[gooner_47]

When I try and install programs (and I've tried a few different ones to make sure it's not just the installers) my computer will either reboot - or give me errors saying that the .exe for that particular program cannot be accessed.

I think the whole problem is related to permissions, I've tried giving administrators full control over program files, but this doesn't seem to have helped. Any ideas?

[stod73]

What's the specific error?

[gooner_47]

Just tried with Winrar - the response I got will probably help with the diagnosis. When installing it, it came up with

...
...
Extracting WinRAR.hlp
Extracting Rar.exe
Cannot create Rar.exe
Extracting Uninstall.exe
Cannot create Uninstall.exe
Extracting UnRAR.exe
Cannot create UnRAR.exe
Extracting WinRAR.exe
Cannot create WinRAR.exe
Extracting RarExt.dll
Extracting Formats\UNACEV2.DLL
...
...

The cannot create parts are obviously important - why is it not able to create those .exe's?

[sy2]

XP Pro or Home?

Also, are you logged in as Admin? If this is a permissions issue then logging in as Admin should take care of it.

[gooner_47]

XP Pro, and yes it's an admin account. Just checked that Winrar folder that it created in program files, both administrators and my particular user have full control over the folder.

[gooner_47]

Also just noticed that it managed to write eveything else to that program files folder, just not the .exe - I think this is the root of the problem - as another error I had with a previous installer for another program said it could not access the .exe or something similar

[gooner_47]

I've just noticed that the owner of program files is "administrators", but the owner of the newly created folders that are being created when I try and install these programs, are coming up as being owned by my user (in this case "admin")...

Is this right, is it wrong, could it be what is causing the problem?

[gooner_47]

ttt... help!

[gooner_47]

bump - Does anyone know why it is doing this? What should the security settings for program files be

[gooner_47]

I'll use winrar as an example - but this is happening with everything I try to install. I installed it to program files, but everything installed except for the .exe's.

I then installed winrar again, but this time into a folder I just put on the desktop, and this time everything installed perfectly.

What could be causing this?

[sy2]

There's already a thread going for this, although it's stalled out a bit:
http://forums.techguy.org/t382225.html

[~Candy~]

Merged threads, keep posting to this one.

[sy2]

Have you done online virus scans, chkdisk, etc??

[Rollin' Rog]

Startup in Safe Mode, log into the "Administrator" account and create a new account for yourself. Give it full Administrative rights and then reboot and log into it.

Try installing from that account.

I don't have an answer for the problem as stated except to suggest it may be the result of a damaged User Profile.

[gooner_47]

Rollin' Rog, I will try that in a bit - just wanted to post this first, as I feel sure that it's something to do with the permissions/security settings for the program files folder.

Here's some screenshots of the settings for program files at the moment:





The "Admin" account is the adminstrator account I am trying to install from. Do you see any irregularities in these settings? Is the owner also correct, should program files be owned by adminstrators or a single user account?

I have noticed that the folders that existed before these problems (for example the Microsoft Office folder, which is obviously installed in program files), are owned by Administrators, whereas the new folders that are being created when I try and install programs now, are becoming owned by "Admin" - I don't think this is correct is it?

I also just tried creating a new temporary folder on the root of the drive, and tried installing to there instead - this worked fine, if the worst came to worst, could I just create a new program files folder and transfer everything over?

I really think the key to this though is the owner and permissions settings - opinions? Thanks