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#1
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro
SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. -- When I am in the kitchen, I often kick one of my cat's balls. After I kick it, he will sometimes play with it for a few seconds to several minutes. His favorite are the ones that rattle. He'll play with any ball that makes noise. |
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#2
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
Daniel Prince wrote:
I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. I don't know why you can't install your program but it isn't because that folder is read only. First of all, the only purpose of that folder is to contain shortcuts to program exe files...the programs are not installed in it. Secondly, ALL the folders on XP are read only. -- dadiOH ____________________________ Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race? Maybe just ready for a change? .Check it out... http://www.dadioh.net |
#3
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
dadiOH wrote:
Daniel Prince wrote: I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. I don't know why you can't install your program but it isn't because that folder is read only. First of all, the only purpose of that folder is to contain shortcuts to program exe files...the programs are not installed in it. Secondly, ALL the folders on XP are read only. Wrong. Some programs *do* install under %userprofile% because all users have read, write, AND execute permissions there. Google sticks their Google Earth and Google Chrome programs there. MagicJack sticks their program there. Many programs stick their *executable* files there. Why? Because those programs can be installed while NOT logged on as an admin users. They don't use MSI to install their programs. So these authors let non-admin users install software by circumventing the normal conventions for installations. Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. |
#4
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
Daniel Prince wrote:
I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I That a folder has the read-only attribute has nothing to do with that folder being read only. It is NOT read-only despite that attribute being set on it. The read-only *file* attribute is NOT the same as the read-only *folder* attribute. For folders, the read-only attribute only means the folder has been customized. You might find many or even most of your folders have the read-only attribute set on them. That does NOT prevent you from creating and modifying files under those read-only folders because the that attribute on a folder is NOT for the same purpose the same as the read-only attribute on a file. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/326549 I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. http://www.mydigitallife.info/enable...-home-edition/ Run "winver" to verify which edition of Windows XP that you have. If you do have Windows XP Professional, the install-time default for a host that is NOT in a domain (i.e., you are in a workgroup because this is your personal computer not in a corporate network environment) is to hide the Security tab. You do NOT want to use the Simple File Sharing view in Windows Explorer if you want to see the Security tab. http://geekswithblogs.net/ram/archiv.../09/71789.aspx How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. That won't help. The folder is NOT read-only despite that attribute is set on the folder. You are thinking of what read-only means for *files* but that is NOT the same function of this attribute for folders. You have some other problem with installing the software. You never stated what error occurs when you run the installer for the software. You only stated what you think was the cause of the problem. |
#5
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
"VanguardLH" wrote in message
... Daniel Prince wrote: snip I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. snip In XP Pro, you have to turn off Simple File Sharing in order to see the Security tab on file/folder properties. Folder Options View tab, uncheck "Use simple file sharing" -- Glen Ventura MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009 CompTIA A+ |
#6
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
"glee" wrote in message
... "VanguardLH" wrote in message ... Daniel Prince wrote: snip I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. snip In XP Pro, you have to turn off Simple File Sharing in order to see the Security tab on file/folder properties. Folder Options View tab, uncheck "Use simple file sharing" Oops... you said that further down... nevermind! :-) Need some coffee.... -- Glen Ventura MS MVP Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2009 CompTIA A+ |
#7
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:27:34 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
dadiOH wrote: Daniel Prince wrote: I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. I don't know why you can't install your program but it isn't because that folder is read only. First of all, the only purpose of that folder is to contain shortcuts to program exe files...the programs are not installed in it. Secondly, ALL the folders on XP are read only. Wrong. Some programs *do* install under %userprofile% because all users have read, write, AND execute permissions there. Google sticks their Google Earth and Google Chrome programs there. MagicJack sticks their program there. Many programs stick their *executable* files there. Why? Because those programs can be installed while NOT logged on as an admin users. They don't use MSI to install their programs. So these authors let non-admin users install software by circumventing the normal conventions for installations. Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I can't say that I'm aware of any program that tries to install itself to the Start menu. That's not a scenario that I've encountered to this point. Note that the Start menu is not the same as %userprofile%. |
#8
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
VanguardLH wrote:
Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I didn't say they couldn't be, just that the purpose of the folder was for shortcuts. Think of the frustration and confusion in Windowsland if folks actually had to find the executables and click on them...chaos would reign. -- dadiOH ____________________________ Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race? Maybe just ready for a change? .Check it out... http://www.dadioh.net |
#9
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
VanguardLH wrote:
You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. Wrong. I do whatever I want to whatever with my Home version. I might possibly have booted to safe once or twice over the years but not for what you said. -- dadiOH ____________________________ Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race? Maybe just ready for a change? .Check it out... http://www.dadioh.net |
#10
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
Char Jackson wrote:
On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:27:34 -0500, VanguardLH wrote: dadiOH wrote: Daniel Prince wrote: I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. I don't know why you can't install your program but it isn't because that folder is read only. First of all, the only purpose of that folder is to contain shortcuts to program exe files...the programs are not installed in it. Secondly, ALL the folders on XP are read only. Wrong. Some programs *do* install under %userprofile% because all users have read, write, AND execute permissions there. Google sticks their Google Earth and Google Chrome programs there. MagicJack sticks their program there. Many programs stick their *executable* files there. Why? Because those programs can be installed while NOT logged on as an admin users. They don't use MSI to install their programs. So these authors let non-admin users install software by circumventing the normal conventions for installations. Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I can't say that I'm aware of any program that tries to install itself to the Start menu. That's not a scenario that I've encountered to this point. Note that the Start menu is not the same as %userprofile%. I said "the Start folder is *UNDER* your %userprofile% path". I did not say they were the same folder. Do you understand the inheritance of privileges? You said "the only purpose of that folder [Start] is to contain shortcuts." That is not its only purpose. There is no restriction against having executable files in that folder. It's just a folder like others. That rarely installers put executables in that folder does not mean that is "the only purpose" for that folder. By the way, in the past, and to prevent programs (executables) from being ran from under the %userprofile% path (ANY folder at that point or underneath), I have tried removing execute privileges. After all, the assumption is that the "Documents and Settings" path is for what it is described by its title and not for executable programs. I had to abandon that attempt to prevent programs from starting there for two reasons: many installers or programs that load temporary executable will expect the %temp% folder (which is under %userprofile%) to allow executable files to start from there, and I've found programs that don't run from there but for some reason want execute privilege on one, or more, of their files stored there and removing execute privilege from their config file results in them erroring. |
#11
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
dadiOH wrote:
VanguardLH wrote: Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I didn't say they couldn't be, just that the purpose of the folder was for shortcuts. Think of the frustration and confusion in Windowsland if folks actually had to find the executables and click on them...chaos would reign. That's exactly what DOES happen. There are many programs that *run* from a subfolder under the %userprofile% path. In fact, lots of them would fail if %temp% which inherits privileges from its parent folder didn't allow execute privileges on files stored there. For example, many programs that auto-update themselves will put their setup program in %temp% and run it from there. It's just another security hole in Windows XP that permits programs to run from what is supposed used only for "Documents and Settings". |
#12
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
dadiOH wrote:
VanguardLH wrote: You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. Wrong. I do whatever I want to whatever with my Home version. I might possibly have booted to safe once or twice over the years but not for what you said. Really? Run "gpedit.msc" and see what happens. |
#13
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:33:01 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
Char Jackson wrote: On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 07:27:34 -0500, VanguardLH wrote: dadiOH wrote: Daniel Prince wrote: I just bought a refurbished Thinkpad computer with Windows XP Pro SP3 installed on it. I cannot install Tight vnc because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and cannot be changed. Tight vnc need to create a folder there and it cannot. I have tried to create a folder with Windows Explorer but got an error message. I have gone to the properties of the folder and unchecked the read-only box but when I look at it again it is checked again. I have tried using the attrib command but I could not get it to work. I have turned off simple file sharing but that did not work either. I have shared the directory but that did not work either. My account is an administrator account. I have found web pages that say to use the security tab under properties but I do not have a security tab under properties. How can I change the read-only attribute on this folder? Thank you in advance for any help. I don't know why you can't install your program but it isn't because that folder is read only. First of all, the only purpose of that folder is to contain shortcuts to program exe files...the programs are not installed in it. Secondly, ALL the folders on XP are read only. Wrong. Some programs *do* install under %userprofile% because all users have read, write, AND execute permissions there. Google sticks their Google Earth and Google Chrome programs there. MagicJack sticks their program there. Many programs stick their *executable* files there. Why? Because those programs can be installed while NOT logged on as an admin users. They don't use MSI to install their programs. So these authors let non-admin users install software by circumventing the normal conventions for installations. Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I can't say that I'm aware of any program that tries to install itself to the Start menu. That's not a scenario that I've encountered to this point. Note that the Start menu is not the same as %userprofile%. I said "the Start folder is *UNDER* your %userprofile% path". I did not say they were the same folder. Do you understand the inheritance of privileges? Yes, I do. Do you understand that %userprofile% refers to more than the Start menu? You said "the only purpose of that folder [Start] is to contain shortcuts." That is not its only purpose. There is no restriction against having executable files in that folder. It's just a folder like others. That rarely installers put executables in that folder does not mean that is "the only purpose" for that folder. Actually, no, I didn't say that. You're confusing me with someone else. What I said was that I don't know of an example of a program that installs itself within the Start menu folder structure. Do you have an application in mind? Again, I'm not talking about %userprofile% since that's not what was being discussed above. |
#14
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
On Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:35:47 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
dadiOH wrote: VanguardLH wrote: Since the Start folder is under your %userprofile% path, yes, you can put the actual executable file there. I doubt VNC or its variants are doing that but that folder is not restricted to just shortcuts. I didn't say they couldn't be, just that the purpose of the folder was for shortcuts. Think of the frustration and confusion in Windowsland if folks actually had to find the executables and click on them...chaos would reign. That's exactly what DOES happen. Rarely. There are many programs that *run* from a subfolder under the %userprofile% path. In fact, lots of them would fail if %temp% which inherits privileges from its parent folder didn't allow execute privileges on files stored there. For example, many programs that auto-update themselves will put their setup program in %temp% and run it from there. Please note that the OP asked about the Start menu*, which is different from %userprofile%. %temp% is not part of the Start menu. *The 'all users' part of the Start menu, to be more precise. "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs" |
#15
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Can't install program because C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs is read-only and can't be changed
VanguardLH wrote:
dadiOH wrote: VanguardLH wrote: You sure you have the Professional edition of Windows XP? Looks like you got stuck with the Home edition which requires you reboot into Safe Mode to get at Administrator-level features. Wrong. I do whatever I want to whatever with my Home version. I might possibly have booted to safe once or twice over the years but not for what you said. Really? Run "gpedit.msc" and see what happens. If it existed I would but it doesn't so I can't. -- dadiOH ____________________________ Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race? Maybe just ready for a change? .Check it out... http://www.dadioh.net |
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