Zoom7000

BECTA make another stupid decision! What's new? Who makes these pathetic decisions at the top? Do they not stop and think to evaluate? Market Research even? It reminds me of when Vista was released and BECTA turned around to say "We don't think it is a good idea to upgrade to Vista..." Well, along those lines anyway. The point is, software in most schools is so far behind enough already to have an organisation like BECTA come in and make decisions like this and statements like above. Not helping the eventual progression of students into industry (or the real world in most sectors) at all.

Nuhi (nLite's creator) has only stated this so that people don't hold him responsible if things go wrong in their mission critical environment. I read on MSFN that he's fine with it so long as you don't hold him to task! Either way, I prefer nLite much more than sysprep.

Imagine the same number now... 0181 811 8181 would now be... 020 8811 8181 Just doesn't have the same ring to it!

Dos_Box, what exactly are you using Riprep/Sysprep for? If you are just installing a flat image and then using Riprep/Sysprep to add the drivers, why don't you add these to the image manually or use nLite. Are you using Riprep/Sysprep for any applications as well? The method I use to RIS PCs: Copy Windows XP SP3 Build (Downloaded from Technet) to HDD Use nLite to integrate the following: Post SP3 Update Pack All my Addon Packs (Office 2003, Flash 9, Adobe Reader 8.1.2, .net 1/1.1/2/3/3.5, Java 6 update 5, Paint.Net, K-Lite Codec Pack, Some additional CPL tools and my registry tweaks) Other nLite Tweaks Then, add all the drivers to $OEM$\$1\Drivers\ Also copy these drivers directly into the I386 folder Copy over to RIS Server and away you go... No messing with Riprep or Sysprep required. If anyone wants to know about creating addon packages, I could maybe do some guides, however, there are plenty over at MSFN.

I love Office 2007. It's the ICT teachers (Head of ICT, especially) here that wanted to run a mile when they found it had no menus! "Oh no, we will have to change all our worksheets and schemes of work..." and other useless excuses! I'm tempted to deploy it over the summer and say it wasn't me, Microsoft forced us to do it because our previous version expired! Soooo gullable!

If you install XP SP3 on the PC manually and update all the drivers as you would normally (without RIS) does it still reboot? How are you integrating the Dell drivers into the RIS image?

I agree, this ain't about BSF, so let's not get into a debate. This is about Tony, new direction for him and congratulations! With people like Tony having input at the higher levels in Northants, I'm sure it'll be a great LA to work in. Just don't totally desert us! But once again, well done!

I really wish more LA's were less lazy and actually looked into these solutions that require a little bit of work but provide a much better solution as opposed to an "open our checkbook, do some under the table deals and get a crappy product" solution.

I've spoken to Andy Bray (The main bloke at AB Consulting) at length at BETT and over the phone. The IE7 bug has been fixed since version 5. Also, the automatic updates have been stopped for upgrading from version 4 to 5, this has to be done manually. Version 5 will be the last free upgrade and version 6 will be sold at a nominal fee but, he said, will introduce new features. We're currently on 5.1.1 and are very pleased with it. I have however, noticed 2 bugs with it. 1. Occasionally, when trying to access a workstation we get a blank black screen for approximately 30-60 seconds, before we can see what is going on. I don't know if this is anything to do with the AB Tutor Mirror Driver or our Network. 2. I'm also finding that sometimes even when I lock out users, the can move the mouse and I need to click lockout 2-3 times before they are actually locked out.

Back in the day I used to use Zone Alarm Security Suite until the bloat arrived. Then I moved on to NOD32 but was stuck for firewall. Finally moved on to Kaspersky Internet Security and it has been the best product I've used since. Lightweight, quick system scanning times and I've not experienced too much issues with the learning mode. NOD32 is very good, and I use it on my laptop with COMODO Firewall, however, COMODO's learning mode seems to go on forever!

We're with Synetrix LGFL here. 100Mbps Up and Down. Although, at times it seems worse than my connection at home. I think we pay in the region of £14k-£17k. Will be taken over by RM at the end of this year, I wonder what their service will be like...

Can't stress this enough! I just got the message again and manually entered the Netbios name for our domain as opposed to the full DNS name and hey presto! Now, how do I fix the one thing that baffles me the most... DNS!

I just downloaded a Windows XP SP3 VLK CD from Technet and using that for my base. I've not bothered with slipstreaming my older images. If you have a Technet/MSDN subscription, then try this method. If not, maybe try calling Microsoft and asking very nicely if you can get a full SP3 Windows XP VLK release. If that fails, try Ramesys. I had too many issues with Riprep, so now I am installing all my programs either via svcpack (so far I've got, Office 2003, Flash 9, Adobe Reader 8.1.2, .net 1/1.1/2/3/3.5, Java 6 update 5, Paint.Net, K-Lite Codec Pack, Some additional CPL tools and my registry tweaks) or to install the rest, mainly department specific non essential stuff, I'm using SCCM. The SVCPACK method installs any slipstreamed updates and addon programs at the T-13 stage. It's great finally being able to have a PC ready to go as soon as it gets to the logon screen for the first time!

I'm experiencing this exact same problem now, however, it's not affecting all my PCs. I have some IBM PCs and they are installing just fine. However, the HPs are giving me issues. I've checked and double checked for the drivers. If they were wrong it wouldn't get past the format stage anyway. I created a "Universal" image with all the drivers so I could ditch the old separate images. It works with the IBMs, but not the HPs. However, the HP images that were working before aren't either now!

This is Newham we're talking about. The folks doing all the dodgy BSF dealings are an LA based group called ITASS who do our SIMS support. The SLT's swear by ITASS because they have "@newham.gov.uk" at the end of their email addresses. The primary schools swear by them because no one else will do their support. Almost all the primaries use CC3, because ITASS recommend they have it in as they don't have full time techies at the primaries. For an IT Advisory and Support Service, they do like to make a lot of money wherever they can. Of course this is because they buy the RM kit and then stick their own administrative charges on top. I know this because when I first started, I was ordering software from them and they were just ordering from Ramesys and sticking a few quid on top. So, I went to Ramesys direct! However, almost ever secondary school technician will tell you that ITASS couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. We wanted to upgrade our dying NT4 admin server and the SLT insisted we consult ITASS as they are the experts, the answer was... "Upgrading to Server 2003? Hmmm... I dunno about that, there is certainly likely to be issues! We think you should hold off..." and this was just 2 years ago! Trust me, we'll be on CC3/4 if it's available as an option! Sums the BSF up pretty much in a nutshell for me!

lol, good point! Either way it's a lot of money wasted and I'd rather they gave us a damn pay rise!

Well, ultimately that is why I work. To better myself and look after myself and my dependents. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. However, I see your point with regards to this debate. Yes, I think CC would work well in a school where there are no technicians and the teachers do all of the managing. Here CC would help, because the teachers dunno how to manage a vanilla network. With regards to what is best for the school and users, the school are paying us wages as technicians and by not going the CC route, we are saving the school £1000s of pounds in CC purchase, implementation and training costs. Money that can be better used elsewhere in the school. Problem with training is, it is hard to come by. I've been trying to get training since I started and all I ever get is team building Gladiators-esk style activity fun days! Fun? Yes, but I've never had a networking related course at work ever. We're just expected to know it. So, online research and general usage is the only way I can learn. As I said before, with CC in place, this would be impossible.

Retro Junk - For all your nostalgia needs! lol @ Teenage Mutatnt Hero Turtles - Because the BBFC or whoever thought Ninja was too violent for us little angels!

What you are failing to see is that learning and experience are 2 very different things. I am in a team of 3 people. I am the only one with a computing degree. The other 2 including my manager have no qualifications whatsoever. We use a fully vanilla Windows Server 2003/8 network, with almost every Microsoft enterprise package on the market. Exchange, SCCM, Data Protection Manager, Using RIS/WDS to build workstations, WSUS for patching, the list goes on and on. We have people looking for work experience coming at us thick and fast with MCSE's, CCNA's, ITIL, you name it. They have it. Yet, we throw them into our environment and they are lost. I'm not saying learning is a bad thing. Everything I know today is through private and personal study. However, I have learnt a heck of a lot more about Network Administration in day to day usage of the system. An RM CC network would take this opportunity away from me. I understand we work in schools, but as Grommit mentioned, CC can't be compared with Active Studio or SIMS.net it's an entirely different kettle of fish, it's an unnecessary cost in my eyes. We weighed up a lot of things before moving to a vanilla system and we haven't been restricted by RM's way of doing things. In addition to this, I see working in a school as a stepping stone to better things outside of the Education sector. Why? Because of the restrictions that come as working in Education IT. Once you are Network Manager, on your measely pay that is damn better elsewhere in the Private Sector you have no where else to go in Education. Recruitment agencies can't understand when I call and tell them I provide 1st - 3rd line support. The buck ends with me. They are shocked when you tell them 3 people are responsible for a network of 14 servers and 700 PCs. I know at least 3 people who started working in IT support after me, providing simple 1st line application support nearly on £40k, rising by the year. Maybe some IT personnel working in schools are happy where they are, but frankly put I live in London, need to provide for a family and go on to bigger and better things. Things are getting more expensive day by day, yet I haven't had a pay increase in 3 years because I started at the top of my scale. The last thing I need is to limit my experience skills set by having to work with RM CC.

Erm... If I'm not mistaken I work in a school and we certainly don't use CC3/4. Have you conducted independent research to show that people who work in schools use CC3/4 etc? The pure fact of the matter is that CC3/4 does limit your skills set to an extent because you are buying a program that essentially hides all the complexities away from you to do most tasks, some of which are very useful to know. If I had a problem with my network, I'm sure I'll find much more help on most Internet sites and forums, the vast majority of which don't even know who RM are, let alone CC3. I have not seen any job application as of yet (including jobs in schools) that require knowledge in RM applications. The essentials are always Windows XP/2003, networking etc.

Despite all of the above links I have posted seemingly confirming the appointment of RM as the preferred bidder for Newham and both companies confirming it on their websites and numerous visits from RM and Newham BSF people to see our SLT and RM performing a health check on our network ready for when they finally take over and confirmation from RM that they will be taking over Internet provision from Synetrix by the end of the year, we are still being told the contracts have not yet been finalised and for this reason still don't have any official information as to exactly what will happen.

Sounds like a great job and I have applied!

Well, if you're looking for feedback then surely from the previous replies you will have got it and IMO the mass consensus looks to be no one wants to, or can afford to, pay £150-£200 for an meeting room event discussing issues between parties who can't seem to be able to get together in a room for free! This works both ways, wasn't it you who said in your first post "I have a number of issues with BSF, and like many here I am un-persuaded of its virtue and doubtful about its ability to deliver anything but invoicing for poor serivices. However its here." 'Nuff said, it's here, we've come to accepting it, with our reservations. As for inviting us to an event for a cost that we can afford, take into account what Dos Box said, not only is the EduGeek Conference free, no doubt some or many BSF issues will be discussed, but they are renumerating park of the hotel costs. If you really want to be helpful... take note!

Does it have to be an ADM? Can you not just deploy the default search using the registry? Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes] "DefaultScope"=- [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{0633EE93-D776-472f-A0FF-E1416B8B2E3A}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes] "DefaultScope"="{D9086831-1612-4AC3-AB8D-8036EE46041D}" "Version"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D9086831-1612-4AC3-AB8D-8036EE46041D}] "DisplayName"="Google" "URL"="http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q={searchTerms}&meta=" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl] "provider"="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl\g] @="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%s" " "="+" "#"="%23" "&"="%26" "?"="%3F" "+"="%2B" "="="%3D" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "Search Page"="http://www.google.co.uk" "Search Bar"="http://www.google.co.uk/ie" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL] ""="http://www.google.co.uk/keyword/%s" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search] "SearchAssistant"="http://www.google.co.uk/ie"

Is it me, or do I get the feeling of Deja Vu here?