Security scans, OS updates and other activities kill PWB.

[rdelahunty]

We have distributed PWB 3.03.7 via a software bundle using ZENworks. IT have parcelled up the application, and have the PC log in automatically and impose the PWB lockdown. But almost all PCs eventually drop PWB and remain logged on as OPACUSER, allowing the PCs which should be locked down to the library catalog to be used by students to email and so on. I first suspected the problem might be the bundle, so I tried loading PWB manually and having it run via the Start menu. But again the PCs don't stay in the PWB interface.
I am increasingly sure that PWB is being interrupted by all the “other stuff” that happens during a day, such as McAffe scans, Windows updates, nags from Adobe to apply the latest patch and so on. My test effectively cut the software bundle out of the equation, but still the lockdown still fails. We did not have this problem with v.2 of PWB on Windows XP (which we used until recently), but we are, on v.3 on Windows 7.

The nearest posting I can find slightly related to this was mention of a bug in the inactivity timer with the "Exit" action. Apparently the workaround is setting the action to "Restart".

[Inactivity]
InactivityAction=Restart

I am testing that, but so far I have not been able to keep PWB forced to run on any of the PCs with it loaded. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Ray Delahunty
University of the Arts London

[Scott]

If PWB is closed do you see the Desktop?

Trying using [Security] RestartOnClose=True along with the [Inactivity]InactivityAction=Restart, and allow the patrons to close and restart PWB.

You could also try using the AutoRestart application available on the Downloads page to keep PWB running.

--Scott

[rdelahunty]

After PWB dies we are indeed left with the visible desktop. I have made the two changes in a test environment and everything looks OK. So I have had IT roll the change up into the software bundle and am having it distributed right now. Testing only a morning may not be enough, but I am very hopeful. (Am off next week, so it worth a try...). If it doesn't work, I'll try the AutoStart application.
Thanks for your quick help on this, Scott.

Ray Delahunty
University of the Arts London