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1. What is the easiest way to change the passwords on the new iBooks?
2. Can I give the teacher user administrative rights?
3. Does the Tech Lead have to set dial up usernames and phone numbers for students and teachers?
4. We received a box of Tech Tools CDs from Apple. What are they for?
5. How do I enable the Dashboard?
6. What happened to Bluetooth?
7. I received a Tech Update email from Apple with lots of great information, but now I can no longer find it. How do I get another copy?
8. What happened to middlemaine.org? Where are the TC Conferences?
9. Does the new MLTI Firewire Restore Drive work like the old one?
10. Why is the computer saying words to me while using Safari?
11. My desktop says "UNSUPPORTED". What happened?!
12. Does a user need administrative rights to configure add a printer? Use ARD?
13. Is there a command line interface to Apple Remote Desktop?
14. How do I enable Bluetooth?
15. How come I can't share a NoteShare notebook?
16. When I login to the laptop, it takes a very long time. Is this normal?
17. What do I need to do for the Battery Recall? What about the MLTI HS or old MLTI iBook G3s?
18. When a teacher's laptop wakes from sleep, it asks for the teacher's password. Why?
19. How do I request a Buffer Pool replacement laptop?
20. Can I run Software Update on the MLTI iBooks?
21. Where can I find tutorials on how to use the software on the iBook?
22. Where can I get a copy of the NoteShare document distributed at the Tech Lead workshop?
23. Where is the MLTI Policy Manual? Can I download it? Can I get a printed copy?
24. A laptop was transfered to my school, but it doesn't show up in the Asset Manager. How do I get the iBook added to our school's asset manager list?
25. What is the format for the bulk upload file for creating email/Studywiz accounts?
26. What is the minimum character length for email/Studywiz passwords?
27. Should I update the firmware on the MLTI installed Airport Extreme Base Stations?
28. Adobe Photoshop and/or Photoshop Elements crash when I try and use them. What do I do to make these work?
29. Tech Lead Conference Call, January 23, 2007 Podcast
30. Tech Lead Podcast #2, February 15, 2007
31. When is the new image going to be released? How will I get it?
32. I've been asked to return devices to the Buffer Pool because my school's enrollment is dropping. How do I do that?
33. Tech Lead Podcast #3, October 2, 2007
34. Tech Lead Podcast #4, December 21, 2007
35. Tech Lead Podcast #5, January 11, 2008

Question #1:
What is the easiest way to change the passwords on the new iBooks?

Answer #1:
Both the new deployment and the MLTI HS deployment included a copy of Apple Remote Desktop. Using the "Send UNIX Command" option, you can change the password(s) on the laptops remotely. Provided a target machine is turned on and not sleeping, select the device (you may select multiple devices as well. Shift-click will allow you to select groups of devices, and Command-click will allow you to select non-contiguous devices in the list). Then use the Send Unix Command to send the password change command as the root user. You may need to authenticate to do this. When prompted to authenticate for a device, you must enter "admin" as user and then the current admin user password on that device.

The UNIX commad syntax is:

dscl . -passwd /Users/admin PaSsWoRd

You can substitute admin in the command above with other users (teacher, parent, student) on the device to change other user account passwords. In the above example, the new admin password would be changed to PaSsWoRd. The password is case-sensitive.

NOTE: Once you have performed this action, you will need to reauthenticate to the device in ARD in order to perform further remote actions since you just changed the password! In addition, in the Send UNIX Command window, look at the top right corner and you will find a drop-down menu with a host of other things you can do by remote control!!

Click here to view a quicktime movie of this action using Apple Remote Desktop v3 (which was shipped to each MLTI II school. MLTI HS participants have a copy of ARD v2 which is very similar in look and feel).

Question #2
Can I give the teacher user administrative rights?

Answer #2
No. The Teacher user should not be given administrative rights. If a teacher needs administrative rights, the Tech Lead should set the admin user password to a unique password on the teacher's iBook. This unique admin user password may be shared with the teacher. When the teacher needs to perform actions which require administrative rights, the teacher can either authenticate as the admin user or login as the admin user. If you change the teacher user to an administrative user, the MLTI image will not function correctly. The user will see inconsistent behavior and could experience data loss. Once done, you cannot change the user back. If a teacher user is granted administrative rights, the laptop MUST be reimaged.

NOTE: If your school has purchased additional copies of Apple Remote Desktop, the teacher user may be given rights to use the software without being an administrative user. Login as admin, and go to the Sharing Preference pane. Select Apple Remote Desktop under the Services tab, and then select Access Privileges.

Question 3:
Does the Tech Lead have to set dial up usernames and phone numbers for students and teachers?

Answer 3:
No. Any user may launch the Internet Connect application and enter dial up settings. To do so, first select the "Home" network location.

Question 4:
We received a box of Tech Tools CDs from Apple. What are they for?

Answer 4:
The Tech Tools CDs were shipped as a normal procedure since the Apple MLTI iBooks are covered by the Applecare Protection Plan. However, the CDs should not be used on MLTI laptops.

Question 5:
How do I enable the Dashboard?

Answer 5:
Dashboard has been disabled on the MLTI laptops and cannot be reenabled. Dashboard provides easy access to web-based information, but it is also a battery drain. In order to help ensure adequate battery life, Dashboard was disabled.

Question 6:
What happened to Bluetooth?

Answer 6:
Bluetooth was disabled by default. It may be enabled by running a package that is preinstalled in the admin user's MyApps folder. To do so, you can either manually login to an iBook as admin, and run the package called "EnableBluetooth" or use Apple Remote Desktop to run the packkage remotely. To do so, use the Send UNIX command feature to send the following command:

installer -pkg /Users/admin/MyApps/EnableBluetooth.pkg -target /

The above command is a single line of text. Send the command as 'root'.

Bluetooth can be disabled once enabled by running the companion package, "DisableBluetooth".

Question 7:
I received a Tech Update email from Apple with lots of great information, but now I can no longer find it. How do I get another copy?

Answer 7:
Tech Updates are archived in the MLTI Asset Manager. You can find them here.

Question 8:
What happened to middlemaine.org? Where are the TC Conferences?

Answer 8:
The middlemaine.org domain has been retired. Those functions previously associated with that domain are being migrated to the mlti.org domain name. Electronic mail addresses will be made available this fall hosted on servers managed by Apple. A new collaboration and online learning management system will be introduced as well. Specific details on these systems will be distributed as they become available. Technical conferences previously called the TC Conferences will also be incorporated into the new collaboration environment.

Question 9:
Does the new MLTI Firewire Restore Drive work like the old one?

Answer 9:
Yes, the MLTI Firewire Restore Drive does work like the old drive. Just as in the previous deployment, to reimage a laptop, connect the drive to the computer's firewire port, then select the drive from the laptop's Startup Disk preference pane in System Preferences. Then reboot. You may also place packages (ends in .pkg) into the Packages folder on the drive, then those packages will be installed after the image is restored to the laptop.

The image will take about 35 minutes to restore a computer because the new image is much larger than the previous image.

NEVER use the included USB cable or the USB power cable.

Question 10:
Why is the computer saying words to me while using Safari?

Answer 10:
Eloquent Software and MetaTheory donated to software to MLTI which allows a student to point at a word in Safari, then the computer will download and play a recorded human voice speaking the word. For many students, hearing words spoken by a person is more effective than hearing a word generated by a synthesized computer voice. In addition, the plug-in will display a popup that shows a dictionary definition of the word.

This behavior may be changed in the LiveDictionary preferences. To access these settings, a user may click on the book icon that appears to the right of the Help menu when Safari is active, then select Preferences. By changing the "Active Popup" in the Popup section to "Disabled", then you will completely disable the functionality. You may also configure the plug-in to activate in conjunction with a keystroke or other input.

Users may also select a different dictionary. Preinstalled, there are three dictionaries, 1) AudioAssistedText (this is the one that talks), 2) English Dictionary (will display definitions), and 3) Thesaurus (will display synonyms).

Question 11:
My desktop says "UNSUPPORTED". What happened?!

Answer 11:
There are two scenarios when this will occur: 1) If an admin user creates a new user account, that user account will get the UNSUPPORTED desktop image, or 2) If an admin user enables "Administrative Rights" for the teacher, student, or parent account, that user will get the UNSUPPORTED desktop image.

Neither scenario is recommended nor supported by MLTI. If new accounts are created, those accounts will exhibit abherent behavior and should not be used. Any additional user accounts created should be deleted. If a non-administrative user account is granted administrative rights, that user account will also begin to exhibit abherent behavior. If administrative rights are granted to a non-administrative user account, then that iBook must be reimaged in order to return the iBook back to a supported and usable condition. Disabling administrative rights for the user account will not return the user account to normal.

Question 12:
Does a user need administrative rights to configure add a printer? Use ARD? _____?

Answer 12:
No. Any user may add printers using the Printer Setup Utility, and non-administrative users may be granted rights to use Apple Remote Desktop from the Sharing preference pane (you must login as admin to set the privileges once).

If additional printer drivers are needed, the building Tech Lead may push software, drivers, or any other files to the iBooks through the network using Apple Remote Desktop.

If a teacher needs administrative right, please see Question 2.

Question 13:
Is there a command line interface to Apple Remote Desktop?

Answer 13:
Yes. There are two very powerful (Geek alert! These tools are powerful, but do require command line experience!) tools, networksetup and systemsetup. They are buried deep in the system and can be found at /System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDagent.app/Contents/Support

Question 14:
How do I enable Bluetooth?

Answer 14:
By default, Bluetooth is disabled for all users. To enable Bluetooth on one iBook, login as the admin user. In the MyApps folder of the admin user, you will find a package called "EnableBluetooth.pkg". Run this package to enable Bluetooth. To disable Bluetooth, run the package called "Disable Bluetooth.pkg" found in the same folder. To enable Bluetooth on multiple iBooks or to enable Bluetooth remotely, use Apple Remote Desktop. Use the "Send UNIX command" option on the Manage menu in ARD. Send the following command to as many iBooks as needed, and send it as the root user.

installer -pkg /Users/admin/MyApps/EnableBluetooth.pkg -target /

The above command is a single line, no line breaks.

Question 15:
How come I can't share a NoteShare notebook?

Answer 15:
By default, all may connect to a shared notebook, but they cannot initiate the sharing of a notebook to other users. If you want to enable sharing for all users on a laptop, login as the admin user and run the "EnableNoteShareSharing.pkg" package found in the MyApps folder. You can use Apple Remote Desktop to run the package remotely on one or many laptops. To disable NoteShare sharing, run the "DisableNoteShareSharing.pkg" package. To do, use the "Send Unix command" option on the Manage menu in ARD. Send the floowing command to as many iBooks as needed, and send it as the root user:

installer -pkg /Users/admin/MyApps/EnableNoteShareSharing.pkg -target /

The above command is a single line, no line breaks.

Question 16:
When I login to the laptop, it takes a very long time. Is this normal?

Answer 16:
The first time a user logs in to the MLTI laptop, it will take a longer than normal amount of time to get to the desktop. This initial login process should only occur once. Subsequent logins should be faster.

Question 17:
What do I need to do for the Battery Recall? What about the MLTI HS or old MLTI iBook G3s?

Answer 17:
In the new MLTI iBook G4 deployment, only four devices were identified by Apple as having batteries that were subject to the recall. Those schools have been contacted, and Apple is working directly with those schools to replace the battery. For more information related to the new MLTI iBook G4 deployment, please click here.

For devices deployed as part of the MLTI HS program or the first MLTI Middle School deployment, schools should check the batteries in these devices to determine if they should be replaced. Specific instructions and protocols for checking and ordering replacements are included in the following documents: Battery Letter (.pdf) | Battery Order Form (.xls)

Question 18:
When a teacher's laptop wakes from sleep, it asks for the teacher's password. Why?

Answer 18:
This setting is to protect teacher data. This ensures that non-authorized users do not gain access to a teacher's laptop or data which likely contains sensative student information. Using the default energy saver settings, if a user connects the iBook to the power adapter, it will never sleep. Other sleep settings can be selected and viewed in the 1to1Prefs Preference Pane in System Preferences. Any user may select from among the 5 preset energy saver configurations.

Question 19:
How do I request a Buffer Pool replacement laptop?

Answer 19:
Buffer replacement laptops will be shipped in exchange for the broken device from the MLTI Local Depot. If a laptop requires non-warranty repairs, please follow these steps:

1. Dispatch the unit to the MLTI Local Depot using the same online web site, https://mlti.bellind.net/apple/ that is used for warranty repairs. When completing the dispatch, please include a PO number in the AppleCare case number field. Select "Yes" in the "Accidental Damage" dropdown and a subsequent damage type (impact damage, etc.). The PO will not be billed against until the repair quote is provided, accepted by the school, and the repair completed.
2. The MLTI Depot will contact the MLTI Tech Lead with a cost estimate for repair. The school may choose to pay for the repair, request a Buffer Pool replacement, or have the laptop returned to the school.
3. If you choose to request a Buffer Pool replacement, then use the MLTI Asset Manager (http://assets.mlti.org) to request a replacement (go to the Detail screen in the MLTI Asset Manager for the iBook in question, then click on Request Replacement).
4. The MLTI Project Office will approve or deny the request. If approved, the MLTI Local Depot will keep the damaged unit and ship to your school a replacement device. Your school's Buffer Allotment will be reduced by one. If the request is denied, the broken unit will be returned to the school.

If a Buffer Pool replacement request is denied, or the school chooses to have the device returned unrepaired, the school is still responsible for returning the device to good working order. Work should be done by an in-house certified mobile computer technician or by a Department approved Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Question 20:
Can I run Software Update on the MLTI iBook?

Answer 20:
NO. The MLTI image is a custom version of Mac OS X. If you run any of the Apple updates delivered through Software Update, that program may become unusable. If you run the Mac OS X 10.4.8 updater, you will render the entire device unusable. In order to restore the device, you will have to dispatch the unit to the MLTI Local Depot to be restore. Please call the AppleCare Help Desk (1-800-919-2775 [4MLTI]) and follow normal dispatching procedures.

Question 21:
Where can I find tutorials on how to use the software on the iBooks?

Answer 21:
Every iBook has Apple's Learning Center preloaded on its hard disk. These tutorials cover Apple software titles including the operating system, iLife, and iWork suites. In addition, it has tutorials on using Apple Remote Desktop. These tutorials even include quicktime videos with demonstrations. You can find these resources by following the springboard link on the default MLTI dock labeled "Learning Center". If you have removed that icon, the content is found at:

/Library/Documentation/Learning%20Center/Learning_Center/index.html

In addition, Apple has many online guides on their web site. Please see:

• http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/
• http://www.apple.com/support/switch101/

For third-party software loaded on the MLTI device, you may find resources on each manufacturer's web site. A list of these sites can be found here.

Question 22:
Where can I get a copy of the NoteShare document distributed at the Tech Lead workshop?

Answer 22:
That document is currently archived in the Studywiz server.

Question 23:
Where is the MLTI Policy Manual? Can I download it? Can I get a printed copy?

Answer 23:
The MLTI Policy Manual is currently available in web form only. The document is still under revision and new sections are being added. Therefore, at this time, it is published on the web only to ensure that you are seeing the most current version. You can find the most current copy of the MLTI Policy Manual here.

Question 24:
A laptop was transfered to my school, but it doesn't show up in the Asset Manager. How do I get the iBook added to our school's asset manager list?

Answer 24:
When a laptop is transfered to a different school, the sending school should initiate a transfer of the Asset Manager record. To do so, click on the Details link for the laptop, then click the Request Transfer button. Select the new school from the drop down menu, and enter any applicable notes, then click Transfer.

This request will be queued up in the Department's transfer queue. Once approved, it will then queued in the receiving school's Asset Transfer Notifications block. When the device is received, the receiving school should inspect the device to make sure it wasn't damaged in transit. Then, accept the trasnfer in the Asset Transfer Notification module of the Asset Manager. This will complete the transfer in the Asset Manager, and signifies the receiving school's acceptance of responsibilty for the device. You will need to wait 24 hours after acceptance before you can create a repair dispatch on that device.

Question 25:
What is the format for the bulk upload file for creating email/Studywiz accounts?

Answer 25:
Schools must obtain the bulk upload file from MEDMS. In each SAU at least one MEDMS login will allow an SAU to download the necessary file that is already formatted and prepared to the exact specifications needed for upload. To download the file, schools should have their MEDMS administrator login to MEDMS, then select "Download Data" on the first drop down menu then click Go. Then select "Student Enrollments" from the second drop down menu then click Go. On the Download Data screen, select "7th and 8th Grade Students for MLTI" from the "Select a file to Download" drop down menu.

The file that is downloaded will be named "MEDMS_StudentDownload.xls". Do not open/edit/modify the file. Simply upload it using the interface in the MLTI Asset Manager.

Question 26:
What is the minimum character length for email/Studywiz passwords?

Answer 26:
Passwords that are set manually should be at least 8 characeters long.

Question 27:
Should I update the firmware on the MLTI installed Airport Extreme Base Stations?

Answer 27:
No. The firmware version that is already installed on the MLTI installed Airport Extreme Base Stations is the correct version. Upgrading the firmware on the MLTI Airport Extreme Base Stations will cause network performance issues and is a violation of the MLTI Agreement between the SAU and the Department of Education. Schools should not alter any settings or firmware on the Airport Extreme Base Stations.

Question 28:
Adobe Photoshop and/or Photoshop Elements crash when I try and use them. What do I do to make these work?

Answer 28:
Go to System Prefs > Appearance, and change the "Turn off text smoothing for font sizes" setting to 8 or smaller. In general, simply changing the value to something different should work. Once the change has been made, you should be able to launch Photoshop or Elements. The setting may be changed again back to the original value once you have launched the application at least once. This change should be done from within the user account that is using the software. Doing the cahnge from admin will only affect the admin login.

Question 29:
Tech Lead Conference Call, January 23, 2007 Podcast

To listen to the recording of the first Tech Lead conference call, please follow the link below. In addition, below is a link that should allow you to subscribe to the iTunes feed for this podcast (and any future installments).

Listen now!

Subscribe to the MLTI Tech Lead Podcast in iTunes!

Question 30:
Tech Lead Podcast #2, February 15, 2007

Tips for Studywiz user creation,...

Listen now!

Subscribe to the MLTI Tech Lead Podcast in iTunes!

Question 31:
When is the new image going to be released? How will I get it?

Answer 31:
The new image will be released in mid-June. It will be a Tiger-based image very similar to the current image. Each school will receive DVD media sets mailed to the school. Please keep an eye out for this maiing in mid-June. The DVDs will include instructions on how to use the media to update your 1to1 Firewire Restore Drives. Once you have updated your firewire drives, you can use them to reimage MLTI devices to the new image.

Question 32:
I've been asked to return devices to the Buffer Pool because my school's enrollment is dropping. How do I do that?

Answer 32:
Please see instructions for this process posted here.

Question 33:
Tech Lead Podcast #3, October 2, 2007

Enhanced podcast with images on how to import MEDMS data to create Studywiz user accounts.

Listen now!

Subscribe to the MLTI Tech Lead Podcast in iTunes!

Question 34:
Tech Lead Podcast #4, December 21, 2007

Enhanced podcast overviewing the new MEA Online system.

Listen now!

Subscribe to the MLTI Tech Lead Podcast in iTunes!

Question 35:
Tech Lead Podcast #5, January 11, 2008

I discuss the Buffer Pool, the image, Studywiz accounts, and an official farewell to David McKee!

Listen now!

Subscribe to the MLTI Tech Lead Podcast in iTunes!

If you have other questions about laptop usage or configurations, please call the Applecare Help Desk, 1-800-919-2775 (4MLTI) or send them to Jeff Mao, jeff.mao@maine.gov.