Thursday, June 25, 2009

[Techtrouble] Radmind working

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Hi techies,

Hope you're all having a good summer so far. FYI, I've installed and run Radmind on 10 computers in the lab. Ch is running the Radmind server process and the other 9 (Ci plus all of the eMacs along the wall) have the client software. I used the client software to reimage all of those 9 computers in under an hour--much faster than our previous method! They now have purple login screens. The only catch is that they all think they're named Ci--we'll see if they figure out their real names again once the Northshoreview server comes back online (I see that it's been turned off since the end of the school year).

For reference here is the process for installing and running Radmind on a client for the first time. Once installed, we can configure automatic updates going forward. The next step, though, is installing Radmind on the remaining lab and classroom computers.

Best,
--Mark

Twelve steps for installing the Radmind client

1. Log in as the local administrator (admin on blue/grey screens, nsvadmin on the purple screens).
-- Cancel any automatic updates.

2. Open the local Utilities folder (Go / Utilities)

3. Open the Utilities folder on a computer that has the Radmind software
-- Go / Connect to Server
Server address: NS-Lab-Ch.local
Log in with the administrator password for *that* computer (always nsvadmin)
-- Mount Macintosh HD
-- Open Applications / Utilities

4. Copy the Radmind folder from the remote computer's Utilities folder to the local computer's Utilities folder

5. On the local computer, run Utilities / Radmind / Radmind Assistant

6. Install Radmind Tools
-- OK
-- Continue (3 times)
-- Agree
-- Click on Macintosh HD, then Continue
-- Install
Enter the local administrator password
-- Close

7. First-time run window
-- Click "I'm an old hand and want to update this client"
-- Continue (2 times)
-- Host: NS-Lab-Ch.local
Enter the local administrator password (2 times)

8. Check filesystem for changes to make
-- Click on Disable Checksums, then Continue
Runs for about 3 minutes

9. Apply Necessary Changes
-- Click on Disable Checksums, then Continue
-- Process (2 times)
Enter the local administrator password
Runs for about 7 minutes
-- Finish

10. Reboot now? Click Don't Reboot to finish the program (trying to reboot here fails)

11. Restart the computer (from the Apple menu)

12. Verify that you can log in (will now be purple screen, nsvadmin administrator account)


Notes on the Radmind server installation
--The Radmind server program is running on NS-Lab-Ch (an eMac, not the Xserve) so that computer must be on for the clients to run their updates.
--The Radmind positive transcript (collection of files to be installed/restored on all clients) was created from NS-Lab-Ci.
--If/when new transcripts need to be created, use Radmind Assistant to upload a new transcript to the Radmind server, then use the Radmind Server Manager tools on NS-Lab-Ch to update the command file that all clients will access.

-=- Mark Henderson, Ph.D.
=-= Mills College, Oakland, California USA
=-= Masters in Public Policy Program
-=- www.mills.edu/publicpolicy

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

[Techtrouble] Summer progress

Thanks Petra & co. for bringing over the rest of the donated equipment.
Thanks District staff for configuring the donated PCs--I ran into
Enrico (right name?) installing two in room 7 today and he said all
was going well.
FYI I'm trying out the Radmind updates on Lab Ch and Ci this week;
comments welcome.

Best,
--Mark

-=- Mark Henderson - Mills College -=-

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

PC installs

#1244735181Ticket number for install of Pc's to Kindergartens

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

[Techtrouble] [Fwd: Re: [Tech] [Fwd: FW: update on OS install]]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: [Tech] [Fwd: FW: [Techtrouble] update on OS install]
From: "Mark Henderson" <mhenderson@mills.edu>
Date: Mon, June 8, 2009 12:17 pm
To: "tech@nsmontessori.org" <tech@nsmontessori.org>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Melissa,

Glad to hear that Jason will be doing the server OS upgrade. Please pass
along these comments along with any others'.

To my knowledge there is no existing backup image of the server--other
techies please chime in if you know of one.

I also am not aware of any non-obvious configurations that we would want
to keep on the server (but again, others please chime in). Well, on
second thought, maybe there is one: the server is running a service that
allows students to log in to their Typing Master accounts (separate from
their MacOS accounts); we'll need to make sure that remains operational
after the upgrade.

As a reminder, two issues that we'd like to lose with this upgrade, if
possible, are (1) the Kerberos double-login problem and (2) the problem of
"ghost printers" reappearing in users' printer lists long after the actual
printers have been decommissioned.

Thanks,
--Mark


-=- Mark Henderson, Ph.D.
=-= Mills College, Oakland, California USA
=-= Masters in Public Policy Program
-=- www.mills.edu/publicpolicy
________________________________________
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: FW: [Techtrouble] update on OS install
From: "Jason Cowley" <jcowley@smfc.k12.ca.us>
Date: Fri, June 5, 2009 5:48 pm
To: melissa@nsmontessori.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey Melissa,,
I will be the one doing the upgrade on the xserve. I don't think it will
be necessary to meet with anyone unless there is special software they
need installed. It would be nice if they could make a list of any
configurations that are not obvious. I will also be making a backup
image of the server before I start. Do you know if there is already an
image made?

Thanks,
Jason

-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Armanino
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 10:47 AM
To: Jason Cowley
Subject: FW: [Techtrouble] update on OS install

Maybe you and I can meet with them or just you, your call.

-----Original Message-----
From: techtrouble-bounces@nsmontessori.org
[mailto:techtrouble-bounces@nsmontessori.org] On Behalf Of
melissa@nsmontessori.org
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 10:45 AM
To: techtrouble@nsmontessori.org
Subject: [Techtrouble] update on OS install

Just got some great news,
Rick Edson confirmed they would be happy to do the upgrade Os install
and
the client machines for us during the summer. Thank you, thank you!
We would like to know if Pat or Rick you would like to meet sometime
next
week for any info you may need from our group? Please advise.
I will be giving the software to Phyllis since she will be here for a
couple of weeks past the last day of school. Also you can feel free to
contact me if you need anything as well.
Thanks again,
Melissa and tech group.


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<http://nsmcomputer.blogspot.com>
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Friday, June 5, 2009

Memory for Server

Hi,

The additional memory for the northshoreview xserve is supposed to arrive "early next week." It's 4 GB (2 x 2 GB DIMMS). I can either install it myself or leave it for someone from the district, just let me know. It only

As I understand it, we need 5 GB minimum to install 10.5 Server, and we currently have 3 GB, so the total of 7 GB should suffice. If, when we run it under load (probably next fall), we notice paging or swapping, it should be quicker and cheaper to get more memory then. (We'll still have room for 4GB more, and could even swap out the two 512 MB DIMMS to get room for another 4GB at the cost of that 1GB.)

--Dennis

[Techtrouble] update on OS install

Just got some great news,
Rick Edson confirmed they would be happy to do the upgrade Os install and
the client machines for us during the summer. Thank you, thank you!
We would like to know if Pat or Rick you would like to meet sometime next
week for any info you may need from our group? Please advise.
I will be giving the software to Phyllis since she will be here for a
couple of weeks past the last day of school. Also you can feel free to
contact me if you need anything as well.
Thanks again,
Melissa and tech group.


_______________________________________________
Techtrouble@nsmontessori.org mailing list <http://nsmcomputer.blogspot.com>