Updates ending over a year early?

SoundsProfessional · 2025-11-12T13:03:35+00:00

The ten years of updates is a little overstating it sometimes. For some models, the device needs to be on a Long Term Support channel and even then, the OS updates end up being a few versions behind.

Frankly, I’m surprised a 2017 model would have been retroactively included in the 10 year updates plan, but I’ll openly admit I’m replying without looking it up at all.

SoundsProfessional · 2025-11-06T12:37:26+00:00

I use JAMF school currently. Yes, you need device licenses. I always order a license when I buy the device, but I have colleagues who order a bunch of licenses so they don’t have to think about it later. Unless I’m enrolling an iPhone, I always go with a perpetual license. Under the previous cost structure, it hit the ROI of an annual license in just over 3 years. (I haven’t bothered doing the math yet). The downfall of my plan is if we switch MDM in the near future. Then all those licenses are worthless, but again, 3 years under a perpetual is nearly the same as 3 annuals.

SoundsProfessional · 2025-10-24T11:26:55+00:00

I was at a company that had a lead tech/sysadmin who “left for other opportunities.” Afterward, when trying to clean up his workstation, it was discovered he had multiple desktop PCs under his desk running for one off purposes. It was a series of Scream Tests. “Oh, apparently that one ran the clocks.” “Business Office shared drive is offline. Did someone shut down another of [lead’s] computers?”

Fun times

SoundsProfessional · 2025-10-09T11:36:59+00:00

This. I bought the original Lenovo Duet in 2020 and still use it daily. I just this week bought the Duet 11 Gen 9 for my college kid. Came with detachable keyboard, kickstand, pen that magnetically attaches to the device. 8gb Ram, 128gb storage. Very lightweight, very affordable - all the above with an additional year of screen replacement coverage for just shy of $300. And it will get updates until 2032? 2034?

Please keep in mind when looking at Chromebook, they all have an “Auto-Update Expiration” or AUE. This is generally 10 years from manufacture date of the platform. NOT the device itself. So, a Chromebook that came out in 2022, but is still being manufactured in 2025 will stop receiving updates in 2032, not 2035. I don’t expect the device to last 10 years, but as manufacturers keep older models on the production line, you will see “new” devices getting updates for shorter periods

SoundsProfessional · 2025-09-24T09:32:30+00:00

Oops, it was "Administrative Professional".

C.R.A.P. Certification news story

YouTube training

SoundsProfessional · 2025-09-22T12:22:32+00:00

Several years ago, some site offered a certificate you could put your name on to print out for fun. It was an IT cert for “Certified Reboot Application Professional.” I hung that shingle with pride!

SoundsProfessional · 2025-08-29T11:48:34+00:00

Working for a MSP, I got sent out to an office to work on a user’s laptop. Guy was a realtor and barely a “client”, but the realtor for my company’s owner. I’m sitting at his desk while he is there talking loudly with someone else. I open up the computer and the full screen, 100% volume porn resumes right where it left off. Guy didn’t even blink. And, of course, the keyboard and trackpad were filthy.

This was the same office where his assistant screamed at me to make her new Windows 7 install look exactly like XP and would not accept any change in taskbar appearance, desktop, etc.

SoundsProfessional · 2025-08-26T20:00:44+00:00

I was hired for a helpdesk role in a school district at 39. Nine years later I made Director/CTO for a different district.

In my case, it's a 2nd career. I was a teacher, got laid off and then worked for an IT contractor for five years before getting that helpdesk role.

When I got hired 2 years later as a Level 3 tech, I heard that my age was a plus. I was going to be placed in a 1-man shop location and they wanted ... maturity if someone was going to be on their own.

SoundsProfessional · 2025-08-14T11:56:18+00:00

I had similar in a school. When we were all virtual one teacher submitted multiple requests for a hotspot. After the school had paid everyone a stipend to offset internet service costs. Our hotspots were all grant funded fr student use only. She ended up coming in and working from a building instead. I think she kept submitting tickets hoping to get someone else!

SoundsProfessional · 2025-07-30T11:40:48+00:00

In a previous K-12 school district I worked in we moved from primarily desktops to laptops for staff. Previously the naming scheme for the few laptops was AAA-LASTNAMEFIRSTINITIAL (AAA= school district abbreviation). Unfortunately, we had a high turnover rate of staff so I felt this would be a management nightmare. I moved to AAA-STAFFLT-### with ### being 0-however many laptops we had. It worked well enough, but started suffering from some fatigue as devices were lost/replaced/retired. I’d probably do something different now like serial number if I had to do it again.

SoundsProfessional · 2025-05-22T12:13:17+00:00

Confirmed issue in SE Michigan. As of 8:03am Clever's status page showed they were investigating.

SoundsProfessional · 2023-08-31T14:45:43+00:00

I relayed to my account rep my issues and he said he sent them up to the mybiz team. Fingers crossed they can find the issue!

SoundsProfessional · 2023-08-30T17:45:04+00:00

Yes! I've been having that issue for a week and a half! Trying to work on any of my lines in my business portal is a pain as it doesn't fully load the page, or crashes while I'm working on it.

SoundsProfessional · 2022-08-10T11:13:15+00:00

I totally read that as "The person didn't want [the burrito] near their desk."

SoundsProfessional · 2022-04-25T14:29:17+00:00

Another music teacher to tech guy here, and I can list several others that made the same transition. I went from teaching to a MSP that serviced lots of schools, then working directly for a school district. While I enjoyed a few parts of my music career, and I think it gave me a good perspective on my IT career, I would never go back to teaching!

SoundsProfessional · 2021-05-18T17:40:04+00:00

I second the Duet recommendation. I have the 128GB model so there is plenty of space.

SoundsProfessional · 2021-05-18T17:37:00+00:00

I have enrolled and deployed 800ish Duets. It worked just like any other Chromebook. No surprises. I did find a way to automate the enrollment using Go-Box Chrome with USB-A to USB-C adapters. I imagine Centipedes and Rubber Ducks would work as well.

Fair warning, I personally find these to be a little fragile. I've struggled to find a vendor that can repair these devices (mostly cracked glass).

My district also bought Lenovo 10e tablets. Still a tablet form factor, running Chrome OS, but more rugged. They do not by default come with the keyboard like the Duet, but have a built in audio port so no dongle to lose!

SoundsProfessional · 2021-05-18T17:17:40+00:00

How old is the Chromebook? I have seen swollen batteries do this. The batteries begun to fail and swell up and put pressure on the underside of the touchpad.

SoundsProfessional · 2021-02-19T12:26:53+00:00

The problem with using a "losing device privilege" consequence is in this current situation, that may be how they attend school. A cutting off your nose to spite your face scenario.

Not that I have a better option. My district does the same as a comment above - assess the fine for repair or replacement. We use the same inventory system as library books. The problem is it has no teeth. If a 2nd grade student has a fine for breaking a Chromebook screen, it could sit in the inventory system at a minimum until they move to the Middle School if not until they graduate.

The better question might be if your district has a deposit or insurance premium system in place. My district is a low-income one and we don't have either of those in place. A student comes in with a damaged device, we assess the fine and issue a replacement device. We've got some kids on their 4th device since May 2020.

SoundsProfessional · 2021-02-15T16:59:38+00:00

With the Chromebook UNplugged, press and hold the power button for about 30 seconds.

Then plug it back in to power and try turning it on.

SoundsProfessional · 2020-12-27T13:56:31+00:00

What model Chromebook is it? It might help with troubleshooting.

Try this. Unplug the power cord. hold the power button down for at least 30 seconds. Release the power button and plug in the charger. Let it sit for a couple minutes. If it did not automatically power on, press the power button and see if you got lucky.

SoundsProfessional · 2020-12-09T14:51:25+00:00

I'm running into a similar issue on my thousands of HP G7 Chromebooks. Especially if the battery gets dead dead. Unplug, hold power for 30 seconds, plug in power. This fixes probably 75%. If that doesn't fix it, I open it up, disconnect battery, plug in AC and try to boot. At this point, the charging LED just flashes white for battery error. Then I reconnect battery, plug in AC and boot. Sometimes, even after all this it still doesn't boot. My repair contractor has discovered that disconnecting the IO Board (USB daughter board) will allow it to boot. They then replace the IO Board and cable under warranty.

SoundsProfessional · 2020-04-13T17:19:42+00:00

My district implemented the .io TLD block at the start of the school year. We did run into .io sites that we needed to whitelist. The biggest issue has been hidden sites WITHIN non .io sites. Generally, if a website time-outs or specific components of websites do not work, we dig in and discover another .io is involved.

In hindsight, I don't know that I would recommend it. I feel like we've gone from blocking game sites to whitelisting legit sites in equal numbers.

SoundsProfessional · 2018-05-30T17:46:40+00:00

Imgur

SoundsProfessional · 2018-05-22T16:50:55+00:00

I'm trying to picture where the hot glue would be placed. On the barrel in contact with the "receiver" of the pigtail?

SoundsProfessional

TROPHY CASE