Copying exe files from server to pc

[RAG]

We update our client's software *.exe programs by storing the update code in a blob record in a server based MySQL database.

When the user logs on to the main program on his PC, if there are updates, a dialog message displays and the updates are written from the server to the local directory -- the same directory as the main program resides.

This has worked very well on XP (where we used *program files\* as the directory).
It has also worked fine in vista and 32bit windows 7 (where we use the user's app data\roaming directory.

On Windows 7 64-bit however, the update fails. It opens the file name of the updated program with zero bytes and then displays the message:

"Could not write to... c:\Users\[user]\AppData\Roaming\.. etc."

I've tried running the main program as administrator.
I've turned off UAC.
I suspect this is a security issue, but is there any workaround?

Help!

R Greene

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

That app has to have permission to write to that user's folder. If it's running under their user name it shouldn't be a problem. If it runs under a different username or group (like Network Service, etc etc) make sure that group can write to said destination.

 

[RAG]

The main program is run by the user (via shortcut on desktop) and the program is located in the user's appData\roaming folder.

How do I track down what is blocking the write?

 

[Johnathan Lyman]

The main program is run by the user (via shortcut on desktop) and the program is located in the user's appData\roaming folder.

How do I track down what is blocking the write?

I'm not an expert on Active Directory or anything like that BUT if you are using that, make sure the user has permission to write to the drive:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming folder. System processes usually do, as with network services, but if the user doesn't, any program they run won't either. Sometimes even if UAC is ignored when it's run as an admin.

In regards to your second question, I'm really not sure.