jsnetman

I don't think you should have a niggle with winstallle rather the bloated software from apple. If the Itunes installer extracts and runs MSI's to install the software I think winstallle will have problems as winstallle cannot repackage MSI's. Try running the Itunes installer with a /a or /? to see if you get any extraction switches. Then if you can extract the MSI's use Orca or another type tool to modify the MSI's. Sometimes you don't get any extraction options and they automatically extract to the windows temp folder or even in the user profile temp folder.

Hmm sounds like overkill to me. We have 350 curriculum machiines which means a possibilty of 350 concurrent users and we only have 2 servers. But getting back to the thread we just got some sas drives this summer in our new servers and I'm very impressed.

Listening on all adresses and ports you listed here and we are behind an LEA firewall.

On a windows server you setup a wpad.dat file and host it on an intranet server.

The thing to do is set up an auto proxy using WPAD How to configure Microsoft DNS and WINS to reserve WPAD registration within school. Then you just configure the laptops via GPO to auto discovery.

Use something like winstallele to capture the registry changes. Then distribute the registry entries to your machines using a startup script or Active Directory..

I use them, we didn't install the new certificates as in thier email it said it was due to expire on the 29th dec and I was not in work then. It's still working on the old certificates and I won't do anything until it goes tits up.

Why don't you just disable users from changing the time in AD.

8 cans of beer is our charge, 4 for me for arranging it and 4 for my techie who does the work

The /q bit should supress for any prompting. I run mine from the shutdown scripts folder in machine policy but from a batch file. Works no problem.

How about DFS replication. If you are using windows server.

well they could be by registry entries, but yeah I see your point if you want a heavily tailored profile.

We have laptops here that teachers rarely bring to school. We allocate a local default user profile and control everything by group policy including offline files, the proviso being they must logon at least once when on the network. There is not really a need to create a special local profile.

You could use a vb script to write the registry key including pulling the logon name into the script at user logon then use regedit /s to add the key. But the downside is what happens if someone logs on who is not the primary user???

Think I have found the answer to the problem: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811660 Note This list of primary users affects only the Offline Files feature. No other Windows component uses this list, and Microsoft does not support any other use of this list. To apply this feature change, follow these steps: Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Locate and click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache Click Edit, point to New, and then click Key. Type PrimaryUsers, and then press ENTER to name the new key. Click PrimaryUsers, click Edit, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Use one of the following formats to type a user name: domain\username S-1-5-21-397955417-626881126-188441444-2201386 This is a user account security ID (SID) in text form. Click NetCache, click Edit, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Type PurgeNonPrimaryUserFilesAtLogoff, and then press ENTER to name the value. Double-click PurgeNonPrimaryUserFilesAtLogoff. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK. Warning You must coordinate the addition of this registry key with the existing PurgeAtLogoff system policy. This policy is activated in Group Policy through the following path: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files\At logoff, delete local copy of user’s offline files If you enable this policy, the PurgeNonPrimaryUserFilesAtLogoff registry value is ignored, and files for non-primary users will not be removed. Now the trick would be to enter the reg value automatically for the primary user.

Not sure. I have never used loop back processing as I have never fully looked into it.

Vista/Win7 probably does cache different users that logon to one laptop, I think the difference will be that it does not show it in the syncronising offline files applet, I'm not sure, just guessing. Surely it's not happening all the time to all the laptops, so the method of resetting via a script will be appropriate for the ones that do. And if you are hell bent on getting it to work via policies the only way would be to create one for each user, this method would still be faster than going to each machine.

You could write a little batch file to add a registry entry to flush the csc folder. You would have to instruct staff to only run it if the laptop is syncing other users folder and only after a full sync has been acheived by them. Store it in a shared location for them to run. How to re-initialize the offline files cache and database

Yes I see your point, this happens here when teachers use other peoples laptops. I have tried to discourage this but obviously it can't be enforced. If each teacher has their own laptop why on earth are they using others, the answer probably being well I forgot mine this morning. The answer should be tough.

You could try setting "Administratively assigned offline files" to \\servername\userdocs\accountname this will then only allow that folder to synchronise only. You will have to reinitialise the csc folder for it to work. This setting can be done in user or machine policy, machine policy overides user policy.

Our exam result keep getting better every year, I would not put this down to how well the network runs rather the teaching and senior management contribution. Of course a we ll run network with few client machine issues will assist in this process. I can't see how having RM connect improves exam results but probably contributes to the teaching process as does a smooth running vanilla network.

yes correct. there was a time years ago that I was involved with all sorts of activities that were'nt really related to my job. When I argued for the move from RM in 2003 I insisted that my role must become network management only. The management agreed after seeing what they would save over a 3 year period staying with RM.

I am purely network management, meaning I don't get roped into class support or any other type of duties, I have a technician that deals with all the minor issues like printers not functioning and PC problems.

Ah thought you meant software deployment. For image deployment we use WDS, I must admit it's a pain to setup but once functioning it's no bother and a dream to use. We used to use ghost but could not justify spending 10 quid a machine to keep it going when WDS is free. I think with any deployment method there are hurdles to cross, but far better to jump over free ones.

Active Directory