Pearson VUE Setup - NTX

North Texas / Red Oak campus uses  Workgroup Scenario  for our Peason VUE  ;testing center. In essence, you’re setting the proctor machine to be the Pearson VUE  server. Although a bulk of this writing comes straight from a PeasonVUE documentation, I have made edits to the original text to both make it easier to read and understand, and to be specifically tailored for the North Texas / Red Oak campus. For troubleshooting, please see this Troubleshooting Pearson guide.

Setup local user account on the VUE server.

1. On the VUE server, create a local user account named VUEService (Run> lusrmgr.msc or Computer Management) with local Administrator rights. You will need the account password during installation.
2. Expand the Local User and Groups list.
3. Right-click on Users, select New User from the pop-up menu. Enter the following:
   • User name: VUEService
   • Password: Pearson1
     • Password can be any password, Pearson1 is what my proctor admin asked for it to be.
   • User must change password at next logon: unselected
   • User cannot change password: selected
   • Password never expires: selected
4. Add the VUEService user to the Administrators group
5. In the Local Security Policy settings (Run > secpol.msc), go to Local Policies then User Rights Assignment.
6. Add the vueservice user account to the following policies:
   • Act as part of the operating system
   • Allow log on locally
   • Log on as a service

Download the security credentials file

Retrieve the two security files necessary for VTS to authenticate to the Pearson VUE hub. If you don’t have a Pearson VUE account for your testing center, work with the proctor admin to obtain these files.

1. Log into the https://connect.pearsonvue.com/. 
2. Download and save the Site License file and Security Credentials files from the Site System Information tab.  If the download links are not available,
   contact VUE Support Services to have the files reset.
3. You will need these files during installation

Note: This is ONLY for the Admin/Server machine.

Enable .NET 2.0 on the workstations

Note: This step needs to be completed for all workstations (Server/Admin and Delivery)

1. Open Windows Programs and Features dialog box.
2. Click Turn Windows features on or off link.
3. Select .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) and click OK.
4.  Click Download files from Windows update link.
5. Close Programs and Features dialog box

Install the VUE Testing System

1. Download and save the VTS 2.3.xxxx.exe installer from Connect.PearsonVUE.com, the Resources section then Support Materials and Testing System Applications and Support Files.
2. Run the installer, choose Workgroup scenario when prompted, and enter the password for the VUEService account.
3. When installation is complete, move the Security Credentials files (host.p12, host.crd) to the installation folder: C:\VUE\Vue Testing System\
4. Restart the workstation.
5. Check the sharing and security permissions on the VUE share and set to full control for the Windows group or user account(s) that will be logged in during testing.
   1. With File Explorer navigate to the Pearson VUE folder.
   2.  Right click and select Properties.
   3. Select the Sharing tab.
      1. Select Advanced Sharing.
      2. Check Share this folder then select the Permissions button.
      3.  Add the following Windows users that will be used on the test delivery machines and the administrative machine.
         • VUEService
         • PearsonTST
         • OITAdmin
      4. With the user highlighted, check the box for Full Control
      5. Hit Ok
   4. Select the Security tab.
      1. Add the Windows user that will be used on the test delivery machines and the administrative machine.
         • VUEService
         • PearsonTST
         • OITAdmin
      2. Check the box for Full Control for each user.
      3. Hit  Ok
6. In local computer services, ensure the VUE Application Wrapper is started and the vrun.exe process is running in Task Manager.

On the Administrative Workstation (candidate check in)

1. Navigate to the VUE share on the server and run setup.exe
   • \\servername\VUE\Vue Testing System\app\setup\setup.exe
   • \\RO900135ITC122D\VUE\VUE Testing System\app\setup\setup.exe
2.  Ensure the path to the VUE Testing System folder is correct, choose Administrative workstation when prompted, click next until setup begins.     
3. Install any necessary admissions equipment drivers from the downloads section of the VSS Support website.
   • Logitech camera (For Windows 10)
   • Signature pad
4. Run the Start Manual Update application (Start menu > Vue Applications folder).
   1. Choose Update to the latest version.
   2. Reboot if prompted
   3. Log back into the workstation.

On the Exam Delivery Workstations

Note: Do not begin this process until VUE server has completed the update and rebooted.

1. Map and navigate to the VUE share on the server(admin workstation) and run setup.exe    
   • \\servername\VUE\Vue Testing System\app\setup\setup.exe
   • \\RO900135ITC122D\VUE\VUE Testing System\app\setup\setup.exe
2. Ensure the path to the VUE Testing System folder is correct, choose Delivery workstation when prompted, next until setup begins.
3. Reboot workstation when prompted.
4. In computer services (services.msc), Remote Desktop Services, set startup type to disabled for the following:
   • File History Service
   • Remote Desktop Service
5. Register, admit and deliver the TDFT-IBTVend-Minspec and TDFT-A-BE exams to ensure the system is operational.

• see Test the Systems for instructions