snrweb

Hi, does anyone have a solution to this: Teachers have their own laptop which moves from classroom to classroom. I want to configure the Tutor program on their laptop to automatically connect to only the computers in the room they are in at that time. I don't want to use the 'Join Class' option as it just won't work with the students at this site I also don't want to see any other computers in their view other than the ones in the room they are in. The only solution i have come up with so far is to name the computer in each room to include their location (IE RM12-01 , RM12-02 or RM05-01 , RM05-02 etc) and then they use the 'connect to students starting with...' which the teacher modifies before they start. Can anyone think of (or use) a better solution?

On some system i have seen a default user folder in the netlogon share. If this is present, all new user logons will use this as the basis for their new profile, regardless of local or roaming. This can catch people out who then change a local default user profile and wonder why it is being ignored for new user logons. Its a throwback to NT Server / NT Workstation days when Microsoft used to recommend doing it to standardise the default user profile across all clients.

How did you get on?

What about the default user profile? If all profiles are removed including the cached local one and any roaming folder one AND the Ranger client is removed from the computer (via rangerremove) then the only way they can still be there is if the default user profile (either in c:\documents and settings\default user or ) must contain them. Ok try this. 1. configure all the ranger environment settings as white (off) for a user who is a member of one of the groups. 2. logon as this user to a machine that does not have Ranger client installed (IE no Ranger logo in tooltray) 3. Do the settings get revoked? If so, Ranger client is on the computer. If not, carry on: 4. Log off as the user and on as the local administrator. 5. Delete ALL local profiles except default user 6. Delete that users roaming profile 7. reboot and logon as this user. No ranger client or profile so it is created for the user on logon. 8. what does it look like? If it is the teletubbies desktop and xp start menu then it is the typical default user profile. If not, it is either that users profile still or someone has replaced the default user profile with another and if that one had Ranger settings, they will of course come back. 9. If it is not the teletubbies one, open regedit and look for HKLM and HKCU\Software\Hyperion registry keys. This is evidence of Ranger client having been installed to that profile which if the client is not there anymore would explain it. 10. Finally, make some changes to that users Ranger group settings and log on as the user. is there a Ranger splash screen? There should not be as there is no client and also those changes should not be set. I don't doubt what you say so therefore it must be the default user profile.

I can't see how any Ranger client registry settings could remain if all profiles are gone. Try creating a brand new user with nothing in their profile properties (IE local profile) and log on to a non-Ranger client machine. Do you still get it?

When Ranger is removed, it does not revoke the registry changes that were made to the users. Therefore, the desktop folder redirection is still in place and pointing to the read-only folder that it was when the client was on. Deleting the user profile completely, from the roaming profile location and its cached local copy or just the local copy (if roaming not in use) will always set it back to the pre-Ranger client form.

Good points, well put.

So for this you mean override the ranger start menu settings with a GPO for the computer room machines that redirects to a different folder on the server? Thus giving each room it's own folder? I believe ranger can only do this for users rather than computers so this should work shouldn't it? I don't think this would work because Ranger settings are processed after GPO settings as mentioned earlier. In this way, the start menu/desktop locations would be overwritten during logon with the Ranger ones.

AFAIK the only way to remove Ranger Packages is with control panel - add/remove on the program. Deleting a package from the list does not remove it from machines. It only removes the package files from the server. Creating 'reverse packages' (IE snapshot 1 - removal - snapshot 2) is very dangerous and worse case scenario, could result in a negative universe that sucks you and all matter into it. Only GPO-deployed MSI's have an easy removal option (and they often leave stuff hanging around as well).

Not sure what you mean there. I think you are asking if computers in one specific location (computer room) can have their own local start menu for any user who uses them, as opposed to the network start menu those same users have elsewhere. If that is right, then i do not think it is possible. You would need specific user accounts for that area.

Hi Ranger processes its own policy settings after any GPOs so if there is an identical GPO setting, this will get overwritten. However, if the GPO setting is not in Ranger (such as the one you describe) then the two will quite happily get processed together during the logon. You can import .ADMs into Ranger to provide more settings but most people just use a GPO for a setting not in Ranger as a. they are easier to find b. can be processed at an OU level c. are easier to revoke d. people know a lot more about GPOs these days

What do you mean by that? I thought Ranger Remote Control was cheaper than buying it as NetSupport School? PM me if you want a price. (Sorry for the plug but it's the end of the month as i'm sure others on here are aware!)

Configure the local security of the Teachers computer to 'display customisable text when viewed' and i think it shows the name of the computer connecting to it. Thats assuming they are using netsupport to take it over.

NetSupport School / Ranger Remote Control £18-£24 a licence depending on amount purchased. No different Tutor/Teacher and Student licences, just a 'per pc' licence.

1. If you use Ranger Account Manager to create the group it will then appear in Ranger Administrator automatically. If you have created the group in AD then use the 'Synchronise' button in 'edit' - 'settings' - 'groups' to bring it in. Make sure you tick it in the list so it is then seen. Remember its Groups that Ranger Acount Manager sees and not OUs 2. Different methods for this and all of them a compromise: a. use a differnet user account for those locations with its own start menu/desktop. Difficult to manage as they will get user accounts mixed up and no central point for data. b. use local start menus everywhere. Again, means some local management of each PC which does rather defeat the object. c. use local start menu but network programs folder. Local only apps go in start menu. Needs some local management as above. d. place a folder in the network start menu to a local folder where local apps are stored (eg c:\apps). Users click on this to see the local apps avaialble. Need to relax some security for this and again some local management. e. Put all the apps on the network start menu and make folders in the start menu to match the locations. EG the 'maths' folder has the local maths apps and the 'library' folder has the local library apps. Tell the users to go the folder that matches their location. There you go. How many PCs are we talking? Less than 20 i would use option B, otherwise E.

As above, Ranger will stop any local logon except for 'administrator'. (Thats THE administrator ID not someone who is a member of the local administrators group). Most sites do not use Ranger client (or Ranger Solo) on staff laptops as they get a bit shirty with people trying to restrict 'their' computers in any way. However, I have seen Ranger Solo used as a threat. EG "Mr teacher, if you continue to mess up your laptop with viruses/spyware/ adware/games etc etc and expect me to fix it as i clearly am a permanent 24*7 free IT help desk for all your home computing needs, then i will put Ranger Solo on it!"

The horrid little program that allows this is usually called IGFXTRAY.EXE. Remove it from the registry as above and delete from the computer.

Yes, Ranger will be shipping NSS9 as Ranger Remote Control 9 in a few weeks when they receive their OEM build. I recommend it to all.

I use CON2PRT /F and it will do the job of removing any attached printers that are not local.

All the client config stuff is stored in a local client32.ini file which is then easy to roll out to other clients. Great product. Used it since v3 & can't fault it.

You can display a message on the screen when you are controlling it. From the client configurator - security - display customisable text when viewed. Whilst on the subject, have been testing the new NSS9 and it looks like a very good upgrade.

Set up a test server with it on. You can get a 180 day eval copy from Microsoft.

Don't panic. The GP stops them seeing it but they can type it and some programs will access it anyway. Its not a problem if they only have default permissions set. Ensure that the users don't have increased permissions (such as if Domain Users was a member of the local administrators group)

VM Ware every time!

Also you can make all email sent from that user to be invisibly CC'd to another address