Anyone know how to add permissions to "program files" folder?

J

JethroUK©

I'm having trouble with some 'program files' folder and I think it's
permissions issue (suprised i seem to be the only one)

I want to add a user (myself) but "Add.." user is greyed out????

Anyone know how to add a user to program files folder?

If i took ownership of the folder would this lead to complications?
 
R

Rick Rogers

Hi,

On the security tab of the Program Files folder properties, the Users and
Administrators groups should be listed already, there should be no need to
add anything. Members of the Users group should already have read & execute,
List, and Read permissions. Admins have special privilege (involves
self-elevating).

Altering permissions on this or any other designated system folder could
cause unwanted/unpredictable behavior. What sort of problem are you having
that leads you to believe that you need to change the permission set?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
R

RPD

Hi

I don't know the answer I am afraid, but I too would like to know it!

I have a new computer running Vista and despite being an administrator user
(on my own computer!) I have received messages saying I cannot save files to
a folder in 'program files'.
Presently I cannot find much advice on the net about this and I have gone
ahead & turned off UAC to try & fix this but I do not know if this is the
right thing to do. Can anyone advise me on this?

I do hope learning to use Vista is straightforward (my old computer was
WinXP Pro-but it crashed with 'Error loading OS' message & using WinXP
repair/restore methods did not restore it to load properly -it continued to
load from disc only, and after much time & effort to try to fix it I felt
driven to get a new computer! Then after only 4 days use with this running
Vista I got a 'Windows did not shut down properly & needs system restore to
restart' message!! Oh the joys of computers -sic-.........). I am trying
this newsgroup for the first time (just out of interest is there a web page
for this group?).

Thanks
RPD
 
B

Bruce Chambers

JethroUK© said:
I'm having trouble with some 'program files' folder and I think it's
permissions issue (suprised i seem to be the only one)


The issue wouldn't arise unless one were trying to use a legacy
application of some sort that tries to store its data within the
"Program Files" tree, something no properly designed (for
WinNT/2K/XP/Vista) application would ever do, and someplace no regular
user should be making changes.

I want to add a user (myself) but "Add.." user is greyed out????

If the options to alter the security settings are greyed out, you're
not using an account with administrative privileges.
Anyone know how to add a user to program files folder?


The same way it was done in WinNT/2K/XP: In Windows Explorer,
right-click on the folder in question, select "Properties," then the
"Security" tab, and then click the "Add" button.

If i took ownership of the folder would this lead to complications?

Probably only if this computer is used by multiple users, in which case
you might somehow lock the other users out of running any applications.
However, if you don't have the access permissions to "Add" a user,
then you're not very likely tot have the necessary access to take
ownership, either.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
J

JethroUK©

Some of the programs (old ones e.g. infraview) need to write (ini files) and
they aren't being allowed to - documented on their website - affects loads
of programs i use

by adding myself as write user they will all work properly

but add user is disabled
 
R

Rick Rogers

Hi,

As Bruce has explained, it's because this older application is trying to
write to the actual program folder rather than run virtualized as
applications should under Vista. The workaround is not to alter permissions
but rather to initialize the application elevated (right click the .exe or
link and use 'run as administrator').

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
J

JethroUK©

e.g. infraview photo editing document this as a problem - loads programs i
use wont work properly

since there's no way to simply 'add' a user i'll take ownership and hope it
all work properly

im also going to try installing them elsewhere and hope it works
 
G

Gordon

robertnp said:
If you are using XP and you want to access the Program Files on another
computer in your workgroup network,

I cannot imagine under what circumstances anyone would either want or need
to do this. You can't run a program from there over the network, you can't
install or uninstall a program from that folder, and there is (or shouldn't
be) any user data in that folder. So what else can you do with it other than
mess?
 
G

Guest

Gordon said:
I cannot imagine under what circumstances anyone would either want or
need to do this. You can't run a program from there over the network,
you can't install or uninstall a program from that folder, and there is
(or shouldn't be) any user data in that folder. So what else can you do
with it other than mess?
Edit a configuration file,
Add a license file
Update an executable
 
D

DanS

I cannot imagine under what circumstances anyone would either want or
need to do this.

Then you must have no imagination.
You can't run a program from there over the network

Not true. My son runs several games, not installed on his PC, but on
another network PC, and all he needs to do on his PC is start the game over
the network. And they are not simple little games. One I know for a fact is
Unreal Tournament, the name of the others escape me.

There are many programs that can be run w/o actually installing them
locally.
 
D

DanS

Then you must have no imagination.


Not true. My son runs several games, not installed on his PC, but on
another network PC, and all he needs to do on his PC is start the game
over the network. And they are not simple little games. One I know for
a fact is Unreal Tournament, the name of the others escape me.

There are many programs that can be run w/o actually installing them
locally.

Note: my above comments have nothing to do with permissions, or UAC, or
anything other than replies to statements made and taken at face value.
 

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