DavR

You're not wrong there! I stuck the Java version into an MSI, but yeah, at least that was just a pile of files. If anyone's interested, I've just deployed the Minecraft Education Edition app to all my Windows devices, using a PowerShell script. No Windows Store etc required, just plain files - notes on this thread. You'll still need O365 accounts for student logins, but the deployment at least is simple (even if the recommended methodology is terrible).

DONE For anyone that's interested, if you download the Minecraft EE install files from here, you can then install the app for all users with the following Powershell script command: Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -PackagePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.MinecraftEducationEdition_1.7.1.0.appxbundle" -Online -LicensePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.MinecraftEducationEdition_1.7.1.0__8wekyb3d8bbwe_License1.xml" -DependencyPackagePath "$PSScriptRoot\Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.UWPDesktop_14.0.26905.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe.appx" Pop that in a PowerShell script, run the script from the location containing the appx files. Note that this is for x64 environments, for x86 you need to call the other dependency. Additionally in my script I've added the following two lines to install the Code Connection and Classroom Mode MSIs: Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "ClassroomModeSetup.msi" /qn /norestart -Wait Start-Process msiexec -ArgumentList '/i "CodeConnection.msi" /qn /norestart -Wait No Azure or Microsoft Store logins required. To deploy with SCCM, add a Package with a script install, "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" .\InstallMinecraftEE.ps1

Currently trying to sign up for a Azure / Store for Education account, so I can access the store, and download a Store-certified offline installer, as described here. Unfortunately, the sign up options for Store for Education, as per the notes here, have been removed!!! I give up, I guess I'll have to write a script after all. I've said it before and I'll say it again, nothing about Modern Apps has been an improvement on regular programs, even the badly written ones.

Shame. I'm kinda stuck between wanting to get a proper appx package deployment working, because that's the clean and proper way, and just writing some scripts to make it so. I'd much rather do a proper deployment, if nothing else, because I spent a lot of yesterday updating my SCCM for that functionality!

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did anyone manage to get the Minecraft EE app to deploy cleanly through SCCM? I've updated our SCCM to 1810, which should now be capable of deploying a provisioned appx package to all machines. I've deployed the Minecraft app, all files are in place, dependencies are there, it's shown installed as a provisioned app for the machine, and an app installed for the user. But I'm still running into the same problem as @Katy, the app is there but gives the "File system error" when you try and open it. I'm seeing a lot of talk around setting up Azure and Microsoft Store, but that all seems a lot of unnecessary guff when I have a server to install it, and all the necessary files in hand. If I can install it by script without Azure and Store, surely SCCM can deploy the appx package without them?

Well precisely! To be fair, the AB2s are ageing hunks of junk, but $$$....

If they'll even sell them to you... there are no Activboard 2 spares at all listed for sale on the Promethean site any more :/

Hi @0x9h3 - yeah, I've still got some - PM me!

So, hands up who got to the end before realising the product *wasn't* called Amazon Cornetto? Is Corretto available to everyone, or just AWS customers do we think....

Just been looking at doing a final update of our Java before any charging comes in. We've not got much that runs on Java as far as I can tell, most of which is either running a bundled instance, or will be retired soon. One gotcha that I have come across is that version 11 has done away with Java Web Start (javaws.exe, that opens jlnp files). This has been a show stopper for us, as the iDRAC cards on our Dell servers use Java Web Start to provide Virtual Consoles, ie, Java based remote control, of the server desktops. For that reason I'm going with the most up to date version of 8, and probably stopping at that until all legacy Java apps have been replaced.

Trying to take the positives from my last few years' experience, I try to take the positives.... I've got stripping and rebuilding a Latitude E5530 down to about 30 minutes now, and my laptop repair game in general is vastly improved!

Nothing remotely as interesting as the above here, we're a primary.... we just have a guest SSID + password. The password is changed termly. The guest SSID has the same level of Internet access as the regular wifi, but without local LAN access, so it's not really to the children's benefit to join it. I did look into giving more access (visitors are always trying and failing to check their email on it), but that would involve VLAN routing that we don't have the capability for currently.

+1 for Dell Latitude lines, we got a batch of the Latitude 3380s over the summer, and they're solid as anything. Core i5, 8GB RAM, SSD, 5yr warranty and around the £500 mark. Vostro is a small business / home product, and spec'd and built accordingly. Although I will admit that we have been burnt in the past with the Latitude range.... the E5520 and E5530s we've had so many build issues with, broken plastic and broken hinges mainly, but that's historical.

Good community response @mr_wordshark, thanks.

But what if the folder really isn't there? Much calamity will surely ensue! /sarcasm

Hi guys - came here as we've just bought Wordshark, and this solution, and a link to it, is now included in their official release notes! Probably too late for the original posters, but for anyone else who comes this way (and perhaps @mr_wordshark), I've just tracked down the root cause of the SCCM failure on my setup - it's a permissions thing. As part of it's pre-reqs, the MSI installer checks that the 'wordshark-shared' network folder is present and correct. This is fine when running as a user, or under a user context, as the user will have permissions to view this. However, running under the system context in SCCM, you will also need permissions for the computer account to read the wordshark-shared folder. So, just like your deployment share, Domain Computers are going to need read permissions to browse to and read that folder. I put "Domain Computers - Read" on my whole application share and that fixed the problem. Others may want to experiment with browse permissions or whatever else, but I was happy with that. This requirement is mentioned in the troubleshooting notes in the Appendix of the install notes for the current version, but as far as I can see it isn't mentioned in the main install notes.

I've managed to get Toshiba keyboards from www.stuff-uk.net before, at sensible prices. It might not be listed, but if you contact sales with make and model or a part number, they can usually hunt stuff down.

Close.... I've got v5.9.27? Any reason you need an older version?

PM me, I can probably help....

How many were you after? These guys are still selling refurbed Activboard 2s, you could give them a call, they must be getting pens from somewhere - Refurbished ICT Store -

Using the Chrome policy templates, there are a bunch of entries under User | Policies | Admin Templates | Google | Google Chrome that deal with importing settings from another browser. I'd disable everything that starts with "Import.....", but your key one is "Import bookmarks from default browser on first run".

As far as I know, there is no supported method of redirecting bookmarks to a network location. Google have built Chrome under the premise that users will take their data and settings with them by being logged into the browser - something which is at odds with how schools work! The ability to redirect bookmarks to the roaming profile AppData is the only concession they've made that I'm aware of. You could then re-direct AppData to a network share I suppose, but that would probably open up a whole can of worms and isn't recommended.

Wasn't there a trial LGfL product that allowed teachers to authorise and deny individual YouTube videos? You block YouTube for the students, but then there's an LGfL page that they can go to and access the selected videos. I forget what it was called (it wasn't Video Central, that was an attempt to replace YouTube, not harness it), but it seemed a good idea. I guess the fact that I've not heard of it in a while means they stopped developing it.

Ah, ok. Viva Le France! Also, good use of Python

+1 for having greater access to add / edit firewall rules, even if it is only partial access (I understand that Atomwide wouldn't want school contacts having FULL control and compromising security). More often than not, adding a firewall rule is trial and error rather than a clear cut "open port 80 to x", so having to put each adjustment into a change request is a bind.