How to overwrite a file in Vista Windows folder

  • Thread starter Thread starter Les
  • Start date Start date
L

Les

Hi

Trying to overwrite a .dll file in Windows folder with a newer version but
fails silently - no error, no changes made. The same results if I try to
rename the file.

I can change accounts and use the 'real administrator' account to do it, but
I would like to be able to do so from my 'normal administrator' account -
how can I do this?
 
In message <[email protected]> "Les"
Trying to overwrite a .dll file in Windows folder with a newer version but
fails silently - no error, no changes made. The same results if I try to
rename the file.
Click to expand...

What tool are you using? Normally Explorer will pop up a dialog
warning you, then toss it over to UAC to elevate and complete the task.

If you're using your own file management tool, you either need to start
it as an administrator, or it needs to learn to run as a limited user.

Failing that, if you're fluent with the command line, run a command
prompt by right clicking and choosing the "Run as administrator" and you
should be able to do whatever you want from within that command prompt.
 
DevilsPGD said:
In message <[email protected]> "Les"


What tool are you using? Normally Explorer will pop up a dialog
warning you, then toss it over to UAC to elevate and complete the task.

If you're using your own file management tool, you either need to start
it as an administrator, or it needs to learn to run as a limited user.

Failing that, if you're fluent with the command line, run a command
prompt by right clicking and choosing the "Run as administrator" and you
should be able to do whatever you want from within that command prompt.
Click to expand...


Just trying to use the standard Explorer delete/rename/copy/paste functions.
But you mentioned UAC which I recently turned off - that must have been the
culprit (or, to put it another way - I must be the culprit :)
 
Why are you trying to replace part of the operating system? Which DLL is
this, and what are you trying to replace it with?
 
Steve Riley said:
Why are you trying to replace part of the operating system? Which DLL is
this, and what are you trying to replace it with?

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


Les said:
Just trying to use the standard Explorer delete/rename/copy/paste
functions. But you mentioned UAC which I recently turned off - that must
have been the culprit (or, to put it another way - I must be the culprit
:)
Click to expand...

At the moment, I am changing into my 'super admin' account to
copy/rename/delete files which are .dll's associated with
a dumb USB device I have. I just wanted to be able to have such access in
the 'standard' account to do the same.
Click to expand...
 
In message <[email protected]> "Steve Riley [MSFT]"
If that device is installing its own drivers in the Windows folder, the you
should throw it away. Actually, I'm curious now how that device got its
files there to begin with. What account were you logged in to when you used
the drive the first time, do you remember?
Click to expand...

Assuming it's installer was called setup.exe or install.exe or looked or
smelled like an installer, it would have no trouble writing drivers
anywhere it wanted.
 
True, but the UAC prompt still comes up. Need a little bit more info from
Les to figure out what's really going on. Les, what is this USB device, and
how is its driver software installed?

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


DevilsPGD said:
In message <[email protected]> "Steve Riley [MSFT]"
If that device is installing its own drivers in the Windows folder, the
you
should throw it away. Actually, I'm curious now how that device got its
files there to begin with. What account were you logged in to when you
used
the drive the first time, do you remember?
Click to expand...

Assuming it's installer was called setup.exe or install.exe or looked or
smelled like an installer, it would have no trouble writing drivers
anywhere it wanted.
Click to expand...
 
I probably used the 'super admin' account (what is the correct way to
discuss the super/normal admin accounts?)

The original driver came wrapped in 2 x .sys files and 1 x .inf file - none
of which I can understand. It's just that there are other drivers for the
device that I want to try out. I can do this via the 'super admin' account
but not through my normal everyday admin account.

Another example of what I am facing - there is a folder called Temp in my
windows folder. In the 'super admin' account, I can open Temp quite
normally, but in my daily use account, I get a dialog box with:

'You don't currently have permission to access this folder.' click Continue
to get access to this folder.

but when I click continue - dialog closes, folder screen bar at top slides
green and nothing else happens. I still don't get into the Temp folder. What
happened to the offer of access?

Steve Riley said:
If that device is installing its own drivers in the Windows folder, the
you should throw it away. Actually, I'm curious now how that device got
its files there to begin with. What account were you logged in to when you
used the drive the first time, do you remember?

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com
Click to expand...
 
DevilsPGD said:
In message <[email protected]> "Steve Riley [MSFT]"
If that device is installing its own drivers in the Windows folder, the
you
should throw it away. Actually, I'm curious now how that device got its
files there to begin with. What account were you logged in to when you
used
the drive the first time, do you remember?
Click to expand...

Assuming it's installer was called setup.exe or install.exe or looked or
smelled like an installer, it would have no trouble writing drivers
anywhere it wanted.
Click to expand...


Yes, the original was 'installed' in the normal way via the windows
installer, but the files I am now trying out are just a single
..dll file(s) which are to replace the one installed originally.
 
The "super admin" account you're referring to is probably the account named
"Administrator," but since you don't remember, we can't know for sure.

Don't know what to tell you about the Temp folder issues, sorry. I haven't
seen that particular thing happen before.

About the driver replacement... I'm guessing that either the Administrator
account or the SYSTEM account have become the owners of the files that got
added to %WINDIR%. That's why you need to use Administrator to replace the
individual files.

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com


Les said:
I probably used the 'super admin' account (what is the correct way to
discuss the super/normal admin accounts?)

The original driver came wrapped in 2 x .sys files and 1 x .inf file -
none of which I can understand. It's just that there are other drivers for
the device that I want to try out. I can do this via the 'super admin'
account but not through my normal everyday admin account.

Another example of what I am facing - there is a folder called Temp in my
windows folder. In the 'super admin' account, I can open Temp quite
normally, but in my daily use account, I get a dialog box with:

'You don't currently have permission to access this folder.' click
Continue to get access to this folder.

but when I click continue - dialog closes, folder screen bar at top slides
green and nothing else happens. I still don't get into the Temp folder.
What happened to the offer of access?
Click to expand...
 
Even running as Administrator may leave you without permissions to modify
some files or folders, even ones that you have downloaded and installed. To
modify (copy, delete, rename) files or folders you can take Ownership of (in
your Username) and grant yourself Full Control permissions of the files or
folders in question described in the following tutorial. Another way to gain
access to modify files and folders includes going to the Start button, typing
in Windows Explorer, right-clicking on this and selecting Run As
Administrator. You should then have "elevated privileges" to do whatever you
wish to files in Windows Explorer. There is also a program called Unlocker
that you can use to gain access to modify files and folders (see link below).

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/


Steve Riley said:
The "super admin" account you're referring to is probably the account named
"Administrator," but since you don't remember, we can't know for sure.

Don't know what to tell you about the Temp folder issues, sorry. I haven't
seen that particular thing happen before.

About the driver replacement... I'm guessing that either the Administrator
account or the SYSTEM account have become the owners of the files that got
added to %WINDIR%. That's why you need to use Administrator to replace the
individual files.

--
Steve Riley
(e-mail address removed)
http://blogs.technet.com/steriley
http://www.protectyourwindowsnetwork.com
Click to expand...
 
Thank you uvbogden, this has made life a little easier for me :)

uvbogden said:
Even running as Administrator may leave you without permissions to modify
some files or folders, even ones that you have downloaded and installed.
To
modify (copy, delete, rename) files or folders you can take Ownership of
(in
your Username) and grant yourself Full Control permissions of the files or
folders in question described in the following tutorial. Another way to
gain
access to modify files and folders includes going to the Start button,
typing
in Windows Explorer, right-clicking on this and selecting Run As
Administrator. You should then have "elevated privileges" to do whatever
you
wish to files in Windows Explorer. There is also a program called
Unlocker
that you can use to gain access to modify files and folders (see link
below).

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/67717-take-ownership-file.html

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Click to expand...
 
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