<snip>
>> All machine-wide configuration data goes inside another special folder
>> designed for this purpose.
> I assume this folder is C:\ProgramData? Some of the folders already in
> that location are not writeable by all users, but presumably it is up to
> the program's install process to correctly set these permissions?
Yes, this is the machine-wide settings folder ... and the security on this
folder is set up such that any user can create data here, but once created
that data can only be modified by the user who created it, while being
viewable by any account on the system.
The OS enforces user-account seperation, even in this location
.
Applications can of course override this behavior in their setup program to
make a truely world-read/writable file/folder, however if possible, it is
better for an application to find a way to work within the default
boundaries.
<snip>
>> Unfortunately, the correct solution to this problem is for the
>> applications that are misbeaving to be modified to follow these
>> guidelines.
> Unfortunately not likely in the first case I described, as that is a small
> open-source utility which is not currently active. Setting permissions on
> a single file isn't too much of a problem though.
Yes, you were lucky in that regard
.
<snip>
>>
>> As a hack, you can indeed do as you did by modifying the security on the
>> files that the application expects to be world-writable, or running the
>> application as administrator.
> I'd prefer not to make a program's entire folder world-writeable, as would
> be required for Mozilla, but hopefully that's big enough to be corrected
> fairly soon.
I would hope so as well.
> Interestingly, I have noticed one of Windows Live Messenger's files being
> virtualised - is this a bug in WLM?
Yes - Vista-compatible programs must not rely on virtualization in order to
function.
>>
>> You are correct that these are the only solutions available to you.
>>
>
> Thanks for taking the time to respond.
You're welcome
.
--
- JB
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
Windows Vista Support Faq
http://www.jimmah.com/vista/