Why didn't Vista Find my config.cfg file?

[Guest]

I installed Quake2...it's the version which came with Quake4. One of the
files the program creates is config.cfg and the user has to edit it or add a
file named autoexec.cfg in order to customize the program. There is no way
that idsoftware is going to rebuild Quake2 just to make things easier for us
by adding a text editor so we can customize the settings, so I'll have to
live with whatever Microsoft comes up with as far as file management.

Well...the config.cfg file is always located in the .\baseq2 folder...I've
been playing Quake2 since it first came out in 1997. And, in fact when I
brought down the in-game console and listed the directory contents it in fact
showed config.cfg there in the ./baseq2 folder. But, when I browsed to
"C:\Program Files\id Software\Quake II\baseq2" using windows explorer the
file was not there.

So...I figured...correctly by the way...that Windows Vista stored the file
somewhere else. So, I opened up Search from the start menu and typed
config.cfg. But it did not find it. I then figured that it really was where
I thought it was, but I didn't have permissions or whatever, so I took
ownership of the baseq2 folder, but that didn't work. Next I took ownership
of the entire computer folder...repeated my search and still nothing...I even
search for *.cfg and just found two files that I had been working for for
ETQW which is idsoftware's newest game...which by the way was moved to
"C:\Users\Steve\Desktop\Documents\Enemy Territory Quake Wars Public
Beta\base", but which oddly enough I didn't have a hard time locating because
of the "Documents" shortcut which I thought Vista was indicating was where
all the files were stored. It had not dawned on me to dig down deeper into
the folder structure to make sure it was where I thought it was...I thought
it was in "C:\Program Files\id Software\Enemy Territory - QUAKE Wars
Beta\base" which is where it is located on my XP machine.

Finally, I opened up a command prompt and typed "dir c:\*.cfg/s" which
looked in the entire hard drive and found tons of files including my
config.cfg file located in the
"C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\id Software\Quake
II\baseq2" folder. OK...I know it would be a waste of time for me to ask
Microsoft to be more considerate and not move files around on us. But, I
think it would be sane for Vista to at least let us know where the files are
when we search for them!

So...please provide to me the clear and precise steps that I need to take to
make sure that when I use the Vista Search feature it looks for every single
file on my hard drive. I want absolutely no file hidden from me...if I can
find the file using DOS then I want to be able to find it using Vista Search.

I'm using Vista Business from my MSDN Subscriber software. I will be taking
this computer to QuakeCon where it will be connected to a LAN with 3,000
other computers...of which some of them may be running hacking software. I
don't want to turn off any security features...in fact, I need help on
correcting my taking ownership of the computer and put it back where it
was...even increasing the security if possible. But, I absolutely MUST be
able to find any file on my hard drive...it only has 1 hard drive and surely
it can't be too difficult for Vista, by default, find every file on it and
list it in Windows Explorer so I can work with the file...for example open it
in wordpad or whatever.

I consider this a serious breach of understanding between the operating
system and the user. When the user uses the search feature it should list
the file(s) asked for or at least indicate that it is being prevented from
doing so. I must also add that this brings into serious question as to what
other "features" are in Vista that will prevent its features from working as
Windows features have worked for over a decade. So, if there are other
features being restricted then please let me know...I need a system that is
not going to hide files from me. I would like to have a system that can make
use of DX10, but not if it means being prevented from locating a file.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[dean-dean]

Go to C:\Program Files, and click on Compatibility Files in the Toolbar of
Windows Explorer. This will take you to C:\Users\(Your
Name)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files. This is where Vista puts
the files of programs that write certain types of user files to the
C:\Program Files subdirectories. When you're in C:\Program Files\Your
Program (or possibly a subfolder of that path), you should also see a button
in the taskbar of Windows Explorer called "Compatibility Files", which will
you take you directly to your program's config files.

In your program's Options dialog, can you change the default location (path)
of the personal configuration folder to one that is under your account name.
For example, C:\Users\(Your Name)\Documents\ProgramName Data (you may have
to create the folder there first). Then Vista won't redirect your files.
It doesn't really cotton to user files being written to the C:\Program Files
subdirectories, after the initial installation, and has put the Program
Files folder on a security level as that of the Windows folders themselves,
making TrustedInstaller the owner.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. I'm printing this out to save for the future. But, I
felt that too many things have changed so I uninstalled Vista and have gone
back to XP. I also will be dropping my Microsoft MSDN Subscription which
means $1,000 less revenue for everyone involved. I seriously doubt that
anyone will keep using Vista after having their files moved around on them as
well as the incompatibility problems with previous programs, so it doesn't
make sense to keep the subscription. I will probably keep watching for Vista
to become more user friendly, or perhaps wait until an operating
system...even if it's not Microsoft becomes available that is. To be honest
this move by Microsoft to make things harder for users instead of easier may
drive me to Linux which is something that I have seriously been apposed to.
I've defended Microsoft all through my education when my instructors kept
saying that Microsoft was evil and Windows was a horrible operating system
and will keep getting worse...sadly it appears that they may be right.

Hopefully the hacking community will figure out how to get DX10 to run on XP
and I won't have to use Vista. If not then I think more people will start to
wonder if Linux and open source is the way to go.