[SOLVED] wincmd.ini "write protected" ?

[fredscal]

Hello.

I just intalled TC on a new Win7 SP1 Pro system. I can't configure it, because every time I click Ok or Apply in the settings dialog, I get an alert box telling me that wincmd.ini is write protected. For the same reason, I suppose, TC doesn't remember column width etc.

Of course I've checked the file and all parent dirs for read-only tags, and that doesn't seem to be the problem. I've also tried re-installing TC and setting various alternative locations for wincmd.ini, to no effect. My Windows user has administrator rights.

I know TC is prompt to call write protection when in fact there can be numerous other reasons preventing it from performing an operation... But I have no idea what the problem could be here.

Any clue, anyone ?
Thanks

[Dalai]

Where is your wincmd.ini located? Which directory did you choose during the setup?

Regards
Dalai

[fredscal]

Well... in fact, it would seem that I can't write anything to disk C:, even though I'm n administrator. So I suppose this is not a TC issue. I'll understand if moderators choose to delete this thread. Otherwise, I still welcome any input.

[fredscal]

Where is your wincmd.ini located? Which directory did you choose during the setup?

I tried both the program directory and c:\

[Dalai]

Where is your wincmd.ini located? Which directory did you choose during the setup?

I tried both the program directory and c:\

Both of them is wrong for the .ini files*. The only writable location for users on systems since Win2k is in %UserProfile%. You can use IniReloc to relocate the .ini files to %AppData%\Ghisler, where you can definitely write to them. Alternatively, you can modify the NTFS permissions of the .ini files to allow write access for users; you should only do that if you know exactly what you're doing.

*) Please don't mix up the location for .ini files and TC install location, these are two different things. It's alright to install TC into %ProgramFiles%, but the .ini files must either be located in %AppData%\Ghisler or the NTFS permissions must allow write access if the .ini files are located in a protected directory.

[...] even though I'm n administrator [...]

No, you are not. You may be a member of the Administrators group, but as long as you didn't disable UAC or run any program as administrator explicitly (via right-click > Run As Administrator), the launched program is running with normal user privileges. And normal users don't have write access to the system locations.

Regards
Dalai

[milo1012]

The only writable location for users on systems since Win2k is in %UserProfile%.

I think you mean: the only writable location that is INTENDED for standard installed programs

Yes, system dirs/folders are write-protected (which also includes the root dir c:\) in a default environment,
but every user can still create it's own dirs in c:\ and write to it (assuming that it's not somehow prohibited),
which is exactly what is needed if you want to install and use TC portable.

[fredscal]

Ok, I've found the solution: I need to activate the Super Administrator and log in as it in order to be able to use Windows 7 as my own computer.

This was definitely not a TC issue. Moderators, you can delete this thread as far as I'm concerned.

[Dalai]

Ok, I've found the solution: I need to activate the Super Administrator and log in as it in order to be able to use Windows 7 as my own computer.

You certainly don't understand UAC. OK, I don't like it myself but I know how to work with it.

What I'm trying to say: You don't need to enable the built-in administrator to run any program as administrator. You can use the context menu (right-click on a program or shortcut) and click "Run As Administrator". That's it.

And you certainly don't need to run TC as adminstrator (built-in or not) to be able to save any of its settings. Just relocate the settings files to a writable location and you're done. By the way: TC suggests to save its settings files in %AppData%\Ghisler during setup (on Vista and higher). So, you may have changed the location on purpose. If you do that, you should know what you're doing.

Regards
Dalai

[MVV]

fredscal,
Most programs don't need administrator rights during work, administrator rights are only required for installing programs and viewing/modifying system parameters. But without UAC most people used administrator accounts, and it was very unsafe (any virus that is started with administrator rights has full access to your computer and can do everything it wants).
With UAC all programs are running with limited rights (so virus won't harm your system too much), and only those which are started with elevated permissions have full access to your computer. So UAC is a great security feature, you definitely shouldn't disable it. You only should understand it and get accustomed to it and its rules. Rules are simple: user data folders (e.g. your profile) is writable for user but program files and Windows folder is not. You don't need to modify these files during your daily work, and you can always start TC as administrator (or elevate operation in TC by clicking As Administrator button) when you need to do this.
So you should keep TC setting files in writeable location or make your TC folder writeable for regular users.