Koldov

You would know... https://www.edugeek.net/forums/topic/158060-bit-of-fun-who-has-the-oldest-working-windows-domain/#comments

I'm not sure if iirc but there was something a while back about authenticated users needing to be in there because it included the computer objects that need to read the policy... I've just checked a few of mine and they all have Authenticated Users in as Read (which I think was the advice at the time). However the GPO doesn't apply to all the users because the GPO is in an OU with only the people in it that the GPO applies to... if that makes sense? Are you trying to put the GPO in an OU with say 10 users, but only have it apply to 5 (or is this a ROOT policy)? EDIT: As said above, the Domain Computers way might be what you're looking for. I did read that was possible but couldn't be bothered to go through hundreds of GPOs as mine work OK as they are. Also: https://community.spiceworks.com/t/does-group-policy-always-need-authenticated-users/807412

I'll start by saying that I've never really been a fan of AIOs... and this latest has justified my main concern. I have been asked to look at this beast as the screen has been smashed (it was knocked over): https://www.acer.com/gb-en/desktops-and-all-in-ones/aspire-all-in-ones/aspire-c-intel/pdp/DQ.BM3EK.004#pdpOverview Now, of all the things that could go wrong, I'd presume a cracked screen might be quite near the top of the list and I know it would be similar to trying to take apart any modern monitor, but as it appears to not only need a full teardown to replace the screen... a quick Google shows there doesn't appear to be any proper detailed guides, manuals (even from Acer) or videos showing how it's done (if it even can be). Most of them show just taking of the rear panel for RAM and SSD replacement. Then you have to be absolutely sure you get the correct screen and work out if you are getting just a panel (which I think may have to be heated off the frame), or the panel and the frame, or the panel frame and unit... I mean I know it must be possible, but it may be just out of my comfort zone... So if this really can't be easily replaced (and why in $deity's name wouldn't they make it easier?) it's a £600+ pile of junk... at least with a traditional PC, you can just replace the monitor (although you might think about trying to fix it depending on how expensive it was) and with a laptop, 'most' are easy and cheap enough to replace. I'd imagine it's probably a REALLY long shot, but if anyone has replaced a screen on one of these, please shout!

Hmmmm... any idea why there's two places to basically configure the same thing then? Does Apps > Google Workspace Marketplace Apps > have finer/more granular controls (I can't see any)? OK, to make matters worse I have just searched for it in 'Security > API controls > App access control' and.... it's blocked here as well! I must have been on a right one that day... Anyway, at least now this all makes sense as to why it's blocked for the teachers... Also, when I searched for 'Canva' there's quite a few 'web' entries (not including Android or iOS), which one do you choose?

Hopefully a really simple one, but we don't use Google very much, so I haven't got a lot of experience and I haven't had enough coffee yet! SLT has asked why Canva is blocked for the teachers, which is strange because I unblocked it last year sometime... and the SLT in question uses it regularly. Checked in Google Admin for - Apps > Google Workspace Marketplace Apps > Canva > Allowlist setting and 'Allow App' is selected for the Teacher OU. Thing is, the SLT user in question is in the same OU as the Teachers! Tested it for my OU and it is also blocked... 'Access blocked: Authorization Error - Access to this app or website log-in has been restricted by XYZ School - Error 400: admin_policy_enforced' My OU also has 'Allow App' selected! However, looking further into it, I can see at some point I must have put Canva in at the Top Level as an 'Excluded App' and is Denied, but also looking in the 'Allow List' apps, it is in the teachers OU and 'Override' is selected, but it's not even in the Top Level OU. I'm not sure why it is in both, presumably to my logic I couldn't see how to only allow it for some OUs at the time, so put in as a blocked app AND then also an allowed app for some OUs... very confusing! So... Question 1. Do I need to configure this differently? Do I just put it in 'Allow Listed Apps' and if so then how do I block it for OUs I don't want it in? Question 2. I remember having to allow some apps in another section of the Admin console... What effect does 'Security > API controls > App access control' have and do I need to configure it here as well?

Seems I spoke too soon and jinxed myself... Outlook constantly prompting for password this morning!

When did this start? I know LGfL have recently done some upgrading on their Exchange back-end, but I don't know when it happened as I got the email last month and haven't seen any disruption. Can users connect via the StaffMail/OWA? Are you running the desktop Outlook app as part of a full local Office install (and if so which version)? When you say 'most' users, are there any differences between who can/cannot access their mail through Outlook?

That would be just me then... ...and with the members of staff that are allowed to drive the minibus, it's not as unlikely as you'd think! Thing is as far these 'standards' go, yes they are a little grey and open to interpretation, but they have to be slightly vague to cover a lot of different scenarios, given not all schools are run/staffed the same way.

Came in last week and turned my old beast of a work computer on, but alas it appeared to be dead... First thought was PSU and I have a few lying around, but unfortunately as with most things HP it's a proprietary PSU, so nothing to test that theory with. I have an old 24/20 pin tester, but it appears this HP PSU has 18 and 12 pin plugs so although they both fit it doesn't turn on, I have no idea if the pinout is standard (I doubt it) and so might just not kick off the PSU_ON pin... I don't have anything to test it with and I can't find any reliable pinout diagram to short the PSU_ON pin myself and I'm not going to stick paperclips in randomly. Anyway, I managed to get a replacement and duly hooked it all up only to find out this didn't work either (wish I could've tested it first)! So, either I'm very unlucky to have two dead PSUs or something else is the issue. However, I did a bit more digging and found the higher spec models have BIST on the back I/O panel, unfortunately the Z440 doesn't but I did notice an LED inside of the PSU itself. Now this doesn't light up on either of the PSUs when plugged in to a socket.... So my question is, does anyone know if this should light up when the PSU is receiving power, or only when turning the PC on? I've tried numerous kettle leads and different sockets (and other PSUs to test that it is getting power).

This... We used to have a 'ICT co-ordinator' teacher... not quite a Computing Lead or Digital Lead as we're a very small Primary sized school, but similarly funny because they were, how shall I put it... Technologically Challenged... Almost every week they'd come in and enthuse about the latest thing they'd seen another school do, or a video about, or read about on the internet and wanted to do that day, or bring me things they'd buy from Amazon and want to use without asking if it was even possible etc. This is the type of person that will be informing and leading your Digital Strategy...

I'm not sure when '2030' was decided and written in to the Digital Standards. There was an post about the standards (2024), but I didn't see anything mentioned then (albeit the thread got a bit off topic)... https://www.edugeek.net/forums/topic/216292-dfe-digital-standards-updated-january-2024/page/2/#comments Also, I think I've asked before, but what is the penalty for not reaching the standards by 2030, and who is going to audit whether you've met them or not?

I've never sent anything to recycling without pulling the RAM and SSD first. Yes I have a drawer full.... but you never know, *I might need it one day! *The hoarder's mantra

Although we have a few iPads in school they've never really been used as anything more than glorified web browsers and a few selected apps. Obviously we're not using them to their full potential, but we've never really had any direction... usual story of just being purchased because they were cool/shiny without having any plan for how to use them effectively. Now we've had a teacher joined who has experience of using them in their previous school (unfortunately their previous school was abroad and was full Apple eco-system, with 1-1 iPads and parents that funded most of it, so I think coming to a UK LEA maintained Primary is a bit of a culture shock) and they're asking for various apps and for a lot of the restrictions to be lifted (currently Airdrop is the their latest bugbear). The iPads are quite locked down in Cisco Meraki SM, because they are general use tablets not set up in ASM as any type of classroom device, not 1-1 or set up as shared, so I think the actual reality of it is going to be more complicated than they think (as from my research so far I think settings for restrictions like "Contacts Only" or "Everyone for 10 Minutes," will be difficult to manage). I think the main current request is for the students to be able to Airdrop evidence (possibly just photos) to the teacher's laptop, or maybe for the teachers to be ale to do it themselves, but as they're Windows laptops I don't know how that is going to work without having to resort to even more 3rd party apps\websites and opening up other restrictions... why they can't use the cable we supplied I have no idea, but apparently it's a barrier to effective T&L\waste of teacher time\I.T. blocking issue. Probably my fault for not knowing how to manage it, as I don't really know any of the potential pitfalls (cyberbullying/safeguarding risks) of allowing things like Airdrop and the avenues it would leave open for potential abuse... and I'll be honest it's making me a little nervous. I don't want to allow it and have classes full of students Airdropping stuff to each other obviously... but I guess the alternative is to use an app to allow them to drop hundreds of pointless random photos to the server, which is just more for me to manage! Do you allow it at your school and how do you restrict/manage it?

https://www.edugeek.net/forums/topic/225066-new-chrome-permissions-scanning-your-network/#comment-2013875

We did ours a couple of years ago, when it first kicked off! It's do once and forget thing, right? They haven't suddenly changed anyone back onto the paid for version and invoiced them have they, or are these people recent Wonde users?

Yes, it's because the plus licenses have been removed. Hate to be that guy, but there's been a fair amount of chatter about it... https://www.edugeek.net/forums/topic/224425-microsoft-we’re-deprecating-office-a1-plus-edu-licenses/#comment-2009157 According to that thread it was apparently announced in 2023, with a deadline for the end of 2024, but I guess there's quite a few tenants to get through so it's run over that and just kicking in for some now. As others have said the suggested workaround is to get 'A1' and 'Apps' licenses... I haven't tried it yet as 1 of mine still has plus licenses and the other only has 1 license! Some kind of mistake from our reseller... trying to get them to add more but heard nothing back from them... when I try to buy these supposedly free licenses, this is what I see (we have 1 license, so that's the 'you own this' part, but if I want more it's £2.20 a month upgrade...?).

IIRC there's a workaround for this. There's a GPO to move the UAC off the secure desktop to the interactive desktop. Lowering the security ever so slightly but if it's your only choice you can risk assess to accept this minimal risk in a managed environment for the convenience of remote support.

I asked Gemini to simply display the 'Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges' core headings and sub-section headings from the .Gov website so I could just 'quickly' add it as an index to a report I'm writing for the HT. Suffice to say, what with it adding various random sub-sections and either summarising the headings or trying to make them out of a synopsis of the subject matter, it took over an hour of back and forth (doing other jobs in between) with me having to double check every response for accuracy... would have been quicker for me to go to the webpage, expand all the sections and copy/paste them individually... What's more annoying is every time I corrected it, its response started with "Yes, you are right"...

Or even... <Language ID="MatchOS" /> I presume you are using the English 'International' Windows ISO, aren't you...?

I don't remember being offered those two from LGfL!

And if you ever get time over your lunchbreak (yes, you really should take one)... this is a fun read to make yourself feel better about any mistakes you make... or just to learn from ours! https://www.edugeek.net/forums/topic/102224-what-will-you-admit-to/#comments

A video on how to replace your screen... without actually replacing the screen... great! Very helpful... I notice this website has pictures of the screen (I was looking to see if they were sold with brackets attached), but one of the pictures shows 'adhesive strips', they are even available separately so I'd say @FragglePete and @drutt are right on the money. Something like Command picture hanging strips I guess... I hope you haven't melted them though? https://www.laptopscreen.com/English/model/Dell/INSPIRON~15~3520~P112F~(NEWER~MODELS~-~AFTER~2020)/

I've had this conundrum a few times over the years... We've always had OVS-ES licensing and when I first started I honestly didn't have a problem with whacking on a full-fat Office install to a personal device (or even Windows for that matter). Not sure if I have a problem with it even now, it's only ever been less than a handful over 16+ years... MS licensing was so complicated to me then (still is to be honest) so I blamed them for the confusion, added to which the Work at Home (WAH) Rights, which was 'free' but licensing wise you'd need to log on with a school account and only do school related work, and then the Home Use Program (HUP) which wasn't 'free', but could be used for work and personal use just muddied the waters and seemed a bit pointless if I could put a proper version of Office on for 'free'... Then there was these two, I've put in the Gemini synopsis for the explanation: Office 365 Education (A1 Plan): Institutions with an OVS-ES agreement are eligible for the free Office 365 Education A1 plan for all students and staff. This plan provides access to the web versions of Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and other online services like Teams and OneDrive with an eligible school email address. Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: If an institution licenses Office under their OVS-ES agreement, they are also entitled to free access to the "Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise" for all their users, which allows for the installation of the full, local Office applications on multiple devices (including home use). This is a key benefit derived from having a qualifying academic license. Gemini can make mistakes, including about people, so double-check it. EDIT: Anyway, point is I have exactly this situation now, where a staff member has asked for Office on their personal laptop. Lately I've started to feel like I shouldn't be doing a free full Office install (even though we have plenty of spare license), so I think I'll assign a M365 apps license to them and see if that keeps them happy. Obviously I've never done it this way, so I'm not sure how it all works though...

I've just noticed our uBlock Origin extension for Chrome has been turned off because it is no longer supported. Two questions: 1. To remove, is it just OK to change the GPO to 'Not Configured'? I read somewhere to just delete the details in the setting but then it won't let me delete it, leave it enabled and save it, saying there must not be blank (it's the only entry)... so the only other option is to change it to 'Not Configured'. 2. What are we using now? Origin Lite?