Questions about getting ready for your Red Hat remote exam?

[Deanna]

This thread is dedicated to connect you with Red Hat subject matter experts who can help answer your questions regarding Red Hat remote exams. Please see the following resources for Red Hat Remote Exams below:

• Remote Exams Announcement
• Technical Documentation for "Getting ready for your Red Hat remote exam"
• Remote Exams FAQ

For questions on scheduling or redeeming your exams,  please use the Red Hat Certification team comment form here. 

**Our subject matters experts in the Red Hat Learning Community will not be assisting with tasks related to scheduling exams. 

[Javier_Juarez]

Hi,

Finally, I figured out how to run the RedHat image for the exam, doing some changes to the security configuration of my mac (2019 with T2 chipset), but the configuration of the laptop is not good enough to take the exam, I have issues with the video and mic, bad luck for me, anyway someone could find interesting to take a look to these Apple documents to get ready to use the RedHat image...

Disclaimers:

1. This is a completely informal guide based on my experience trying to set up this image
2. I used a MacBook Pro 16" 2019 
3. I used external hardware through a USBC hub, a TDK USB stick, a Logitech wired mouse, an apple wired keyboard, and a Razer Kiyo webcam
4. I used the classic method to install the image on the USB stick with dd

The key point here y to decrease the security level of the laptop allowing it to boot from external disks, which is documented here by Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT208198 

Be careful if you decide to change/set the firmware password, the keyboard layout and a "bad choice" of special characters could be a problem, more information about this is here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204455 

During the boot keep all the accessories connected

thanks, Javier

[mbessa]

Hello Everyone,

Does anyone figure out how use the "remote exam live ISO" on a macbook pro 13 2020 ??? I'm aware some older models work...

After changing some security options in the mac I'm able to boot into the live cd but some essential functionalities don't work while doing the compatibility test (sound for example show's a "Dummy" soundcard, wifi not detected, ...).

Is this issue being handle by the support team in order to allow the use of more recent models? Any workaround / fix for this?

Thank you !
Marco

[Gineesh]

Unfortunately it didn’t work out for me as well. Used a pc instead.

Waiting for Res Hat team to come up with a solution for this as MacBook is
a common workstation with everyone and this is a serious blocker for
attending RedHat remote exams.

Hope for the best
--


Gineesh

linkedin.com/in/gineesh

[garylinker]

I have a Macbook Pro 2019 running Big Sur. I do not see Big Sur listed in the Remote Exam System Requirements. Also, Macbooks no longer have USB ports. I can get an external USB hub but I'm wondering about the overall compatibility with my Macbook and Operating System.

[mbessa]

You'll need some USB-C dongle to connect USB stick with exam OS, external webcam (mandatory), wired mouse and keyboard (optional if you don't laptop keyboard/mouse).  
Unless 2019 model is supported, I suspect you would be facing exactly the same issues I describe in my previous post.

After changing mac boot security I was able boot with the usb stick into the exam OS, but a lot of stuff not working properly, wifi, sound... 

I'm still waiting for feedback from RedHat, but at this point it's a shame they don't support such popular laptops as @Gineesh mentioned as well...

@Deanna @JS_Learning any news on support for recent macbook models ? Thank you!

[Gineesh]

@mbessa, I am not sure this is an issue with Exam Fedora OS.
Have you ever tried the vanilla Fedora OS (LIVE boot) on the macOS ?


*Gineesh*
linkedin.com/in/gineesh

[mbessa]

Yes, tried Fedora 34 boot image but it was even worst, didn't boot at all.

[Gineesh]

@mbessa, yeah so it's a MacBook issue rather than Fedora or Exam Fedora.
So, we still need to wait for Red Hat to come up with a solution :)


*Gineesh*
linkedin.com/in/gineesh

[Fran_Garcia]

Generally speaking, support for Linux  (not just Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Fedora, it's all distributions) has been poor because Apple is not releasing documentation or specifications of their hardware, so drivers cannot be built or tested openly by the community.

Without direct involvement from Apple it will be very difficult to have full support of such models. The recommendation is stands, if possible use some laptop vendor whose hardware is certified or at least known to work.

[Gineesh]

@Fran_Garcia, yeah agree on that point.

But it became like the student needed to buy an external camera (wired +
mouse + keyboard etc) and a laptop to attend the exam :)

I am just kidding. But I heard this concern from many other friends in the
community.
We will see how; hopefully exam centers will be able to open soon with
strict measures and whoever cannot arrange remote exams, can still use the
centers :)


*Gineesh*
linkedin.com/in/gineesh