Program Files Folder Question

[John]

I understand that Program Files is a somewhat special folder regarding
security rights to create files etc. Is there a place I can go read about
all the idiosyncracies of the Program Files folder? For example, if I
install (with admin rights) a new program, will that new program's folder be
read only etc like the parent program files folder?

 

[Andrew McLaren]

"John" <me@myhome.net> wrote ...
>I understand that Program Files is a somewhat special folder regarding
>security rights to create files etc. Is there a place I can go read about
>all the idiosyncracies of the Program Files folder? For example, if I
>install (with admin rights) a new program, will that new program's folder
>be read only etc like the parent program files folder?

That's right - "Program Files" is one of several special "Known Folders".
Actually this concept has been present in the Chicago-style shell since
Windows 95, although advanced markedly in Windows 2000 and again in Vista.

Basically, everything under C:\Program Files" (FOLDERID_ProgramFiles) is
strictly read-only to standard users.

The MSDN doco is rather developer-oriented, but will give you th inner
workings of how Windows treast these known folders:

Known Folders
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969404.aspx

A good guide for application developers and installers, descibes Program
Files folder Virtualisation:

Windows Vista Application Development Requirements for User Account Control
Compatibility
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...-932b-38acd478f46d/WindowsVistaUACDevReqs.doc

A good general overview of UAC, incl Program Files permissions
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...2b2f-422c-b70e-b18ff918c2811033.mspx?mfr=true

Hope this gets you started.
--
Andrew McLaren
amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au

 

[John]

Thank you. That's very helpful.


-3F2D90E093D6@microsoft.com...
> "John" <me@myhome.net> wrote ...
>>I understand that Program Files is a somewhat special folder regarding
>>security rights to create files etc. Is there a place I can go read about
>>all the idiosyncracies of the Program Files folder? For example, if I
>>install (with admin rights) a new program, will that new program's folder
>>be read only etc like the parent program files folder?
>
> That's right - "Program Files" is one of several special "Known Folders".
> Actually this concept has been present in the Chicago-style shell since
> Windows 95, although advanced markedly in Windows 2000 and again in Vista.
>
> Basically, everything under C:\Program Files" (FOLDERID_ProgramFiles) is
> strictly read-only to standard users.
>
> The MSDN doco is rather developer-oriented, but will give you th inner
> workings of how Windows treast these known folders:
>
> Known Folders
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa969404.aspx
>
> A good guide for application developers and installers, descibes Program
> Files folder Virtualisation:
>
> Windows Vista Application Development Requirements for User Account
> Control Compatibility
> http://download.microsoft.com/downl...-932b-38acd478f46d/WindowsVistaUACDevReqs.doc
>
> A good general overview of UAC, incl Program Files permissions
> http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...2b2f-422c-b70e-b18ff918c2811033.mspx?mfr=true
>
> Hope this gets you started.
> --
> Andrew McLaren
> amclar (at) optusnet dot com dot au
>