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"Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file"

Hi,

OK this has me beat!

On my Windows 7 system there is one program that won't install in one folder due to the above error.

I have tried:

'Unblocking' it from it's properties
Secure deleting it from the hard disk and re-downloading it
Resetting the read-only bit (to off) from the top level of the directory tree + subs
Running as admin (even though I am)
Successfully running it from a different folder
Successfully running previous versions in the same folder

What on *earth* is screwing with this file?

Neil

Hi,

OK this has me beat!

On my Windows 7 system there is one program that won't install in one folder due to the above error.

I have tried:

'Unblocking' it from it's properties
Secure deleting it from the hard disk and re-downloading it
Resetting the read-only bit (to off) from the top level of the directory tree + subs
Running as admin (even though I am)
Successfully running it from a different folder
Successfully running previous versions in the same folder

What on *earth* is screwing with this file?

Neil

No idea really, as you seem to have tried the only thing I was going to suggest which is running as Admin. Had similar problems myself trying to get a file to run in Notepad, as it neede admin rights.

Even though I was logged in as admin I still needed to select to run the programme as "Admin" and then find the file. :S

It might be worth checking the file permissions on the user that you are logged in as on folder that you are trying to install to, to be honest I'm not 100% sure how to do this on Windows 7, but if you delete the folder then create it again from scratch it should just take the permissions from the parent folder (providing you have full access to that).

I was thinking along those lines.

It's bizzare though how the prog installs from another directory, and other files in that directory install, and even more confusing is that even though I secure wiped the offending file and copied a new download over to the directory, it still failed.

N.

To test this further, it may be worth running a different installer to/from this directory.

Also, I remember a little while ago I had a problem installing something to the Program Files (x86) directory on 64bit Windows 7 and it turned out that the installer didn't like the brackets in the directory name so I ended up installing to standard Program Files instead.

I've also found a guide on the Internet for changing the access permissions in windows 7. I would just check that both Administrator and your user have Full Control over the folder.

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/windows-7-access-denied-permission-ownership/

I've pretty much exhausted the owner/permission route.

Nothing works.

I'm backing up online and going to delete the local directory and restore.

N.