See also:

• Software in CCB's 5 classrooms.
• Mac OS Installation
• Windows 10 Fresh Install (Base system) (FYI: Windows install info also in a ChemIT's *.doc "hidden" document, on our file server.)

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Log out of the user account and sign in with Admin local admin or ADM account.

Overview

Typical service outcome, from 5/3/13 service call from Michael Hint, after installing the requested software:

While on the machine, I also updated Acrobat, Firefox, Identity Finder, Sketchup, Filezilla, and Symantec Antivirus. I removed Java as it is a security risk. I updated your laptop’s motherboard software and removed some unnecessary network wires from your desk.

Within Admin/ADM Account

Adobe

Firefox ESR

BIOS

• IMPORTANT: If encrypted turn off encryption before updating. If left on it will require entering the full encryption key
• Windows key + r → "msinfo2" will give the current BIOS version
• Check against dell.com drivers
• Will need to long restart and install

Update

• Adobe Acrobat/Reader
• Adobe Flash
  • Both IE (ActiveX) and FireFox
• FireFox ESR (Help > About Firefox). 32-bit (vs. 64-bit)
• FileZilla (if installed)BIOS update
• IMPORTANT: If encrypted you should turn off encryption before updating the BIOS. Then, update the BIOS. Finally, re-encrypt. Failure to do this likely results in requiring the entering of FULL encryption key.
• Check BIOS current version- type "msinfo32" into Windows search bar

• Find newest BIOS version- www.dell.com/drivers => Enter/find machine => Use either auto detection or manual => Download BIOS

Double-click on file. Note that restart is required.

Java:

Caution: Please don't update this yourself if it's centrally managed by ChemIT!

• Remove if not needed, especially if obsolete (dangerous if left).
  • For example, in Fall'13, version 6 would be asking for trouble!
• If required, either install managed Java, or stand-alone Java. Known needs in Research:
  • SciFinder Scholar; the "fat" version needs it.
  • Some instrument machines.

These software applications are installed and updated through ChemIT's Active Directory (AD) group policy.

• WebEx
• Java (see below)
• Windows 8: Flash ActiveX (IE) only. (Still must do Flash for FF by hand.)

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One can force updating the system's group policies via CMD:

• GPUpdate.exe /force

Remove

• Obsolete Java
  • Note: Remove //any// Java unless there is a need for Java for a business application. In which case we push the current version to the computer (see "Java", above)

Specific

Log out of user account and into Admin account

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• • In Windows, this covers MS Office software updates and IE, too.

Oracle Java

(Remove, if possible. See above.)

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• Go to Java.com. Press Free Java download. Click on "See all Java downloads." (Not the "Agree and Start Free Download" button!)
• Select Windows Offline (32-bit). You may also need Windows Offline (64-bit).

Adobe Flash

To check software versions installed:

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NOTE: If Flash is not installed, do NOT install it.

Adobe Flash Player, Flash Plug-in, and Flash ActiveX

Tip: Current Versions of Flash will auto-update; check File Hippo before manually updating. (Oliver found this NOT to be true for version upgrades, 1/8/15.)

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KEY: De-select software being pushed! (Chrome, McAfee, etc.). If do my mistake, cancel, then agree to continue just with application. Extra apps will cancel, but Flash Player resumes downloading/ installing.

Adobe hard to deal with

Adobe's idea of facilitating the deployment of installs and updates within an org. is licensing and local hosting if not using SCCM?! (As of fall 2014, at least.) See:

http://www.adobe.com/products/players/flash-player-distribution.html

Adobe PDF Reader

To Update, open Reader. Then, select Help -> Check for Updates

=> Choose "Manually update (not recommended)". Otherwise user account bugged all the time and there is no updating that can be done within that account!

Update FileZilla

• Keep? If so:
  
  • Run it and it will tell you there is a new version, if there is. Download and install.

Browser Plugins

Mozilla 

Update plugins:

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/

Mac OS

Log out of the user account and sign in with Admin account

Updates

• Check OS updates
  • Don't inadvertently upgrade the OS, though!
• Firefox browser (under "About Firefox") --> Updates automatically without prompts
  • To switch to ESR version: 
    • http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/all/
  • Browser plug ins (Silverlight, flash, etc.)
    • http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/
• Microsoft Office
• Adobe Flash Player
• MS Silverlight. If still not signed, you might have to run it from the System Preferences => Security and Privacy => "Click the lock to make changes." => Allow apps downloaded from: Anywhere.
  • No need to revert to: Allow apps downloaded from: Mac App Store and identified developers. Just keep it as "Anywhere". (June 6, 2015.)
• And possibly other software
  • Adobe Acrobat, full version. (N.B. Almost no reason to have the read-only Acrobat installed (much less updated) since Mac OS comes with competent PDF reader, Preview.)
  • If Java installed, use Java Control Panel, available through the Java control panel in System Preferences (opens in a separate window).

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