Thin Clients Archives

What is the required firmware update path for 10ZiG thin and zero clients?

Ed Richardson on June 7, 2024

When performing a major version upgrade, i.e. from 16.3.x to 16.5.x, you must perform the upgrade using the best practice upgrade path.

From versions 16.1.x, 16.2.x, and 16.3.x, this path would be to first upgrade from your current firmware version to 16.3.35.5, and then upgrade from 16.3.35.5 to 16.5.x.

Upgrade from our legacy 12.x firmware to 16.x is no longer supported, and will require a reimage of the device to the latest firmware.

NOTE: When performing any major version firmware update, is it always required to perform a full factory default after the update process. Do not use the check box in your Manager’s firmware update wizard for this; instead perform a factory default as a scheduled task after the update has been applied to the device.

Once the factory default is performed, you can then apply a configuration template created from the target firmware version to your newly updated devices. Do not attempt to use the configuration templates created on your previous firmware as they will not work and could leave your devices in an unusable state.

I’d like to reimage my 10ZiG thin or zero client without using the 10ZiG Manager. Can you guide me through the process using the .tar firmware file I have?

Ed Richardson on June 7, 2024

The simplest way to reimage a single 10ZiG thin or zero client without using your 10ZiG Manager server is to use our USB Imaging Utility. You can download the latest version of the Utility from our Firmware Downloads page here.

For this process you will use a USB drive that is 32GB or smaller. It is recommended to avoid using SanDisk or Kingston drives as they have hidden partitions that will disrupt the imaging process.

The steps to use the USB utility to reimage your 10ZiG client are as follows.

Download and run the USB Imaging Utility to format your USB drive, make it bootable and to install our imaging utility onto it.
After creating the bootable USB, copy the .tar format firmware file to the root directory of the drive.
Insert the USB into the unit and power it on.
When you see the initial 10ZiG splash screen or hear the POST beep, start tapping the ESC key to enter the boot manager (F7 on the 7548qTAA laptop models, followed by the BIOS password 10ZIG in all caps).
Select your USB drive as the boot device and let it boot.
Once booted, you will enter the PXE Recovery Linux environment. From the menu, choose “Install from USB”.
In the file explorer window, select the .tar firmware file and click OK.
Confirm the action when prompted; you will then see the progress bar.
After completion, you will return to the PXE Recovery Linux screen. Choose “Reboot” and hit “Yes” to confirm.
Remove the USB drive, and the unit will boot up into the new firmware image.

I have upgraded my client’s firmware from version 16.3.x to version 16.5.x and the configuration menu is now blank when I navigate to Configuration > Edit in the 10ZiG Manager console. How can I edit the unit configuration and create new templates?

Ed Richardson on June 7, 2024

There was a conversion to XML-based configuration in our 16.5.x branch of firmware. With the new XML format comes the requirement of leveraging the 10ZiG Manager’s Web Console for configuration and management of the clients. The new XML format is not compatible with the legacy MMC console and is unsupported there.

How can I reset a 10ZiG client if it does not appear in the 10ZiG Manager?

Ed Richardson on June 7, 2024

From the console of your 10ZiG thin or zero client, press the CTRL, ALT, SHIFT and the zero key in the number line together. If there is a Control Panel password assigned to the client, you will be prompted to enter that password.

Once the password has been entered, the client will present a bash shell similar to a cmd shell in Windows. Type the words “factory all” without the quotes, and press ENTER.

This will factory default the client and then reboot it, allowing the unit to boot in a defaulted state. You can now reapply a configuration template to the device or configure it by hand to return it to service.

Are scanners supported on 10ZiG NOS and PKOS clients?

Ed Richardson on April 15, 2024

Scanners must adhere to the SANE standard for functionality with Linux endpoints in order for them to be functional. Scanner Redirection is supported in both VMware and Citrix for scanners that support the SANE standard.

A comprehensive list of SANE-supportive scanners is available from the sane-project.org website.

Can a thin client work without internet?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

Thin clients cannot work without a server. Thin client only has OS locally and all the computing resources are present on the server. This server can be a cloud provider.

If you have more specific questions about thin clients or if you are considering a thin client project, feel free to contact us.

What should I look for in a thin client?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

Thin clients can be used anywhere you would normally have a PC workstation. ACP has a number of partners who provide state of the art Thin Client hardware. These Thin Clients range from office grade, to light industrial, to heavy industrial including Class I Div 2.

Thin Clients are particularly favored in harsh conditions – most Thin Clients do not have cooling fans, are very small and easy to mount, and can be replaced within a minute or two.

When should a company consider a thin client setup?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

If the number of employees present in your company are around 10 people, then it is relatively easy for your IT administrator to manage the company devices. Management of devices includes regular software updates, checking anti-virus, troubleshooting, security updates, control of Shadow IT, etc. But as the number of employees increases, all this becomes very difficult to manage since the administrator has to manage each endpoint one by one. Considering a thin client setup increases the security of your endpoints & simplifies the management of your endpoints as you can manage them remotely from anywhere.

Can I have a mixed environment of thin clients and other workspaces?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

Yes. The protocols that Thin Clients use to communicate with the server are standard Ethernet, and so don’t interfere at all with regular network traffic. In fact, there are many applications where replacing PCs with Thin Clients can actually decrease overall network traffic. Many of our customers install a Thin Client system gradually, first putting a Windows server on their network, and then replacing PCs one or two at a time with ACP Enabled Thin Clients.

What is a thin client used for?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

A thin client is used to access enterprise resources present on the remote server. “But you can do this with a normal PC right?” This is absolutely right. The real use of a thin client arises when it comes to security and managing them remotely without any effort, all while reducing energy consumption, electromagnetic waves, noise pollution, etc…, and increasing the hardware life span. Thin clients come with a read only OS. The user cannot modify any local configuration (installing an application, changing settings, etc…) which makes thin clients extremely secure. The remote management software provided with your thin client allows you to securely manage all of the thin clients remotely from anywhere. Imagine a company with 1000 endpoints, on which you need to apply a new template. You can perform this remotely, with just a few clicks, from your remote management tool.

What is the difference between a thin client and a regular PC?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

The main reason thin clients are better than PCs is because they offer “Lower Total Cost of Ownership”. By reducing maintenance and install time, thin clients keep downtime to an absolute minimum. For example, to update 5 PCs you need to reinstall and configure all 5 PCs one at a time. With thin clients you would simply make the update once on the server and all 5 thin clients would realize the update immediately.

ThinManager software allows you to configure and manage all connected thin clients from the central, secure server.

What is a thin client in non-technical terms?

Michael Capozello on January 23, 2024

A thin client is a device which is used to remotely connect to a server-based computing environment. Unlike a normal PC, a thin client doesn’t have any computing resources (applications, data & memory) locally. All of the computing resources are present on the server. So, a thin client is a device which runs on the computing resources present on the server. Thin clients generally come with very small hardware specs as the server does all of the computing work.

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