I have restarted my machine multiple times. I wonder if it is another one of those admin issues. It does not need any extra services to run, does it?

I think 7-zip was one of the first things I installed.. I don't think I had changed anything in the OS settings at the time.

I presume you've given your own account Admin rights, right? It doesn't make much difference, other than allowing you to run things as admin, which it appears you can do...

I went through so much to get my machine up and running that it's a blur now... I know I tried the original 7 zip and got errors. Then I went and found the 64 bit version. I installed that and tried to set the associations. After cursing up a storm, I realized I needed to run it as admin. I had some issues figuring out which exe to run as admin, but once I found the right one, then running as admin set up the associations and context menus.

I made sure I installed all my utilities as admin. I had to flip a couple of them to Run as Administrator in their settings, like Wrye Bash and OBSE loader.

I am using the account with which I setup Win7, which is the only account on this OS.

I just checked if I still had the installer. I used the 7-zip version 4.65 64-bit installer (I dislike beta software for packers)

So it should have the proper privileges... Which version of 7 zip are you running? Which version of Notepad++?

When I tried the 4.65 installer, the context menu failed to do anything at all. I would click, and nothing would happen.

I went with the beta version (9.15) because there were a bunch of bugs that were supposed to be fixed. I still can't click Add or Delete from inside the 7 zip file manager, but drag 'n drop works now and the context menus work. I have Notepad ++ 5.7.

TL, I just saw your post in the BOSS thread and the response... Another thing I did to get things working was to change the permissions on my Games folder (C:\Games) so that my own ID had full privileges. I figured most games I run will have something they want to update so I figured this would be easier. UAC is still active, but I think it allows BOSS to work properly, for one thing. And I don't have to run it as admin!

I never had a problem with Notepad++, but I do tend to run installers as administrator on Windows 7 (and Vista). I don't have 7-Zip. I have WinRAR. Its context menus seem to work ok for me, possibly for the same reason.

If you want to run an msi installer as an administrator you can do it easily from a command prompt. For example, assuming we had a file called 7zip.msi in c:\users\Aliotroph\downloads we could do this.

• type "cmd" into the start menu (without hitting enter)
  
• Right-click the command prompt icon that appears and choose "run as administrator."
  
• Go to the downloads folder and copy the path out of the top of the window (clicking after the folder names in the address bar gives you the full patch as text -- in this case C:\Users\Aliotroph\Downloads)
  
• Paste that path in the command prompt and add "\7zip.msi" at the end. Hit enter.

I swear old versions of Windows would let you drag a program onto the command prompt rather than doing all the copy-pasting, but it doesn't work here.

The other thing is if you must have your Oblivion folder in Program Files (Steam users) you can change the permissions on the folder so it stops asking you. If you look at the permissions on a folder in Program Files (right-click->properties->security), you will find the Administrators group has all permissions and Users does not have write, modify or full control. Even if your account is in the Administrators group UAC still asks for confirmation. Adding permissions to Users will stop it from asking for confirmation on an Adminstrator account. Adding write and modify should work, full control probably won't hurt if it's your Oblivion folder. The new permissions will be automatically inherited by folders inside (data, obmm, etc).

Get autoruns http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

Look in the explorer tab and see if the context menus are enabled.

I will try the cmd method and get to changing the C:\Games permissions right away.



It works in some folders though...guess it does not hurt to try.


Edit: The Administrators group has full control over the C:\Games folder, which includes me...

Edit: What am I trying to detect with autoruns. I do not see why I cannot use the Services and/or Resources Monitor to see if the context menus process is up and running. Plus, neither of these applications is completely non-functional. I should probably just move the PyFFI in and out directories...or move PyFFI itself.

Edit: Great, whatever I changed when I reinstalled PyFFI, it did not edit the context menus this time...

Edit: Now PyFFI is moved, and everything is find on that end, as if I needed another issue to address...geez...

I'm not actually sure what group I'm a member of - my account is an administrator, but I can't find where it tells you what groups you're a member of. I still have no idea how to navigate the bloody setup screens in Win 7... Anyway, I gave Users full control over my Games folder and that got a lot of things working. This is also what Aliotroph? suggested - did you try it?

I got an "access denied" message when I altered the permissions, but hopefully that did something. I have not had trouble in the Games folder, but we'll see.

I didn't get that when I opened up my Games directory, but I did get it just now when I tried to do it for Wrye Bash - I don't have Wrye installed in the Oblivion folder. I don't know why I got it on a couple of files in Wrye - I don't think anything is running right now. Anyway, if that's all it was, then changing the permissions probably worked. I had Wrye working just fine without even doing that.

I was suggesting changing the permissions on Games to get BOSS working properly. Does BOSS work now?

BOSS worked before I did that. I cannot remember what happened there. It seemed to change after I did something to Bash. Oh well...


Edit: I remember now. I had only set Python27 to run as admin, and I more recently switched Python26 after Bash errored and I notice the Python26 reference.

I didn't think BOSS was displaying the log though. It works completely for me, even launching it from Wrye. Is it working now?

You guys have so many problems with Windows 7 - all because you do not grasp the idea behind it.

A standard Windows 7 installation gives you options to create an account when you first start it. This account is merely a guest account, lacking all the fundamental rights. Add UAC to that list and you basically have no rights whatsoever which in return is the soul reason why people have issues with oblivion mods and random application installers.

First thing you need to do after doing a Windows 7 install is unlocking the Administrator account. This will ensure you that you will have rights to do whatever you want. You still cannot do everything (like changing system files) but for a average user, this is irrelevant. To get this working you will need to disable UAC, for the time being (or just completely kill it, it is absolute useless).

I will note the steps how you can achieve this, and trust me. This has worked on both Vista and 7. I never, read NEVER had an issue with installing an installer or oblivion mods for that matter. My oblivion game was installed in its default location (C:\Program Files (x86)\Oblivion) and all the mods as well. Done at least 1000 hours of playing/modding and never had an issue like most describe when saying "I have windows 7".

• Disable UAC (Control Panel/Action Center/Change User Account Control settings) and pick "Never notify".
  
• Restart your computer.
  
• Find Command prompt in your start menu, or typ cmd in your search bar. Right click it and choose run as administrator.
  
• You will end up with a prompt. Now typ net user Administrator /active:yes followed by an enter.
  
• Restart your computer.

Now you will have two accounts available; the default one you created yourself, and the so called "administrator" account. Use the Administrator account as your main and save yourself loads of headaches.

The next time people have issues with installing mods on Windows 7, please.. do not tell them to install it outside of the program files, but let them do the above. It is perfectly safe as long as you type the command correctly.

This is basically meant for anyone having issues with installers. 7-zip needs administrator rights to get context menu working, and so do others. On this Administrator account, running "run as administrator" will no longer be necessary so a double click on an installer will suffice.

lunaaaa

That is what I meant last post, the BOSS log is working. I think it had something to do with running it through Bash.


I saw a reference to this. Thank you for the instructions, but you are right, I do not grasp the idea behind this. I do not want my account named "Administrator" either... If I left the UAC off, would using the real administrator account even be necessary, aside from using it to install programs that alter context menus?

That is just a cosmetic thing, you will get over it.
I really hate using random names, and Administrator suits me a lot more than anything else. Administrator is basically another way of showing "who is in control". Also, you payed the full price for your OS - so you should be able to do whatever you want it to do, right?

UAC is another way of telling you "wait Tomlong, you are trying to install something. Are you really sure you want to do this? Really?!??".

Context menus, register keys, copying files to system folders, add entries to login - these all relate to having "proper" rights. Crappy installers should install fine without UAC and lacking the Administrator account, but for those that know what they are doing - the Administrator account is a must.

Seriously, if people can setup a OB game with Wrye/BAIN then doing what I just told you should be cake. You could screw things up but rebooting the computer, using Safe mode (with command prompt) will give you the opportunity to enter the command once again.

I usually (and my clients) wait till they see the 2nd account pop up (default account, administrator account) and fully test if it is working. Several reboots, several installs and what not. Once it works, we delete the default account and enjoy a system with all the rights.

I am not exactly concerned with messing up my machines. The last time I had a serious problem with a machine I owned, where I was the sole user, was one that I had not built myself. The company had put a bad (and incompatible) memory set in it. Glad that stage of my life is long behind me, haha.

All right, I am turning this thing off. I do not download and/or install random junk, and if that is all it protects against, it is useless on this OS.

Tomlong I have not had time to read through this lot so forgive me if this has been mentioned, noticed at the start of the thread you mention the full admin account....

To enable the full admin account should you need it, go to....

Start / All Programmes / Accessories /

Right click on Command Prompt, and run it as administrator (so you have a fully privilege elevated command prompt)

In the command window type (or copy paste the following line..)

net user administrator /active:yes

After a reboot the hidden full admin account is now enabled, dont forget to give it a good password.


Another useful tip for 7 is godmode

Right click desktop - New Shortcut

Location...
%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Name = God Mode

Move icon to task Bar (you can now delete the desktop copy if you copied it from there instead of moved it).

This new icon, if you have no other windows explorer windows open, will start an advanced control panel, giving access to lots of settings not usually so easy to find.

If you have explorer windows open, this icon becomes a tab for the current opened explorer window.


Tweakguides has a massive downloadable pdf for win 7 too....

http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html

Just download the regular version

Edit: If you get frustrated with win 7's idea of having explorer windows open up the same size/position as the last one which was closed, get used to having a standard sized/positioned window - and when you want multiple windows open, just open the ones you want (say pictures, and documents at the same time for instance) now instead of dragging them around, right click on an empty space in your task bar and choose 'Show windows side by side' - To revert it choose 'Undo Show side by side', (not forgetting the last window you close will be the size/position of the next opened explorer window)

You can also drag a window all the way to the left or the right to auto size windows (using the top dragbar of an explorer window not the sides... as if you want to drag the whole window off screen)

This is odd, pretty much every setup.exe or msi i've ever used automatically requested admin rights on my windows 7 pro, maybe you tweaked a secruity setting somewhere.

The Administrator account works. Maybe Win7 Pro expects that the user is more tech savvy or something. I am in the process of personalizing my account. I can overlook Administrator, but everything else needs to change. I am not OCD, but I guess I am a little more robotic than same. Inconsistencies of many variations bug me. Now, I need to figure out where to store themes. This is going to take a while...

I wouldn't recommend telling the average user to go through this process though. The purpose of the UAC is to attempt to close the holes that exist in the OS. The new Mac operating system has something similar, which I also have. The idea is to prevent a program that has latched itself unto something you've downloaded or installed on your machine from being able to run unattended.

If you know how you use your machine and the risks entailed in disabling system features, then that's fine. I don't think it's a good idea to tell everybody to do this.

I have a full development machine working fine with my own account and UAC enabled. When I say development, I mean software development. I'll keep this thread because it has useful information and if I do run into trouble, then it will be something to look at, but I don't think it's necessary. It will be interesting to see how my husband fares when he converts his machine because he does a lot more programming than me...