VOGONS


KQVII

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First post, by JayDP

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I tried to run KQVII (DOS Version) in WinXP HOME.
It works just fine under MY User Account with ADMIN privileges.

But when my daughter (for whom it is for) then tries to run it under her user account (LIMITED privileges), it seems to lock up on the menu.

It appears to load just fine, and brings us to the Main Menu. However, When she selects her name (top left from previous saved game), and then clicks to select the "Continue Previous Game" MENU button - that is when the game appears to freeze.

Is there something I need to do or can do - short of giving my daughter's user account ADMIN privileges.

Thanks!

Reply 1 of 12, by avatar_58

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You installed the game as 'ADMIN' didn't you? Well the rights probably don't apply to her. It allowed you to enter a new file (her save game) but it won't let you near the game files itself, at least thats what it appears to be.

You could either change the rights on the folder (Add her account giving her full rights to the files and sub folders) or you can install the game again under her name too.

Reply 2 of 12, by JayDP

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Thanks, I suspected something related.
I'll try giving her permissions on the files and folders.
if that doesn't work, I'll then try to reinstall under her account in DOSBox .65.

Reply 3 of 12, by JayDP

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I went in as my daughter on Win XP HOME - on her LIMITED access account.

I tried to change READ ONLY permissions on the KQ7DOS folder as follows:

attrib -R /S /D *.*
I also ran this command one level up.
And I ran it directly on the folder, too.
attrib -R /S /D KQ7DOS

and various combinations, thereof.

I still could not play the game, it freezes when trying to read/write to the file that contains info about the previously saved game.

Then I went in, through DOSBox and tried to INSTALL the game through her LIMITED access account. I got an error in the console about not having permissions to write to the directory.
What to do now?

Reply 4 of 12, by Qbix

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try to install in a different directory ?

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Reply 5 of 12, by DosFreak

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Attrib only modifies file permissions.

Your probably encountering NTFS permissions. I've never really used XP home that much but IIRC isn't the Security Tab in XP Home gone? If so I think you have to boot into safe mode to change your NTFS permissions or you have to find some security policy on the internet so that you can re-enable the ability to modify your NTFS permissions in XP Home like all other sane versions of Windows NT.

It would probably be easier to just put the game in her "My Documents" folder since I'm thinking that she'll probably have full permissions there.

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Reply 6 of 12, by JayDP

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So how does one change FOLDER permissions in Win XP HOME?
is it by booting up in SAFE Mode?

P.S. Putting the game in My Documents,
while a good idea, is not practical, as I actually have two daughters, each with their own account.

The program, now, is not under the System folder of "Program Files",
so I didn't think file/folder permissions would be an issue. I have a root folder called "OldGames", form wherein I have installed\loaded a couple of older DOS Games (like QIX) that I am running in DOSBox v 0.65.

So, what I need is a way to change the folder permissions on
"C:\OldGames\SIERRA" & ""C:\OldGames\SIERRA\KQ7DOS"
from READONLY to not READONLY.

I thought, according to a Microsoft KB article, that the ATTRIB command should work. AND the HELP for ATTRIB does have a switch for folders. But, either my syntax was incorrect or it simply won't work with Win XP HOME, as you initially suggested.

Reply 7 of 12, by h-a-l-9000

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Attrib has nothing to do with user permissions.
The cacls command is supposed to be availible on XP home and can be used to change permissions.

1+1=10

Reply 8 of 12, by DosFreak

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IIRC, any directory outside the user's profile only has Read/Execute permissions if they are not a local administrator or do not have administrator permissions.

So moving to "C:" would be the same as "Program Files" permissions wise.

Your only options are to modify the permissions on the folder where your games are at or copy the games into their profiles.

Hmmm, isn't there also a "Shared Documents" that can be used as well. I wouldn't use this with DosBox if at all possible but I suppose that it could be used.

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Reply 9 of 12, by JayDP

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You wrote,

"Your only options are to modify the permissions on the folder where your games are at or ... ."

I tried using the CACLS command, and I am at a complete loss - because even logged on as myself, I was getting "ACCESS DENIED". And somehow I must have screwed it up using CACLS; because, now - I cannot even use DOS (DOS in Win XP not DosBox) to get into the ...\SIERRA \KQ7DOS folder. (I can get into the ...\SIERRA folder, however.)

can some one point me into how/what syntax/format/parameters/switches i should be using with CACLS. I never even heard of this command before today.

Thanks.

Reply 10 of 12, by DosFreak

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Don't bother with the CLI. Simply reboot your computer and right before the XP logo appears hit the "F8" key, then choose "SAFE mode" .

Now log into windows. Surf to the directory where your DOS games are located. Right-click on the directory, go to properties, go to the "Security" Tab, and then add your daughter's accounts with the appropriate permissions.

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Reply 11 of 12, by JayDP

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That did it.

It took a couple of restarts from SAFE Mode to Regular mode and back,
because I had messed a BATCH file up with my noviceness in using the CACLS command.

But all is well, now, and I even used the CACLS command to fix some things I had messed up, as well, so I cauld then use the Security from SAFE mode.

Thanks!

Both my daughters will be so happy. (and grateful)

Reply 12 of 12, by Xian97

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For future reference, sometimes even setting the NTFS permissions isn't enough. A couple of my daughter's programs still wouldn't run after settng the NTFS permissions and I found that I had to set permissions for the registry key as well. If you know how to use Regedit, find the key for the software that isn't running under a limited account (the key is usually somewhere under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE) and right click on it You can then set the permissions for that key. I had to do that on my son's account too for World of Warcraft. He could download the updates and install them, but the update would always fail when it attempted to write to the Blizzard Entertainment/World of Warcraft key in the Windows registry.