YAVT: Yet Antother Vista Thread

[fierydemise]

I have an update for an older game that I'm trying to install on Vista, when I do I get the following message.

Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I've tried it from an admin account with no success.

 

[StevenYoo]

those files will probably only work in XP.

you try running it in XP compatibility mode?

 

[mechBgon]

Try the Program Compatibility Wizard. One way to start it is

Start > Search > %systemroot%\System32\mshta.exe res://acprgwiz.dll/compatmode.hta and hit Enter. Use it to run the .MSI. During the Q&A session, pick WinXP SP2 mode and try the "Run this program as an administrator" (you scanned it for viruses first, right?).

Any good?

 

[fierydemise]

No go, says "error starting program" any other ideas?

 

[mechBgon]

Hmmm When a MSI installer unpacks, a guy might be able to "kidnap" the unpacked files, cancel the MSI installer, then run the kidnapped setup .EXE using the right-click > Run As Administrator option. I used to do that with Adobe Reader 7 sometimes. See if you can do that at all?

 

[fierydemise]

There is no option to run as administrator on the right click menu for the file but I don't think thats what your saying is it?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: fierydemise
There is no option to run as administrator on the right click menu for the file but I don't think thats what your saying is it?

1) you start the .MSI installer

2) the MSI installer unpacks its files to a Temp directory somewhere

3) you go to the Temp directory and heist the files! :evil:

4) you cancel the MSI installer, since it's not going to work but you snatched its files

5) you then look for the setup .EXE file in the heisted files, right-click it, Run As Administrator, and see if that works or not.


LMK if it helps or not. What game is it, anyway?

 

[fierydemise]

mechBgon, where would should I look for the temp file? I checked the temp folder (C:\Windows\Temp) and all I see is a collection of text files and a couple empty folders.

The game is Impossible Creatures

 

[mechBgon]

That is indeed the question, where are those files. Try your user account's Local Settings\Temp directory, are they in there? They'll only be present while the installer is running, otherwise it'll delete them when it exits, so make sure you're doing it in that order.

 

[fierydemise]

I ran the installer and watched the number of files in the Temp folder and saw no change, maybe the .msi file isn't unpacking or its failing so quickly that I can't catch the unpacked files?

 

[fierydemise]

bump

 

[mechBgon]

It might be unpacking them to a virtualized directory, too. You could look in Event Viewer if you want (it's a bit more complex than it used to be, however).

Maybe you can dredge up a Win98 license, install Win98 inside a Virtual PC 2007 window, and play Impossible Creatures and other problem games in Virtual PC?

 

[fierydemise]

I discovered the first problem, my Software Restriction Policy was preventing it from opening, since I couldn't run it as an administrator (as there wasn't an option on the right click menu) it wouldn't work, I've temporarily disabled the Software Restriction Policy and now I can get it to extract and the .msi file appears in the temp folder but I get a new error message saying "There is a a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run." I tried running it using the Compatibility Wizard mentioned earlier and received the same error message.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: fierydemise
I discovered the first problem, my Software Restriction Policy was preventing it from opening, since I couldn't run it as an administrator (as there wasn't an option on the right click menu) it wouldn't work, I've temporarily disabled the Software Restriction Policy and now I can get it to extract and the .msi file appears in the temp folder but I get a new error message saying "There is a a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program required for this install to complete could not be run." I tried running it using the Compatibility Wizard mentioned earlier and received the same error message.

OHHHHHH, you're one of those cRaZy people who runs an SRP! :Q Well that makes sense, then Maybe the Application logs in Event Viewer can shed some light on what the deal is.

 

[fierydemise]

Thank you mechBgon, it worked. Took some time to find because it wasn't unpacking them to the temp folder, it was in the program folder but the process worked well.