can't copy

[Bill H.]

I'm trying to copy the address book file (*.wab) from a second disk (F
installed in a Vista computer.

I can't.

No matter where I try to paste it, including a thumb drive, I always get the
" you need permission" msg.

What is going on, and how to fix?

Thx.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Bill.

Do you have permission? Are you the administrator? And logged on as such?

I've never had to know much about permissions, since I'm just one guy with
one computer and no network. But I've had to learn a little bit since
installing Vista. Yes, it often asks me to confirm, so I just give it my
password and it does what I need it to do.

One way to do what you seem to be trying to do is to open an
Administrator:Command Prompt window and then use the Copy or Xcopy command.
To open that window, go to Accessories and right-click on Command Prompt,
then click Run as Administrator and furnish the password. This will open
what we old-timers still often (incorrectly) call a DOS window. Since
you've opened it as Administrator, any command or program that you run from
here will "run elevated".

The .wab is a special case, of course. To import the Windows Address Book
into Vista's Contacts, go into Windows Mail (or Windows Live Mail beta) and
click Contacts. In this Contacts window - NOT the mail WM/WLM window -
click File | Import | Windows Address Book (.WAB). (You STILL might have
problems if you are not the Owner of that WAB or don't have permission to
see it.)

If that's not what you were trying to do, please post back.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)

 

[Bill H.]

Yes, logged in (default) as admin.

Not counting the WAB, the admin cmd and xcopy failed.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Bill.

Perhaps I'm working under a false assumption here. Could you please
clarify...

Since this is a Vista NG, and since you are asking about Vista, I've been
assuming that you are running Vista and that you are trying to Import your
contacts. But I see that you are posting here using Outlook Express - which
will not run on Vista. And you said you want to "copy" the WAB from a
second disk installed in a Vista computer. And that you get the UAC error
message when you try to "paste" the WAB. In Vista, THE Administrator has
more power than AN administrator, a member of the administrator group. To
get those extra powers, we need to furnish THE Administrator's password at
some point, either when starting the Administrator:Command Prompt or when
starting an application or utility.

Personally, I never use Copy'n'paste to move files. I use drag'n'drop in
the GUI, or Copy or Xcopy in a Command Prompt window. In the GUI, I usually
right-click-drag and choose Copy (or Move, when appropriate) from the
context menu. I Copy'n'paste quite often for text, but not for whole files.

Can you please clarify which Windows you are running and just what you are
trying to do? And exactly HOW you are trying to do it: step by step, what
are you doing and what error message (verbatim) or other result are you
seeing?

I don't understand why it works for nearly everybody else but not for you.
:^{

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta 2 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1 beta v.275)