Vista - Copying files to Program Files directory

I am trying to transfer my files from my old computer to my new computer with
the Vista operating system. However whenever I try to transfer files from
the Program Files directory of my old computer to the new one I get an Access
denied error. I have set the Program Files directory to be share on both the
new and old computer and I removed the Read Only option from the directory on
both computers. What do I have to do in order to copy files from the Program
Files directory of my old computer to the new one with Vista?
Dave

Parrot wrote:
> I am trying to transfer my files from my old computer to my new computer with
> the Vista operating system. However whenever I try to transfer files from
> the Program Files directory of my old computer to the new one I get an Access
> denied error. I have set the Program Files directory to be share on both the
> new and old computer and I removed the Read Only option from the directory on
> both computers. What do I have to do in order to copy files from the Program
> Files directory of my old computer to the new one with Vista?
> Dave

What kind of files do you need to put in the Program Files directory? In
Vista, the Program Files directory is protected and not meant to be used
for user data. Use a folder in your User Directory
(C:\Users\Your-Account\Document, etc.) instead.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

The files I am trying to transfer are program application files which belong
in the Program Files directory. The installation programs for some of my
applications are lost or can't be found and I want to transfer the
applications to the Program Files directory without having to re-install them
thru Vista. I tried using the Transfer program from Vista but it gets hung
up and never does end. I am trying to mirror my new computer to my old one
but that looks almost impossible.
Dave

"Malke" wrote:

> Parrot wrote:
> > I am trying to transfer my files from my old computer to my new computer with
> > the Vista operating system. However whenever I try to transfer files from
> > the Program Files directory of my old computer to the new one I get an Access
> > denied error. I have set the Program Files directory to be share on both the
> > new and old computer and I removed the Read Only option from the directory on
> > both computers. What do I have to do in order to copy files from the Program
> > Files directory of my old computer to the new one with Vista?
> > Dave
>
> What kind of files do you need to put in the Program Files directory? In
> Vista, the Program Files directory is protected and not meant to be used
> for user data. Use a folder in your User Directory
> (C:\Users\Your-Account\Document, etc.) instead.
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
>

Parrot wrote:
> The files I am trying to transfer are program application files which belong
> in the Program Files directory. The installation programs for some of my
> applications are lost or can't be found and I want to transfer the
> applications to the Program Files directory without having to re-install them
> thru Vista. I tried using the Transfer program from Vista but it gets hung
> up and never does end. I am trying to mirror my new computer to my old one
> but that looks almost impossible.

I see. Unfortunately, you can't just transfer programs that way. You
need to get the installation programs and install them on your new
system. There isn't any way around this.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

In message <#jSgVs34HHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl> Malke
<notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>Parrot wrote:
>> The files I am trying to transfer are program application files which belong
>> in the Program Files directory. The installation programs for some of my
>> applications are lost or can't be found and I want to transfer the
>> applications to the Program Files directory without having to re-install them
>> thru Vista. I tried using the Transfer program from Vista but it gets hung
>> up and never does end. I am trying to mirror my new computer to my old one
>> but that looks almost impossible.
>
>I see. Unfortunately, you can't just transfer programs that way. You
>need to get the installation programs and install them on your new
>system. There isn't any way around this.

That all depends on how poorly written the app is. If the app is fully
self contained, or has a documented list of dependencies, it's fairly
trivial to move applications manually.

--
You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.

DevilsPGD wrote:
> In message <#jSgVs34HHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl> Malke
> <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Parrot wrote:
>>> The files I am trying to transfer are program application files which belong
>>> in the Program Files directory. The installation programs for some of my
>>> applications are lost or can't be found and I want to transfer the
>>> applications to the Program Files directory without having to re-install them
>>> thru Vista. I tried using the Transfer program from Vista but it gets hung
>>> up and never does end. I am trying to mirror my new computer to my old one
>>> but that looks almost impossible.
>> I see. Unfortunately, you can't just transfer programs that way. You
>> need to get the installation programs and install them on your new
>> system. There isn't any way around this.
>
> That all depends on how poorly written the app is. If the app is fully
> self contained, or has a documented list of dependencies, it's fairly
> trivial to move applications manually.
>

Well, I haven't seen any programs written for a 32-bit Windows operating
system that will transfer. There's just too much stuff in the Registry.
If you have, please do tell us which ones will do this and maybe that
will help the OP.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

In message <OV1xkJ44HHA.4676@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl> Malke
<notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>DevilsPGD wrote:
>> In message <#jSgVs34HHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl> Malke
>> <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> That all depends on how poorly written the app is. If the app is fully
>> self contained, or has a documented list of dependencies, it's fairly
>> trivial to move applications manually.
>>
>
>Well, I haven't seen any programs written for a 32-bit Windows operating
>system that will transfer. There's just too much stuff in the Registry.
>If you have, please do tell us which ones will do this and maybe that
>will help the OP.

The short list of apps on my machine that can be moved without being
"installed" would be:

JPSoft's TakeCommand
JPSoft's 4NT
unison
Firefox
Thunderbird
pidgin (formerly known as gaim)
Agent (NNTP and email client)
Foxit (PDF reader)
putty (SSH and telnet client)
FastStone Image Viewer
FastStone Screen Capture
Media Player Classic
ComAgent
imgBurn
QuickPAR
RocketDock
USBDLM
VideoLAN
vncviewer
WinRAR

Aside from Microsoft programs, and programs that include drivers or run
as services, very little actually needs an install.

--
You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.

I know that I was able to transfer some programs from one XP system to
another XP system before without having to do an install. Is Vista different
in that respect? What kind of logic allows an install program to update the
Program Files directory but not a file transfer? I think there is overkill
on the security issue with Vista. It is getting too damn complicated to do
anything on computers any more. Why not make things easier?
Dave

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> In message <OV1xkJ44HHA.4676@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl> Malke
> <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
> >DevilsPGD wrote:
> >> In message <#jSgVs34HHA.2312@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl> Malke
> >> <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> >>
> >> That all depends on how poorly written the app is. If the app is fully
> >> self contained, or has a documented list of dependencies, it's fairly
> >> trivial to move applications manually.
> >>
> >
> >Well, I haven't seen any programs written for a 32-bit Windows operating
> >system that will transfer. There's just too much stuff in the Registry.
> >If you have, please do tell us which ones will do this and maybe that
> >will help the OP.
>
> The short list of apps on my machine that can be moved without being
> "installed" would be:
>
> JPSoft's TakeCommand
> JPSoft's 4NT
> unison
> Firefox
> Thunderbird
> pidgin (formerly known as gaim)
> Agent (NNTP and email client)
> Foxit (PDF reader)
> putty (SSH and telnet client)
> FastStone Image Viewer
> FastStone Screen Capture
> Media Player Classic
> ComAgent
> imgBurn
> QuickPAR
> RocketDock
> USBDLM
> VideoLAN
> vncviewer
> WinRAR
>
> Aside from Microsoft programs, and programs that include drivers or run
> as services, very little actually needs an install.
>
> --
> You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.
>

In message <3369E879-8997-4615-A3D5-E926A7BEF59B@microsoft.com> Parrot
<Parrot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I know that I was able to transfer some programs from one XP system to
>another XP system before without having to do an install. Is Vista different
>in that respect? What kind of logic allows an install program to update the
>Program Files directory but not a file transfer? I think there is overkill
>on the security issue with Vista. It is getting too damn complicated to do
>anything on computers any more. Why not make things easier?

The problem is that ease of use and security are directly opposite
goals. That being said, all you have to do is start your file transfer
as an administrator, simply right click on your file transfer app and
choose "Run as administrator"

This doesn't work for Explorer, but it works for everything else. For
Explorer, copy the files to your desktop first, then copy them to the
Program Files directory afterward, Explorer will automatically prompt to
elevate.

--
You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.

Thanks for the advice on how to transfer the files to the Program Directory.
I realize that security and ease of use are inversely related but if all one
has to do is right click to Run as Administrator that doesn't seem like much
of a security but it still requires that extra click. I assume then that
only the Administrator has this option. When I installed the Vista system I
thought that I was the Administrator yet it treats me like a regular user
even though I am registered as the Administrator. If I am the administrator
I should be able to dictate the level of security and complexity I want for
myself and for other users.
Dave

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> In message <3369E879-8997-4615-A3D5-E926A7BEF59B@microsoft.com> Parrot
> <Parrot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >I know that I was able to transfer some programs from one XP system to
> >another XP system before without having to do an install. Is Vista different
> >in that respect? What kind of logic allows an install program to update the
> >Program Files directory but not a file transfer? I think there is overkill
> >on the security issue with Vista. It is getting too damn complicated to do
> >anything on computers any more. Why not make things easier?
>
> The problem is that ease of use and security are directly opposite
> goals. That being said, all you have to do is start your file transfer
> as an administrator, simply right click on your file transfer app and
> choose "Run as administrator"
>
> This doesn't work for Explorer, but it works for everything else. For
> Explorer, copy the files to your desktop first, then copy them to the
> Program Files directory afterward, Explorer will automatically prompt to
> elevate.
>
> --
> You can get more with a kind word and a 2x4 than just a kind word.
>