Edexcel GCSE 2009 e-spec Introduction 2 Minimum requirements 2 Hardware 2 Software 2 How do I install the e-spec? 3 Installing e-spec on a network 3 Running e-spec 4 PC users 4 To start e-spec when installed 4 To close e-spec 4 Mac users 4 Printing and saving pdf files 5 Customising Word files 5 Updates 5 How are updates delivered? 5 Supporting applications 7 Adobe Reader 7 Flash Player 7 Word, Excel and PowerPoint Viewers 7 Technical information 7 Installing e-spec 7 Uninstalling e-spec 8 Minimum hardware requirements for server 8 Minimum software requirements for server 8 Whiteboards 9 Networks 9 Screen setup 9 Technical support 9 Content support 9 1
Introduction The e-spec is an interactive version of the specification that is designed to be used with, and to enhance, the specification. The site licence edition of e-spec, included on this CD, is for use on the centre network. Minimum requirements Hardware The following hardware is the minimum required for the PC to use this e-spec, whether it is a standalone PC or on a network (a client PC): IBM compatible PC Intel Pentium 3 600 MHz processor or equivalent 256 MB RAM 1 GB free space on hard disk Sound card and speakers CD-ROM drive 16x 1024 x 768 screen resolution 100Base-T Ethernet NIC for networked installation. Other hardware requirements Teachers and system administrators may be interested in other hardware requirements: Minimum hardware requirements for server Whiteboards Networks Software The following software is the minimum required for the PC to use this e-spec, whether it is a standalone PC or on a network (a client PC): Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 OR Windows XP (Professional or Home editions) Service Pack 2 or higher Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 Service Pack 2 or higher Macromedia Flash Player plug-in (8 or higher) - available from www.adobe.com Adobe Reader (7 or higher) - available from www.adobe.com Microsoft Office (2000 or higher) - a 60 day free trial version is available for download at www.microsoft.com OR download the free viewer applications from the same site: - Word Viewer (2003 Version 1) - Excel Viewer (2003 Version 1) - PowerPoint Viewer (2003 Version 6.0.2600.0) 2
How do I install the e-spec? 1. Check that your hardware and software meet the minimum requirements to support e- Spec. 2. If your PC meets the requirements, download or install any supporting applications that you need. 3. Finally, install e-spec. Installing e-spec on a network You can install in any of the following ways: 1. On your local hard drive. 2. On your network server (mapped network drive) It is strongly recommended that you install e-spec on the network drive at your centre. If the e- Spec is installed and registered, you can automatically be informed of any updates and can elect to receive free upgrades. Installing the e-spec is the only way of ensuring you are using the latest version. If you cannot install and update the e-spec you will need to check the Edexcel website regularly to find the latest version of it. When installed locally, with administrative privileges, you should set the update frequency by going to the Start menu, then navigating to Edexcel, e-spec, the subject folder, then Help. Click the Configure Updates menu item to set the frequency. Click the Update now menu item to check immediately for updates. By default, the e-spec will automatically check for updates when it is run. When installed on a network server, the update frequency should be set to Never, as the updater must be run on the machine that installed the software. Your Network Administrator should install the software to the server, and configure a Windows Scheduled Task to execute the updater as required. Further information on installation and updaters can be found in the Readme.txt file on the CD- ROM. To install the e-spec, a teacher or system administrator should do the following: Check that your hardware and software meet or exceed the minimum requirements to support e-spec. If your PC meets the requirements, download or install any supporting applications that you need. Finally, install e-spec by running the installer and following the on-screen instructions. - Insert the CD and allow Autorun to start the Launcher choose the Install option. - Alternatively, browse the CD and run the Launcher as above, or the Setup.exe After installing the software, you should immediately check for updates. Note if you have registered for updates you will receive email notification of any update to the online e-spec, and will have the opportunity to download replacement files in a Microsoft Installer format (.MSI or.msp). 3
Running e-spec PC users Remember that you have to install e-spec to receive updates. If you have not installed e- Spec on either your PC or the network, always check that you have the latest version of the e-spec which is held on the Edexcel website. Insert the CD-ROM into your CD-drive. If Autorun is enabled then the launcher program will start after a few seconds. Otherwise go to your file management tools and double click on the Launcher icon. Click the Launch e-spec button. The e-spec splash screen will be displayed, to be replaced by the e-spec homepage after a few seconds. To start e-spec when installed Double-click the e-spec icon on your desktop. Alternatively, select Start > Programs > Edexcel > e-spec > subject (e.g. Art & Design) > GCSE e-spec subject Initially the e-spec splash screen is displayed, to be replaced by the homepage screen after a few seconds. To close e-spec Select the x button in the top right-hand corner of the window. If you have any other windows open, they will be closed too. Mac users Mac users have the option to either run the software from the CD-ROM (not recommended) or copy the files to the application folder on their computer. It will not automatically install and automatic updates will not be possible. Please check the Edexcel website to make sure you have the most up-to-date version of the e-spec. We strongly recommend that you place the e-spec on the network so that you can centrally maintain an up-to-date version for Macintosh users. Note if you have registered for updates you will receive email notification of an update to the online e-spec, and will have the opportunity to download replacement files in a disc image (.DMG) format. After the CD is inserted in the computer you will see a folder view of the CD s contents: Licence.rtf this contains the terms of use for the software. If you use the software, you are judged to have accepted the terms contained therein. We recommend that you read the terms carefully. Readme.txt this will include instructions for copying the files to the application directory on the user s machine. This also highlights the importance of checking regularly for updates. The e-spec folder (containing the e-spec). A shortcut to the installed e-spec application that can be dragged to the dock. Read the Licence and the Readme files carefully. If you agree with the Licence terms, you may install the e-spec by dragging the e-spec folder onto the Application folder within the CD Window. Once the e-spec has copied, drag the e-spec shortcut to your dock. 4
Printing and saving pdf files All of the material from the Teacher s Guide, Specification, and Assessment tabs of the e-spec is available in hard copy. You can order a bound copy from Edexcel Publications, Adamsway, Mansfield, Notts, NG18 4FN. For your convenience, all of the material is available for printing or saving as individual page pdfs from the e-spec. You can print or save pages by going to the tab of each section and opening the pdf files at the top of each page Customising Word files Some of the Teacher s Guide documents are available in Word format so that you can customise them to be suitable for use in your centre. You will find the Word files on the Homepage. You may need to adjust the formatting depending on the settings on your machine. Updates Updates can be delivered directly via the Internet if: the e-spec has been installed, or, in the case of Mac users, manually copied to the application folder you are on-line. It is estimated that there will be one update per year. How will you know there is an update available? Remember that if you do not install the e-spec you will need to check the Edexcel website for the latest version of the e-spec, and some of the content of the e-spec on CD-ROM (or your computer) may be out of date. How are updates delivered? Automatic delivery When you launch the product, it will check to see if an update is available, according to the preferences that you set. The frequency will depend on the settings selected after installing the product. Click Start > Programs > Edexcel > e-spec > <subject> > Help > Configure this updater. Select the appropriate frequency that you wish to have the e-spec checked and click OK. 5
You may also wish to use the manual check (below) to a ensure that you are up-to-date. Manual delivery Go to the program menu, find the e-spec application and select the appropriate Update e-spec menu item. If an update is available you will be prompted to install it. Otherwise you will receive a prompt informing you that the product is up-to-date: Manual checking for updates You can also check for updates from the Specification tab in the e-spec. This will take you to the relevant web page with the (dated) update files. You can download these files and open them accordingly: PC MSI (whole current e-spec this will be a large download). PC MSP (A patch file that will convert your existing e-spec installation to the correct up-to-date version). Macintosh DMG (a whole-disc image file containing the entire e-spec). Macintosh DMG 2 (containing only the changed files to convert your existing e-spec installation to the correct up-to-date version). 6
Supporting applications Adobe Reader In order to view PDF documents while using e-spec, you need the Adobe Reader (Version 7 or higher), which is downloadable from the Adobe website: www.adobe.com Flash Player In order to view some Video resources, you should ensure that you have installed the Adobe Flash Player plug-in for your web browser (Version 8 or higher). This is downloadable from the Adobe website: www.adobe.com/ Word, Excel and PowerPoint Viewers If you do not already have Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint on your computer you can use the Word, Excel and PowerPoint viewers, or the trial version of MS Office, all of which are downloadable from the Microsoft website: www.microsoft.com Technical information Installing e-spec Windows PC: A setup.msi file is included on the CD, this may be used by system administrators to execute scripted installs across a network (e.g. msiexec /q \\server\share\setup.msi), or to distribute the software with Active Directory using Group Policy Objects. Please refer to your server documentation and/or www.microsoft.com for further details. Installing e-spec on an RM CC3 network Please visit http://centraal.uk.knowledgebox.com/kbase/ and click on the CD-ROMs category to check availability of repackaged MSI files for CC3 systems. Alternatively, you may distribute from the.msi file that is included on the CD-ROM this should be accompanied with the other files located on the CD. To deploy a package to a workstation: Go to the RM Resource Manager. Right-click on Main Site. Choose Update package list. Select a workstation and edit properties. Add the package to the workstation. Add the shortcut to the appropriate user groups as normal. Note: Depending on your workstation security configuration, you may need to run the installed title (when logged in as System Administrator) alongside RM ACL Detective. This will be indicated by proper functioning when logged in as System Administrator, but impaired, or non-functioning operation when logged in as a pupil. In this instance, you will need to identify specific areas of the hard disc, which require 'unlocking' for all users. Distribute the package (and any prerequisites) to a clean workstation and log in as System Administrator. After running RM ACL Detective whilst exploring your e-spec, you should find a file named WriteAccess.ini placed alongside the appropriate MSI file on the server. Edit this ini file with Notepad, and ensure that the appropriate file system areas are tagged for Everyone=0x1301BF. After making changes to your WriteAccess.ini file, you must run the RMGPOUpdateUtility.exe from the server. Installing e-spec on a Windows network 1. Install the software to an appropriate shared directory. 2. Check for updates before continuing. 7
3. Go to 'Start' > 'Programs' > 'Edexcel' > 'e-spec'. 4. Open the subject e-spec folder that you wish to update. 5. Click 'Help'. 6. Click 'Update the e-spec'. 7. Click the 'Configure updates' menu item to set the update frequency to 'Never' (this will prevent your client workstations attempting to update the software). 8. Create a new Scheduled Task to execute the e-spec<subject>updater.exe file - set the frequency to weekly. 9. Open the advanced attributes, and add a command line parameter to the target of '/checknow' to execute the updater correctly. 10. Set an appropriate user as invoker of the task, ideally one where the password is unlikely to change (otherwise updates may fail). 11. From a workstation, access the shared folder through the mapped network drive (e.g. P:\Network Programs\Installed folder\). 12. With the folder open, right-click on the e-spec application and click Copy. 13. Provided that all relevant workstations map the shared drive as the same drive letter, you can paste this shortcut into your chosen distribution system. Refer to your specific server documentation for specific automated distribution mechanisms i.e. ActiveDirectory, SMS, WinSuite etc. Uninstalling e-spec To uninstall e-spec: Open the Control Panel (Start > Settings) and select Add or Remove Programs. Select the e-spec from the list and click Remove. Uninstalling e-spec from an RM CC3 network To remove the package from a workstation: Go to the RM Resource Manager. Right-click on Main Site. Choose Update package list. Select a workstation and edit properties. Remove the package from the workstation. Remove the shortcut from the appropriate user groups as normal. To completely remove the package from the network: Log on at the distribution server and locate the e-spec folder e.g. D:\RMNetwork\RMManage\Packages\Applications\Edexcel\e-Spec\. Delete the appropriate MSI file and data. Uninstalling e-spec from a Windows network From the server, open the control panel Start>Settings>Control Panel and double-click Add or remove programs. Select the program that you wish to uninstall and click Remove. Remove the shortcuts from the client workstations using the method that created them. Minimum hardware requirements for server The following hardware is the minimum required for the server you use to run the e-spec when installed on the network: Pentium 4 2GHz 1GB RAM 1000Base-T recommended 20% free hard drive space on shared partition. Minimum software requirements for server The following software is the minimum required for the server you use to run the e-spec: Windows 2000 Server sp4. Note that Windows NT Server is no longer maintained by Microsoft and cannot be supported. 8
Whiteboards The following interactive whiteboards are supported: Hitachi Software Promethean ACTIVboard Smart Technologies SMART Board Networks The following networks are supported: Windows 2000 Server Windows 2003 Server RM Community Connect 3 Screen setup e-spec is designed to display best at a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 with 32-bit colour. Check and, if necessary, change your settings in this way: Right-click on your desktop and select Properties from the menu displayed. Select the Settings tab. If it is not already selected, select True Color (32-bit) from the Colors drop-down menu. If it is not already selected, select 1024 by 768 pixels from the Screen area drop-down menu. Click the OK button. If you have changed the colour setting, the Compatibility Warning dialog box is displayed. Select the radio button labelled Restart the computer with the new colour settings. The PC will restart and the display will use the new settings. If you have only changed the screen area setting, the Display properties dialog box appears. Select the OK button in the dialog box. The screen (alarmingly!) goes blank for a second and then the Monitor settings dialog box is displayed. If your display looks stable and readable, select the OK button in the dialog box. The display continues to use the new screen settings. If the PC is shared, either by school or family, don t forget to change the settings back at the end of your session. Technical support If you encounter technical problems when installing or using e-spec, please refer to the Readme file on the CD, visit the website: http://centraal.uk.knowledgebox.com/kbase/, send an email to schools.cd-romhelpdesk@pearson.com including your contact details, or call us on +44 (0)870 607 3777, Monday to Friday during office hours. Content support For queries about the content of this e-spec, you can find support in two different ways: For queries relating to running this specification in your centre, please visit Ask Edexcel at www.edexcel.com/ask. If you cannot find the answer to your query, you can email us from there and we will respond with the answer. If your query is about the content of the specification or sample assessment materials, you can email a dedicated subject expert who will then respond, visit www.edexcel.com/asktheexpert for more information Alternatively, please call our customer service representatives on 0870 240 9800. 9