Permissions issue

[abinkow]

I have a program that installs as a subfolder of the Program Files (x86)
folder. Inside the main folder of the application is a file, SpecDat.xxx.
The application, when run, needs to change this file.

If I run this application from an administrator account, it comes back with
a Error '53': File Not Found error. After some extended debugging by both me
and the author, we discovered it wasn't updating this file. When I tried to
update this file manually using Notepad, Notepad wouldn't save it either.

After more research, I ran the application by right-clicking and selecting
"run as an administrator". Now it works, even though I'm always running it
from an administrator account.

What's wrong? And what can I do to fix it?

 

[Malke]

I have a program that installs as a subfolder of the Program Files (x86)
folder. Inside the main folder of the application is a file, SpecDat.xxx.
The application, when run, needs to change this file.

If I run this application from an administrator account, it comes back
with
a Error '53': File Not Found error. After some extended debugging by both
me
and the author, we discovered it wasn't updating this file. When I tried
to update this file manually using Notepad, Notepad wouldn't save it
either.

After more research, I ran the application by right-clicking and selecting
"run as an administrator". Now it works, even though I'm always running
it from an administrator account.

What's wrong? And what can I do to fix it?

The file is in a protected area of the operating system. The author of the
software needs to learn to write for Vista. He should put the file that
needs to be updated in a different place such as in a folder in the
individual user account.

Malke

 

[abinkow]

I figured that this was the problem -- and thanks -- but it isn't practical
at this time. While the program is a beta test, it has been distributed to
over 100 users and cannot be changed.

How can I provide access to this program to administrator users, without
having to "run as administrator?

 

[Malke]

I figured that this was the problem -- and thanks -- but it isn't
practical
at this time. While the program is a beta test, it has been distributed
to over 100 users and cannot be changed.

How can I provide access to this program to administrator users, without
having to "run as administrator?

AFAIK you can't. Since it's a beta, you've just discovered a rather large
bug to fix in the next build.

Perhaps you - or the author of the software - should post in a developer's
newsgroup instead.

http://aumha.org/nntp.htm - list of MS newsgroups

Malke

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I figured that this was the problem -- and thanks -- but it isn't practical
at this time. While the program is a beta test, it has been distributed to
over 100 users and cannot be changed.

I thought the purpose of beta testing was to find and eliminate such
built-in flaws.

How can I provide access to this program to administrator users, without
having to "run as administrator?

*You* can't. The software author needs to fix his program.


--

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

 

[Sam Hobbs]

You could change the permissions for the one file. That is not the ideal
solution and you should undo that as soon as the developer has fixed the
problem. Don't change permissions in situations you are not sure why you are
doing it. Be organized about it in the sense that you keep track of things
such as this. Don't change permissions for anything more than you really
need to.

There was in the past a MSDN forum for developers of applications in Vista
but I am not sure where it is now. There would certainly be many previous
answers there to your specific problem. The following has multiple forums
that might be relevant and that would already have previous answers. These
forums are for the developers of the software so you can suggest they use
the following.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/windev

Note that Microsoft's use of "social" in that address is very confusing;
there are no social forums there. Microsoft apparently needs to confuse us
and that is obviously one of many ways they do that.

 

[Malcolm McCaffery]

The application should be fixed! These development practices have not been
recommended by Microsoft prior to Vista...

However if it can't be fixed you can use Microsoft Application Compatibility
Toolkit

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E9-B581-47B0-B45E-492DD6DA2971&displaylang=en

Refer to here

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/aa905066.aspx

Use Application Verifier as well details here

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/aa904987.aspx

regards,

Malcolm.