Configure New Clerk Computers?

Hello - We just received new clerk computers. What needs to be done with these machines to get them up and running? I'm assuming they are imaged and that I just have to - unbox, plugin, install printer, export MLS from old computer, import to new computer... Am I close?
Thanks for any help

Are you the STS? The setup is his responsibility - at least to oversee it.

There is a set of instructions for setup in clerksupport.lds.org.

Thank you for the information.
For others that are looking for the same information - https://www.lds.org/callings/melchizede ... r?lang=eng

After reviewing that article, I was interested in the opening statement

When a Church unit receives a new computer, it will come preconfigured with tools that allow Church headquarters to remotely manage and secure the machine. It is therefore important to use the image the computer ships with instead of building one.

Following that Statement are sections of Install Instructions including top-level items:
(After walking through a typical Windows OS install wizard, name computer, user account etc..)
--Install the latest Java Runtime
--Install the computer management software (TEM)
--Install the local unit security software (Sophos Anti-Virus)
--Set up optional items.
----Install any additional applications you downloaded earlier such as Adobe Reader, Open Office, CutePDF, and Google Chrome.
--Uninstall unused software.
----Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer (Lenovo machines)
----Bing Toolbar (Dell machines)
----Windows Live Essentials 2011 (remove all components)
----Windows Live Mesh ActiveX Control for Remote Control

What exactly is the image that is coming with these computers? The start of the document is a pretty strongly worded admonition not to use your own image, but the image that comes with the computers doesn't seem to provide any kind of image that I'm familiary with, like already having software installed, etc...

I get that much of the software changes and is out-of-date pretty quickly, but if I had to roll out the 13 clerk computers I receive a couple years ago with this method it would take a very long time.

For that matter, why aren't the steps basically, restore all their documents, restore MLS, and Install TEM.... Select from the list of software you want to install and leave the computer on for a couple of days and it'll all be installed for you by the Management Tools.

JohnShaw wrote:What exactly is the image that is coming with these computers?

The last computer we received barely had an OS on it. I do not think the instructions are correct.

If the Church thinks we are receiving an image on the computer, they might wish to speak with their vendor(s).

Good thread. I'm happy to see that many of you have discovered and are using the clerksupport.lds.org site. As an FYI, mhtech.lds.org is an alias that will take you directly to the Meetinghouse Technology portion of the site.

My group took over responsibility for the Clerk Computer about a year and a half ago. That was right about the time the Dell 580 and Lenovo M77 started shipping. We asked the vendors to leave as much bloatware and other software out of the image as possible so that it would ship with a "clean" OS. The only thing we did to the image was pre-configure the Windows Update settings to point to the Church's server instead of Microsoft's server. When a clerk computer checks for updates the first time, the first update it installs is Tivoli Endpoint Manager (TEM) which is the Church's Desktop Management tool. From that point forward, we are able to manage patches, deploy software, remote control the computer, etc. The only thing you will eventually see is the circular blue icon in the system tray which is the remote control agent. You don't currently see the management part of TEM or need to do anything with it. It's just there doing the work it needs to do.

This is what I was referring to when I posted instructions asking you to use the Church image since it comes preconfigured. It's very minor and not something you really see, so I understand that it doesn't appear to be doing anything. To be honest, I think that's exactly how you and I would like it to be! We want the management tools to be as transparent and minimal as possible so that they don't interfere with your ability to use the computer.

We are about to release new models of computers, and they will each come with a new Windows image that is similar to what I described above. One difference is that TEM will already be installed from the factory, so it's one step closer to being finished. Setup instructions will be updated, but there won't be many visible changes if any. It will look like a bare install of Windows. Nice and clean.

My long term vision for the Clerk Computer is similar to what JohnShaw mentioned. Plug in the computer, turn it on, select the software you want to install, and then walk away. We are improving our systems on the back-end to facilitate this type of experience. I hope to be able to provide it in the future. As always, I appreciate the feedback. Feel free to send me a direct message at any time with feedback.

bfromm wrote:...and they will each come with a new Windows image that is similar to what I described above. One difference is that TEM will already be installed from the factory, so it's one step closer to being finished.

Thanks for your participation in the forum. Any chance of obtaining a specific PC model's image should an STS have to replace (or re-image) a hard drive?

Mikerowaved wrote:Thanks for your participation in the forum. Any chance of obtaining a specific PC model's image should an STS have to replace (or re-image) a hard drive?

Yes, we have the ability to send image disks should a machine need to be re-imaged. I have the following images:

• Windows XP for the Dell 740 and 580

• Windows 7 for the Dell 580 and 7010

• Windows 7 for the Lenovo M77 and M78

• Windows 7 for the HP 6305

Note that the Dell 580 has an XP image and a Windows 7 image. This is because the 580 was around during the XP days and the Windows 7 days. If we were to send out an image for that model, we would have to verify whether the Certificate of Authenticity sticker on the side of the machine says Windows XP or Windows 7.

How do we request the image for a computer?

jrhallen wrote:How do we request the image for a computer?

If you call local unit support, they can help you with this.

I did my first PC upgrade, and I decided that once all downloaded files put them on a stick (memory) mls and Sophos and chrome, and cutepdf and openoffice and to save time for downloads i mean like an hour to 2 hours each setup

I am also checking the printers, because the printer we had on the first one will not update and run with win7, so if the others have the same printer FMGroup will send me replacements even before setup and this will save aggravation for your bishops and clerks.

**One Question any advice would be helpful*** Sophos will not update properly, should I simply uninstall and re-install?

emmett wrote:Sophos will not update properly, should I simply uninstall and re-install?

I setup a new computer about a week ago, and I had similar problems. I asked the product manager over Sophos at the Church to get a new installer created and posted. For now, right-click the tray icon, tell it to update, wait for everything to finish, and then reboot. After logging back in, go through the same process and reboot. I did this a handful of times and everything finally caught up. I haven't had any problems since. I hope it works for you, and long term they can get a new installer posted that works better.

I just went through installing a downloaded image on a Dell 580 windows 7 system because of a corrupted version of sophos/windows that couldn't be fixed. It was a real pain.

First off I am going to suggest a change in procedure from the church directions. They tell you to enter the computer name, user name and password and security question and what to enter for each of those. Instead for these steps I am going to suggest you only give the computer name and user name and leave the password and security question blank. The reason is you are about to do 20 to 25 reboots of the computer during this install so you don't want fight with that password. If you leave it blank in windows XP and in 7 the computer reboots completely skipping the screen asking you for user name and password and booting directly to the desktop. So instead leave it out for now and after you get everything up and running go and put the password and security question in through the users/admin section of control panel. The end result is the same but it is faster and easier this way.

Now I ran 2 complete install cycles at the same computer. The first one while I learned took about 8 hours. The second one with every file and program possible on a thumb drive and an exact plan still took 4 1/2 hours. This isn't a fast operation.

Now if you follow the church directions when you start trying install sophos things will start going wrong. The problem as best I can tell is that windows is a long ways from being up to date enough to run sophos so it can't install properly. Normally this would mean you simple start cycling through windows update and reboot cycles till you get windows up to date. Windows needs to update about a dozen cycles of update files and reboots before sophos can install successfully. The problem is that when the church had windows update rerouted that it doesn't work that way. The manual update mode when used will tell you connecting and then lock up and sit there indefinitely saying connecting. You will have to use crtl alt del and end task to stop it. The automatic in the background update mode does work but it is slow. About every 15 to 45 minutes it finds new windows updates and asks for a reboot. If you waited all of these cycles out this would probably let you do this without crashing sophos. The other answer is just to keep trying and cycling both sophos and the automatic windows update and you can hammer through the errors by simply repeating till windows is up to date and sophos has installed correctly. The church ideally needs to fix the manual mode so it works correctly or they need to improve the drive images so they are closer to up to date.

The first error message installing sophos crashes the program.(error( group name could not be found)) The first time I encountered it I thought it was because it turned out the windows firewall is on in the image. The second time I made sure this was all off before trying sophos. It did change my error messages through the cycle.(there may be other reasons for the change I will explain shortly) So I would say the next step after getting the desktop for the first time after installing the image before doing anything else is to go turn the firewall fully off in security.
The second error happens either way also and is SWC plugin failed to intialize. From here on the error messages changed a little between the 2 runs.

So for now if I were going to try again I would change the reccomended order of operations. Install image then to kill time while waiting on the automatic up date for windows(icon will pop up in the task bar icons when ready to reboot) I would begin by installing directories and setting up windows. Then I would sort of work backwards through the programs. Be aware here that open office won't install early either because of a problem with the C++ driver files.(sophos has the same problem in early installation) Which ever one of these programs you try early and fail at will freeze the other one out till the install can be completed on the first program. Once the easy programs and all setup was complete I would go into stall mode simply watching for the windows update reboot icon and repeating till it was done showing up. Then I would try following the church directions from there for sophos and MLS. My second run I used the delay to get a couple of windows update cycles done before I tried to install sophos. This may account for the change in error messages. But once I started installing sophos and getting errors I again simply hammered through failed sophos installs and windows updates with reboots for each until I got things running.

Now on the first run when I had sophos in and windows up to date and I found the next problem. I couldn't use the clerks printer which is an hp 1320. It turns out in the updates that the church version of windows provides that isn't included in the drivers. Next step was to go to the HP site and download the driver only that doesn't work. HP site checks and finds it is a windows 7 computer and tells you that driver is included in windows to get it from microsoft. Since that isn't possible I tried downloading the universal HP printer driver. That I could do. But it wouldn't correctly run the 1320 printer.(gahhhh) So after a bunch more hunting I found a link in windows to the windows update site that the church had failed to screw up. I went there and found that it had 100+ critcal security updates listed as well as video and printer drives and the MS malware removal tool. Here is where I went wrong on the first install session. I debated knowing it might screw something up but decided to install it all. Well this destroys the links to the church security in the proccess. I could have done a system restore probably at this point but I had so many screw ups that I simply decided to start over with the drive image from scratch. I would turn the fire wall off and prevent that error and I wouldn't try to install open office while sophos was pending and everything would be good and it would be far faster. Wrong! The second run was where I figured out the problem was windows being to out of date for sophos to install.

Okay finished the 2nd install and I still need a driver. This time I only selected the video and printer drivers from the updates and installed them. This was fine and didn't hurt the church security stuff. The path to that working version of windows updater that connects you to microsoft is Computer from the start menu. When that screen comes up right click a blank area and select properties from the menu that comes up. This will give you the screen with your computer stats.(maker, board, drives, memory and so on) In the lower left corner is a link to windows update that they didn't screw up that lets you got to microsoft. So you can get missing driver files this way. Just be very careful NOT to download any security updates while you are here or you will wreck the church security and automatic update stuff.

In all it was an expensive time wise operation. Spent about 11+ hours on the phone with LUS techs trying to fix the sophos problem. Then add about 5 hours of researching the sophos problem myself. Then another 4 to 6 hours backing stuff up and bringing the drive image in and writing the drive image on my home computer since the church's firewall prevents accessing the drop box location where they store the drive image. Finally 12+ hours getting the computer image installed. These kinds of needed times to fix things are silly. Basically 30+ hours blown to fix the problem. More than half of this was wasted time that could be fixed simply by improving the system. Hope this helps someone else avoid some of the problems.

Sounds about right. Silent Sophos installs are quite frustrating.

I must confess that when I install images onto FHC computers, I do it at home, where I have a DOCSIS 3 cable modem and 50 MB download speed. That trick probably won't work with admin computers, especially if I have to download Windows Updates from the Church servers.

Another trick I use when I install a new image onto an existing system is that I remove the old hard drive, install a spare drive (I have several at home that I have from old Church computers and then wiped clean), and install the image onto the spare. When all is done, I can copy all the user files from the old drive. When I am satisfied that all is well, I then wipe the old drive clean. I suppose I could then copy the spare drive back to the old drive if I thought it was warranted.

STS time and effort are not figured into the instructions we receive. STS must determine how much time and effort they are willing to put in and do the work accordingly... make sure that your Stake President knows just how much time and effort goes into your support work.

jirp wrote:In all it was an expensive time wise operation.

How fast did the Sophos updates go? When I did that a little while back it was "start it and go home". Or, at least go do something else for an hour. The download took far longer then it should have for the amount of data.

jirp wrote:In all it was an expensive time wise operation.
...
These kinds of needed times to fix things are silly. Basically 30+ hours blown to fix the problem.

Fixing problems can certainly take a lot of time. It sounds like you spent over half the time on approaches that were ultimately a waste of time, since you ended up reimaging anyway.

But it can go more smoothly. Earlier this year I set up 8 new computers in less than 15 hours. That includes all the required software, plus several other applications, and all the Windows and Sophos updates, plus restoring the data. (A fair amount of that was done in parallel, so the average of 2 hours per machine is admittedly a bit misleading.)

It would be nice if it were easier than that, but it didn't seem outrageous to me -- when I get a new computer, I certainly spend far more than 2 hours getting it up and running, so averaging under 2 hours per computer didn't seem too bad.

johnshaw wrote:STS time and effort are not figured into the instructions we receive. STS must determine how much time and effort they are willing to put in and do the work accordingly... make sure that your Stake President knows just how much time and effort goes into your support work.

I wish I was STS because then I wouldn't be juggling. My stake doesn't have such. I am the ward clerk and I am solving this as well as being ward clerk + ward broadcast person + unofficial ward tech support. And if I don't get it fixed then I am back to doing my ward clerk calling with pencil and paper is my incentive to get it fixed once I started. It is also incentive to get it right. I will talk to my bishop about purchasing a 32 GB memory stick to do a drive image on with the software and data now installed as future prevention. I may buy it anyway out of personal funds if he disagrees. The current hard drive is just over 33 GB in use with everything installed but I think if I clean the sample movies, pictures and music off as well as cleaning unused themes out of windows I can probably get it down to where the drive image will fit on a single stick. If not then it will be a bunch of dvds.

russellhltn wrote:

jirp wrote:In all it was an expensive time wise operation.

How fast did the Sophos updates go? When I did that a little while back it was "start it and go home". Or, at least go do something else for an hour. The download took far longer then it should have for the amount of data.

The sophos downloads were easy. The LUS techs nearly all commented on how fast they were on my system. It is still a 20+ minute operation but wasn't bad. Installs of sophos not working took only about 10 minutes. If I ran the uninstall program then used windows to remove the auto updater the install took 30 minutes but still didn't work. A complete install cycle of sophos clean was taking 47 minutes for the first run and progressively less for the next 5 or 10 runs while windows got up to date enough to allow sophos to actually install. The last error run before sophos actually installs only takes about 5 minutes Here is the lessons learned on Sophos during this go round. https://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.ph ... &start=20# see post #29 in case anyone is interested.

if you are going to restore an image from a USB drive, check your computer to see if it supports USB 3.0. Most of the newer clerk computers have at least one USB 3.0 drive slot. The others slots can be 2.0. Buy a USB 3.0 stick. You will be amazed at the difference in time. copying 12 Gig to a 3.0 drive and stick took 10 minutes instead of 55 minutes.

This can speed up your Image restore and etc.

note that the 3.0 slot has an additional mark next to it.

Sschuman wrote:note that the 3.0 slot has an additional mark next to it.

3.0 can usually be identified by blue plastic on the inside of the connector. 2.0 and below is the standard dark gray. There should also be a "SS" next to the USB logo for "Super Speed". Check both front and back. I've seen one early 3.0 computer with the fast ports only in the back.

russellhltn wrote:I've seen one early 3.0 computer with the fast ports only in the back.

We're drifting a bit off topic, so let me just state the latest Lenovo [micro-sized] PC's I received a week ago from the FM group have 4 rear USB ports and 2 front ones and they were ALL USB 3.

I'm also using a USB flash drive for configuring all 8 PC's destined for our stake. Some of the software issued by CHQ was out of date including MLS(!), so I opted to install many of them myself.

Currently I've got them all switched on and getting all the updates needed from my wireless network at home. Ever couple of hours, I reboot them to get past all the time wasted waiting for the updates to install. If/when they reboot quickly, I know they're close to being ready.

If all the computers are the same make and model, using a USB 3 memory stick large enough to contain a fully updated image, created by using something like Clonezilla. It's possible to reduce the imaging time to considerably less than an hour.

The procedure I used was to prepare one computer loaded with every thing needed to make it operational, updates, programs etc., but not to complete the Unit identification. Clone the computer. Fill in the Unit details and the computer is ready to go. The other computers can then be prepared very quickly. If in the future another computer requires reimaging, then it is simply a question of carrying out the reimaging process, updating that computer and then make an up to date image.

Thanks to russelhltn for mentioning the use of Clonzilla, in another forum. Has saved me days of work since.

Biggles wrote:If all the computers are the same make and model, using a USB 3 memory stick large enough to contain a fully updated image, created by using something like Clonezilla. It's possible to reduce the imaging time to considerably less than an hour.

I do that for laptops at work. Not a memory stick, but a external hard drive. The process takes about 20 minutes. It would be closer to 50 if using USB 2.

How do programs like Clonezilla handle the different usernames needed for each PC? As you know, the username contains the unit number and I'm afraid the steps needed to manually rename a user account, including changing the folder name (using a different admin account), and changing the registry to exactly match your tinkering, might be a bit beyond some STS's comfort level.

Mikerowaved wrote:How do programs like Clonezilla handle the different usernames needed for each PC? As you know, the username contains the unit number and I'm afraid the steps needed to manually rename a user account, including changing the folder name (using a different admin account), and changing the registry to exactly match your tinkering, might be a bit beyond some STS's comfort level.

All the clerk computers in our Stake use the same login Username. The Clerks are expected to change the login, to a password unique to their ward. Their is no need, or requirement to create additional Admin accounts, but that is obviously down to individual Stake/STS preferences. The Unit Number is entered as LU- and left blank to be filled in by the STS before distribution to the individual units. The whole process, as I briefly mentioned in my earlier post (barring additional updates), can take less than 40 minutes for each computer.
If the last computer is brought up to date, then cloned (which can take up to 20 minutes (off the top of my head)) to complete, you are in a position to re-image any additional/corrupted computers quite quickly.

Last year I was asked by our FM Group Manager to re-image (Supplied with FHC image) most of the Clerk Meetinghouse computers, under his jurisdiction. This was about 15, as I recall. Doing the computers individually would have taken weeks rather than a few days. As an example, on one occasion, I did five computers in less 6 hours, ready to go!

Biggles wrote:

Mikerowaved wrote:How do programs like Clonezilla handle the different usernames needed for each PC?

All the clerk computers in our Stake use the same login Username...

Yep, that used to be the case. I'm currently going through the process of setting up 8 new Lenovo PC's for our stake and I can verify the church's initialization script asks early on for the unit number. When it finishes, a new user is created called "Unit xxxxxx", where the xxxxxx is the unit number where that PC will be installed. If 2 or more units share a PC, they each get their own username based on their unit number. As you mentioned, each unit is now asked to come up with their own password. I very much like what the church has done in this area.

And yes, I created a StakeAdmin account so I can have access to any PC in the stake without having to know all the passwords.

Its depressing to see this post, its been 7 years and nothing has been done with this issue. I still receive computers from facilities that don't have an image. If they do come with an image the windows 7 image is available but the windows 10 image is not. The biggest problem is MLS needs to be able to run on the local admin account, but requires admin privileges

I NEED TO HAVE A USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR CALLING AS A STAKE CLERK PLEASE

tasipalet wrote:I NEED TO HAVE A USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR CALLING AS A STAKE CLERK PLEASE

Clearly you have an LDS Account (with its associated username and password), since you used it to sign in to LDS.org to make this forum post.

As long as that LDS Account is properly connected to your Membership Record Number, that is the username and password you would use as stake clerk to access Leader and Clerk Resources and other parts of LDS.org you would use for your calling as stake clerk.

I'm not sure why you posted this in a discussion of new clerk computers. Perhaps you are referring to a username and password for the MLS software that runs on the stake's administrative computer. In that case, you will need to get help from a current MLS administrator. This could be the stake technology specialist, or some other existing assistant stake clerk, or the stake executive secretary, or a member of the stake presidency, or the previous stake clerk. Note that the MLS username and password is distinct from your LDS Account username and password.

tasipalet wrote:I NEED TO HAVE A USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR CALLING AS A STAKE CLERK PLEASE

It's unclear what login you are referring to.

If it's access to resources on lds.org, the LDS Account that has your MRN associated with it will gain "stake clerk" rights in about 24 hours after your calling is recorded properly.

If it's access to the stake computer itself, the normal practice is for everyone to share a common Windows login.

If it's access to the stake MLS program on the Stake computer, that will need to be set up by an existing MLS administrator.

Regardless, this all will need to be handled at the local level. This is a user-to-user support forum. No one here can set you up.

Mikerowaved wrote: Yep, that used to be the case. I'm currently going through the process of setting up 8 new Lenovo PC's for our stake and I can verify the church's initialization script asks early on for the unit number. When it finishes, a new user is created called "Unit xxxxxx", where the xxxxxx is the unit number where that PC will be installed. If 2 or more units share a PC, they each get their own username based on their unit number. As you mentioned, each unit is now asked to come up with their own password. I very much like what the church has done in this area.

And yes, I created a StakeAdmin account so I can have access to any PC in the stake without having to know all the passwords.

Do you generally set up your computers at the building? Our FM has stuff sent directly to me, or drops them off in bulk at one of the buildings, and I usually take them home and run through the initial set up there before distributing them to the buildings. Do you know if that will affect the setup scripts that they have?

natet wrote:Do you generally set up your computers at the building? Our FM has stuff sent directly to me, or drops them off in bulk at one of the buildings, and I usually take them home and run through the initial set up there before distributing them to the buildings. Do you know if that will affect the setup scripts that they have?

I have a similar arrangement with my FMG manager, whereby the computers are delivered to me, then I do the set ups. As long as you have the relevant unit information, that shouldn't make any difference to the scripts

Biggles wrote: I have a similar arrangement with my FMG manager, whereby the computers are delivered to me, then I do the set ups. As long as you have the relevant unit information, that shouldn't make any difference to the scripts

Hmm, odd. I received a shipment of computers in August of last year, and none of them have run these provisioning scripts. I guess I'll have to give support a call.

That maybe new, as all the computers I prepared were supplied incorrectly imaged. This was about 2 years ago now. So dependant on which computer manufacturer, ours are Dell, there well maybe differences now, on how they are scripted.

Biggles wrote:That maybe new, as all the computers I prepared were supplied incorrectly imaged. This was about 2 years ago now. So dependant on which computer manufacturer, ours are Dell, there well maybe differences now, on how they are scripted.

OK, all these were Lenovo's. They might have been left over from the windows XP replacements.

natet wrote:Do you generally set up your computers at the building?

My FM group is close enough that I just swing by and pick them up. I prefer to take them home and do all the initial setups and Windows updating there. Initializing them in parallel at home takes a lot less time (and gas) than doing it at the church buildings.

Just a heads up, my FM folks asked that I try to keep the PC's matched up with the unit name they wrote on each of the boxes. Apparently, their database tracks them by serial number. So as each PC was being unboxed, it received a Post-It style note with the unit's name and number. These were not removed until the PC's were installed in the various clerk's offices. There was no such request for any of the other gear, such as monitors.

When I received new computers from the FM, the OA gave me the invoice, on which she had written each unit name next to its corresponding serial number. As I unboxed each computer, I used a label maker to create a label to identify each computer with its unit name and number. (Our unit clerks like to have their unit number on the front of the computer in case they forget it.) Five years later, I used Post-It notes on each new computer, and when I swapped out the old for the new at each meetinghouse, I peeled the label off the old computer and stuck it to the new computer.

So, i just took a new computer to one of our buildings to install it. I had done the windows updates and such offsite at my home, set up sophos, mls, and miscellaneous software manually. As soon as it was connected on the network at the church building, the post install scripts kicked in. So, it appears that the post install scripts don't run unless you are on the church's network.

natet wrote:As soon as it was connected on the network at the church building, the post install scripts kicked in. So, it appears that the post install scripts don't run unless you are on the church's network.

Interesting. My scripts launched while still at home, but that was almost a year ago and things change all the time.

natet wrote:So, i just took a new computer to one of our buildings to install it. I had done the windows updates and such offsite at my home, set up sophos, mls, and miscellaneous software manually. As soon as it was connected on the network at the church building, the post install scripts kicked in. So, it appears that the post install scripts don't run unless you are on the church's network.

IIRC, the same thing was true of the last batch of FHC computers I installed. Parts of the installation only worked when connected to the Church's network.

So a bishop called me tonight and told me there was a new computer in the clerks office (still in box) and it had been there for 3 weeks. Is it typical for the FM group to just drop them off and not alert us to the plan?

kreeve wrote:Is it typical for the FM group to just drop them off and not alert us to the plan?

Apparently it is more typical now that you have reported the same thing that happens to us regularly.

But even though the FM group hasn't communicated for three weeks, neither has the bishop or his clerk. So I see a shared challenge there.

kreeve wrote:Is it typical for the FM group to just drop them off and not alert us to the plan?

Depends on the FM group. Our stake changed FM groups. The old one let me know. The new one - not so much.

kreeve wrote:So a bishop called me tonight and told me there was a new computer in the clerks office (still in box) and it had been there for 3 weeks. Is it typical for the FM group to just drop them off and not alert us to the plan?

I forgot to add, you might want to check and see if they even dropped it off at the right ward. Computers are not supposed to be replaced unless they are defective or 5 years old. You might want to look for a date code on the existing computer. My FM has dropped off computers at the wrong ward.

I have faild to install a clerk/meetinghouse but have have now only Windows 10 but no clerk computer.
There is a program to make the computer to an clerk/meetinghouse computer. Where can I find it?

johngw wrote:I have faild to install a clerk/meetinghouse but have have now only Windows 10 but no clerk computer.
There is a program to make the computer to an clerk/meetinghouse computer. Where can I find it?

I would follow the directions found here.

johngw wrote:I have faild to install a clerk/meetinghouse but have have now only Windows 10 but no clerk computer.
There is a program to make the computer to an clerk/meetinghouse computer. Where can I find it?

If you have a failed clerk computer, contact your Stake Technology Specialist and/or your Stake Clerk. To get a new one they'll log a ticket to FM to get it fixed/replaced. The STS should be contacted to make sure it's really broken and then a new one will be sent.