I bought a laptop for a friend that has Vista on it. I’m used to XP and am trying to migrate her XP setup to the new Vista computer. I went through the install and it created an administrator account for her. But I went into her “Applications Data” folder and I’m getting “Access is Denied”.
I guess being an Administrator doesn’t even get you into your own folders.
I am not too thrilled with Vista. Did you ‘right click’ the app and select ‘Run as administrator’?
It might sound redundantly stupid, but it seems par with Vista.
I tried that and no difference.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Vista!
I’m going through the same Vista “experience.” My solution was to make everything accessible to everybody, at least until I get it all working properly, if I ever do. Even so, Miscrosoft’s Flight Simulator X simply won’t install whatever I try (and I’ve tried everything except physical violence). Oddly, Flight Simulator 2004 installed and ran perfectly…
Oh, and Windows Easy Transfer (ha!) just won’t connect my old XP system with my new Vista box, even though they’re on the same LAN with a perfect connection between the two.
The moment Win 7 appears I’m going to install it and then it’ll be Hasta la Vista!
As far as i know the folder is now called appdata, that “Application Data” folder is actually a shortcut in Vista, just like “Documents and Settings” wich is now changed to “Users”
Try going to the command line and use the cacls command:
cacls “Applications Data” /T /E /C /G herusername:F
This works for me often times
Oh and to PeterR:
I’m running Win7 now and the folder naming is the same as vista
I remember reading that Vista has “folders” (that appear as shortcuts to folders) that are used for compatibility with older(?) applications.
There is an ‘Application Data’ “folder” under C:\users\%username%\. ‘Access Denied’ when I click on it.
Its not a real folder. Its a junction for compatibility with programs looking for the old folder names.
Yes, Vista does protect users from themselves. And when you think about it, it is a good thing.
You are trying to access a folder that is reserved for Applications access, by the OS itself, not user access. Only programs with elevated rights, written with higher security protocols are allowed access to that folder, users and non-certified applications should not be mucking around in there. It keeps malware from infecting data that is used internally withing programs, closing major security holes.
The solution if you need access to that folder? Turn off UAC (User Account Control) while you try unsuccessfully to migrate applications from an old system into a new system without actually reinstalling them… then turn UAC back on.
#5: I’m running Win7 now and the folder naming is the same as vista
I don’t mind the folder naming, I can live with that. It’s the way things that should work don’t that bugs me. Fortunately, the really important stuff (this being my work machine) does function so I’ll just make do until Win 7 comes along.
So far I’ve seen more BSODs with Vista than in can’t-remember-how-many years with XP. Also, it frequently refuses to power down at the first attempt — I sometimes have to click the off button several times before it takes any notice.
Vista seems to have a mind of its own. Is this the AI breakthrough we’ve been waiting for? If so, you can keep it, MS.
Where is the real folder then? How do you tell what it’s pointing to? In Linux fake folders for the most part act like real ones.
ummm,
Can I suggest that you TAP f8 on loadup…
It should popup the ADMIN MODE.
ALSO you should setup that EACH user has to sign in. That ALSO gives you admin mode.
XP has this also..its FUN..
Vista is perfectly serviceable if you know what you’re doing. It isn’t XP so get over it and move on or go back to XP. Your choice.
The main problem with Vista sits in front of the keyboard.
You have to give your specific user the rights to go into that folder by right-clicking on the folder and editing your Security. Make sure you give yourself full control.
Shouldn’t this post be categorized under “Nanny State”?
Just to reiterate what the pirate said…
I don’t like calling names. However, you might take offense to this, maybe the name of this post should be the other way around… “Dumb User”.
If you idea of asking for help is bashing at Vista well then who is really the fool.
I like problems… actually I make a living resolving them.
Let’s be Smart! Don’t blame other people for your mistakes!
I fubared my sisters Older Vista Dell when I copied all the stuff to her new Vista machine. I removed the old drive and hooked up to a usb adapter. So I could do a direct transfer. First it had to get permission to copy the folder, which it did. I copied everything then put the HDD back in it’s computer and tried to boot up. It never did again. Something about ACPI can’t find memory. Safe modes did the same thing. She Couldn’t find the Install DVD. So I download a hacked vs that night. Unfortunately, it bypassed the repair screen on boot up and started to do an install.
I said screw it and went an bought a new HDD and used my Dell XP install CD. All is happy in the world again.
Yes maybe I need to learn Vista but why XP just works.
XP???? Vista??? what are these things???
seriously, when you copied everything over that was the mistake.
you copied the settings as well as data..
make sure you just copy data! like pictures, office files, music, video, but not things like application settings
unfortunately these type of files are to intermingled on todays systems.
#13 and #16 are right. Most people that bitch about Vista simply don’t understand it. That said…I moved to 7 as soon as I could. It’s just better.
“Most people that bitch about Vista simply don’t understand it. ”
Exactly. That’s the point. People don’t understand it. So why doesn’t Microsoft fix it so people (non-programmers) understand it?
#20
Simply because programmers, IT admins and your local Computer repair shop could keep there jobs… joking, however it could factor in.
pibcak
Of course you don’t own the folders, Microsoft does. Didn’t you read the EULA?
AND IF’ ms would stick to STANDARDIZED programming precautions, most of this could be averted.
NEVER let anything WRITE to the OS or its DIR. USE them from another DIR OR from the programs OWN DIR.
NOT seeing Win 7, I cant say what has been done. Hopefully for the better.
Why don’t they make car engines easy for the layman to work on?
Why cant I do my own brain surgery?
Why am I not a Fields medal winner?
Because some issues are complicated and better left to professionals.
Ooooh, looks like they’re still copying from OSX.
OMG I gave up on XP when Vista came out. I had no issues transferring
anything. Are you sure this was not a issue where you did not transfer your existing user account correctly and if so your new user account on the Vista machine would not recognize those files. Just some friendly advise. Why not seek out help on support forums rather then complaining about Vista? I saw the same thing when XP came out and Windows 98 users complained. I guess some would rather complain then solve. One thing I can say about transferring with Vista. I have upgraded to new laptops twice since with Vista on both machines and it works great! So maybe your blaming the wrong OS. Maybe its XP that is the problem. Don’t be so quick to judge. Sounds like you should have stayed with XP if you thought Vista was so bad?
It is hard to say, with any certainty, what the problem might be in this case. The account to set up Vista is by default Administrator, giving total super user privileges. I suspect a recovery partition is configured on the hard drive, with a separate account. I could lead you somewhere unpleasant, so best that you see a service provider and ask for a new production image to be placed onto the hard disk.
Migrations and upgrades of OS’s is always a bad idea. You are far better off installing the OS clean.
Then configure the OS the way you want.
Then install the apps you want. You should check to see what version of the app runs on your new OS and get that version.
Then configure the apps the way you want.
Then make sure all the updates, patches, and fixes for the OS and all apps are installed.
Then transfer the user’s data from the old computer. This is often not that hard since most of the data is media and Office documents.
The hardest thing to move is email. You need to look up the instructions for your email client. I use Gmail, a web based email client, so I don’t have to worry about it.
Then have the new apps perform any data upgrades that they might need, if they do at all.
I’ve never had a BSOD with Vista. Nor have I ever had anything close to the problems you are describing.
How can you say you’re ‘used to XP’ but are incapable of using Vista?
Except for a couple of tweaks in the start menu and renaming stuff in the control panel its UI is more or less identical.
This seems like a case of someone just bitching for the sake of bitching, and jumping on the Vista Sucks bandwagon instead of just using it for a week and realizing their preconceived notions were fucking stupid.