Installing TestNav

[Stephen Lien]

Alright...I'm going to try my best to make this not sound *too* much like a rant. With that disclaimer aside...

I really hate TestNav. Never since the early days of Windows have I seen such a disfunctional piece of software been given such an important task. Though I could go on-and-on about my frustrations with the software, I'd like to ask others out there how they currently install the software, and if anyone has a more efficient method than what I currently do.

On each workstation, I need to:
1) Run the install utility
2) Set permissions for the C:\program files\testnav\temp directory
3) Delete the links formed on the desktop & start menu whose permissions are set for only the administrator to have access to
4) Create a new shortcut with permissions set for access by everyone
5) Disable the Windows firewall

On every workstation (that hasn't had TestNav installed on it before). Is this what everyone is doing? I'd just like to know if anyone else is sharing the same frustration I'm having with this piece of junk.

[Dianne C. Tillman]

I do the same procedure on each computer. I only have to install it on 25 computers, so I feel for people who have many more machines than that on which to install it. Indus was one of the schools that did the "test run" of the online science testing using TestNav in the spring of 2007, I believe it was. That was only about 4 months after I became a computer tech, having had no formal or informal training whatsoever. I was hearing nightmare stories about the process and I was terrified. But I installed everything following the instructions in the Pearson manuals and the testing went off without a hitch and has done so each year since. I just finished my second round of GRAD re-testing, which also uses TestNav and again, no problems. I guess I hesitate to write this reply because I fear I am the only person who hasn't had trouble and I am wondering why that is. It certainly has nothing to do with my level of expertise (or lack thereof).

[Brian Norman]

ummm, I believe you missed a very important part, you don't need to install the app on each workstation. You install it on one workstation, copy the testnav folder to your server and run it from there on your workstations. Magic, it works for everyone. When you need to update you just update it one place, copy it up again, and your set.

If you need more info regarding the installation procedure let me know.

[Randy Dahl]

I'm sure we all have it setup a little different, here is how we do it at GMR.
I use Ardence Server which allows me to have one image for all the desktops of the same model. The image is in read only; I unlock the image from Ardence management console.
Boot up the computer.
Login in with "TestNav" as the user, Testnav user has a local profile.
the password is changed each time we do tests and in between tests the account is disabled.
run the install and make sure the txt file is pointing to my Proxy server (2008) which is a virtual server that I bring up only during testing times.
set IE proxy settings to the Virtual Server.
leave icons on desktop.
run a test.
shut the wkstn down and lock the image in ardence, turn on all computers that go with that image from the Ardence Server. I'm all done. One image for all computers.
Proctors get the username and password ahead of time; they log in all the computers and bring up testnav on all computers that will be used. They then select the assigned student for that computer and select the test that they will take.
So if TestNav version doesn't change in between testing times, then i just turn on the cacheing server and download tests into cache and I’m done.
I like TestNav allot better then NWEA Test taker

[Stephen Lien]

I realize that Brian's solution (and Randy's solution, though I don't have Ardence Server) would make the 32-computer installation more work than it's worth. But, since TestNav was rolled out slowly, and we started w/ just a 15-computer lab, I got into the habit of installing TestNav on individual computers.

What irritates me to no end is how ad-hoc the software feels. Why does the program install shortcuts w/ permissions set for only the Administrator? Every other program under the sun either sets a shortcut for all users, or prompts you for the option of one user / all users. In addition, why does TestNav require read access to the C:\program files\testnav\temp directory when every user who logs into an XP workstation has write access to the %userprofile%\local settings\temp directory? How in the world can they not program TestNav to take advantage of the user profile?

From an engineering standpoint, it irritates me to no end that Pearson's hasn't figured out how to incorporate these solutions to make the installation and operation of their program easier for an end user. An installation should install a program 100% without further intervention and manual adjustments that TestNav demands.

[Brian Norman]

Sorry I was so slow in replying, I was at the Apple conference in Grand Forks yesterday. The koolaid was running pretty strong, but I managed to escape with my Windows 7 netbook before they tied me to a stake!!

The install is really simple.
1. Install testnav locally.
2. Copy the testnav folder from c:\program files\testnav to your server share.
3. edit your proxysettings.properties file for proxy host, primary save location and alternate save location.
4. Make sure your "temp" folder on the server has the correct permissions so students can write to it.

That's it for the install. I'm not sure how you handle shortcuts at your districts. I use a "mandatory profile", so all I need to do is create the shortcut on my server and when students log in it magically appears.

When they released the new version of testnav I updated my install in less than 15 minutes and it works perfectly on 100 lab pc's.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you questions.