APC password `changes` when deployed in a WDS image

[ade_01]

Hi,

We use APC at our school to remote manage PCs whilst users are logged in.
We also deploy our software via Windows Deployment Services when doing large software changes or updates.
I install APC as part of the image before running Sysprep, i configure it as I would on a client pc to run as a service and to set a password.
Once I finish creating the image I run the sysprep command and then capture the image to WDS.

What I`ve noticed is that when we re-deploy the image to workstations I can connect to APC on the PC to the point when it asks for the connection password, thing is - it tells me the password is wrong. I know exactly what it should be, but it has definately changed.
If I re-deploy APC to the PC and set the password, or change the password on the PC it will work fine, but obviously it will mean re-deploying to ALL 500+ PCs in the school.

Could someone tell me why the password seems to get changed during the sysprep procedure.

Regards
Ade

[Administrator]

Which version of Anyplace Control is used?

[ade_01]

Hi,
we are using version 5.1.0.0 - i notice you are on 5.2.1.0 now. I have mailed you to ask for a link to the download of the full version for this as we are licensed for 1000 PCs with version 5.
Hopefully this will cure the problem - is this an issue you are aware of?

Thanks

[Administrator]

The link to download the latest version of the software was sent.

[ade_01]

Will this fix the problem with the password change after sysprep then? Not been able to test it yet as I`ve literally just deployed a new image and wont be doing another image for a while yet.
Thanks

[Administrator]

None of our customers has not faced with the same issue. Thus it can be a problem of your environment.
Can you test the new version on one machine to see if it fixes the issue?

[ade_01]

I really dont see how it can be a problem with the `environment` - it is quite evident that after installing APC on a client PC and then running sysprep and redeploying it, that when you try to connect to the client PC APC is telling me the password I entered is wrong.

There is NO WAY our environment can cause that - I`m no programmer, but it is so obvious that it is something to do with APC or Microsoft sysprep. I expect that you will say it is anything but your software, but I dont see how that is possible since it is APC that stores the password I had given it. Why it should change once the PC is sysprepped i do not know. I`ll probably be referred by yourselves to Microsoft as it would be easy to say that it is their issue and not yours.
Also, APC has become progressivly more bug ridden over each version, it is unstable and cannot handle `bulk` deployment/connection.

When I deploy APC I usually do it one classroom at a time. Each class consists of around 30 PCs. When we re-image a room I then have to deploy APC to the room AGAIN due to the problem with the password on a newly deployed PC.
Bear in mind I already have the entire list of PCs for that class in my Groups folder, I cannot right click this selection of PCs and simply select `Install APC` - instead I have to delete them all. Then go to `Add Remote PC`, then wait for it to browse the domain , then I need to select all the PCs, then deploy APC ( in some cases the step by step deployment wizard goes over the same steps twice - a different bug I`ve since gotten used to ), once APC has deployed to the client PCs I see them populate the folder behind the installation window. Once installation is complete I click OK, and APC adds a second set of the same PCs to the same group!
So I am left with duplicate PCs in the class folder that I have to manually delete.
How hard would it be to have the option to right click and select EXISITING PCs in a group rather than have to delete them all and re-browse the domain?

The next bug is when I select a class of 30 PCs and try to connect. Each one pops up with the connection password box, witch I have copied to the clipboard. I got through each prompt pasting the password in to every PC - at some point I get the message `wrong password` then I carry on to the next PC ( this is if I dont get the error message about been unable to save to the addressbook.ini ).
Once I`ve gone through the whole class I can go back to the one or two PCs that said wrong password, I connect to them again and use the same stored password from my clipboard and viola! it works.
So why would APC tell me the password is wrong during a bulk connection yet work a few minutes later when connecting to ONE PC?
I`m sure the reason for this is probably connected to the same problem after a sysprep.

APC used to be able to handle me been connected to a whole class at once without crashing or popping up errors ( dont get me started on the access violation error that just floods your screen repeatedly with error pop ups and as quick as you can close them they pop back up again )
It seems to me APC has been especially flakey from v4 onwards - v3 was relativley stable and could hold connections and connect without all the errors I get with this version.

I`m expecting you will delete this post, as I`m hardly singing the praises of APC at the moment, but considering the trouble I have with it I`m not surprised.
Maybe I should video an hour of me using APC so you can clearly see the bugs I have to put up with , I`m used to the trivial ones now, and they are just part of my every day usage of APC.

Here`s hoping you can restore APC to its `former glory` - i put this in quotes because its never been a GREAT bit of software, but it certainly used to be more reliable than it is at the moment.
Any reason why APC has to disconnect and reconnect to a PC every time you log off or change user now? It never used to do that. Again, another undocumented feature I`ve grown used too.

Hope you will take these comments on board and try to do something about it rather than just delete my post ( which is what I expect )

Thanks for any help to cure these issues............

[Administrator]

We will check.
Did you try 5.2.1. version?

[ade_01]

Yep, tried new version and still get the same error.
Just for your information, i`ve just deployed APC ( in one bulk instruction ) to 30 PC`s in one classroom.
Manually typed in our password, then copied it to clipboard. APC installed to all PCs.
Then when I try to connect to them all in one go ( which was not a problem in v3 ) I get the password box prompt come up.
I go through each PC one at a time pasting the copied password into the box.
First of all about three PC`s came back with `Wrong Password`. When I connected to these machines afterwards the password went in. Weird.

Then I started getting the APC cannot write to the addressbook.ini for the last 10 or so machines. Now I`m getting a popup window with an application error.
Exception EAccessViolation in module apc_Admin.exe at 000051BB. Access violation at address 004051BB in module `apc_Admin.exe`. Read of address 1677FFF8.

This isn`t part of my original error/query - but it just demonstrates how glitchy APC can be more often than not...................

My real objective is to be able to install APC client on a PC before I sysprep it and image it, then to have it actually ACCEPT the CORRECT password once it has been deployed via WDS, instead of having to manually deploy APC to all the classrooms AGAIN.

Hoping for a reply of more than one sentence............................... :/

[ade_01]

Still waiting for some USEFUl input............... for ANY of the issues mentioned. :/
The tech support here is pretty poor.

[Administrator]

We are still working on the issue and test. The problem is - no other customer has not faced with the same issue.

[Administrator]

Our developers has informed that Anyplace Control has protection: saved passwords (in ini-file) are encrypted. For encryption is used hardware ID of PC as a key. Because each PC has unique hardware ID, it means that you will be unable to clone installed Anyplace Control.
It is protection.

If you want, our developer can develop special version for you which are applicable for cloning.
Please contact us via e-mail concerning custom development and inform us whether you are customer already (provide us with your order number)

[Administrator]