Left(computerName, 5) = "svrts") then computerName = LCase(WshShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%CLIENTNAME%")) end if

Swapped off the resource heavy Symantec Corporate (which was bundled on our old RM system) to AVG Network Edition 7.5 - which at the time was light weight, network managable and cheap! It was doing great, until they made it resource heavy with version 8. Been on a trial with Avast - which has native MSI installation (so we can push it with GPO - one less to have to remember to install), and network management utils. Cost - about £4k. We also trialed Sophos... found it a bit heavy on the client, and a bit too expensive for us - as we also want to protect a local Sharepoint and Exchange install. After the work been doing with MS with Sharepoint recently, had my head turned a bit by Forefront - Microsofts corporate AV and AntiMalware product. Same pluses as Avast - except cheaper per machine and it also keeps all my licencing in one place. Bonuses - the Sharepoint and Exchange versions have profanity filters!! Food for thought.

We do this at our place - published by ISA now, but you still need to get the AAM right. I will post some screenies of this tomorrow which demonstrate our setup.

Ta muchly :-)

Ok - a bit of an odd one here! I wasnt originally going to blog any more today - afterall I have been quite active after a quiet spell!!! However, I came across a forum post giving Acer a bit of a bashing - and had to get involved! No - not in that way.... to support them. A few years ago, I never thought I would say that, but hey - they've pulled it off. Acer support used to be dire sometimes - but they turned the corner about 3 years ago. I have over 100 of their laptops - all on the 3 yr extended with acc damages. If I ever need to return one, its 2 phone calls - one to the support centre and the other to DHL. Its true, the do have procedures in place than mean they need certain info from you, but if your work with one of their major resellers - you can get a copy of what info they require and build that into your own procedures. This is what we do. Before any laptop is reported to them, we test the machine with one of their Diagnostic CDs which we got sent - and then the technician working on it completes a form with all the relevant info on it including all diagnostic info we have done. We include a copy of this in the box with the laptop when we send it off. The repair centre know we do this so the minute they call up our details - they know they will get all the info. So long as you put a bit of work into your procedures - their support works really well (touch wood so far!!). I need to say at this point, the key is getting a good reseller - and getting a good dialogue going with their Acer Rep too. Thanks here go to Gemma at Laptop House, and over at Acer - Steve, Tarlock and formerly at Acer - Rash. Advertising over...!

Fair play, Acer support can be dire sometimes - but they turned the corner about 3 years ago. I have over 100 of their laptops - all on the 3 yr extended with acc damages. If I ever need to return one, its 2 phone calls - one to the support centre and the other to DHL. Its true, the do have procedures in place than mean they need certain info from you, but if your work with one of their major resellers - you can get a copy of what info they require and build that into your own procedures. This is what we do. Before any laptop is reported to them, we test the machine with one of their Diagnostic CDs which we got sent - and then the technician working on it completes a form with all the relevant info on it including all diagnostic info we have done. We include a copy of this in the box with the laptop when we send it off. The repair centre know we do this so the minute they call up our details - they know they will get all the info. So long as you put a bit of work into your procedures - their support works really well (touch wood so far!!).

Nice little gem of info there... might well use this one myself too!

There are a load of scripts around on the forums for doing unattended installs on startup etc somewhere. I know thats how we do it here. If you cant find anything - PM me. Will share ours. I will try and get round to putting them on here. I think we scripted doing a reinstall silently for the user also if a solus update borked the machine as well. Need to dig that out.