Making a shortcut on USB flash drive for xplorer² Portable

fgagnon · Post by **fgagnon** » 2007 Jul 16, 11:36

Portable version is intended for use on machines that do NOT have x2 already installed. I would expect that trying to run it on such a machine would be problematic & likely use existing (installed) x2 settings.

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 16, 15:14

i don't see why it shouldn't work on vista, but i'll try on wednesday when i'm back in the office

ps what happens if you right-click on the portable icon and pick "run as administrator"?

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 18, 19:04

I have the same thing with a vista host machine: it doesn't import the x2settings.reg like an XP machine does. I mentioned it before, but this time I took the time to look at it a bit closer.
The User account settings says I have administrator access to it. When I start the xplorer2 portable (with or without the /I argument) the OS asks if I really want to do the scary stuff of importing something into the registry. When I confirm, it appears to be not such a big fuzz after all, since there are only three empty folders imported. See this image of the registry editor:

It is different when I run the app 'as administrator'. Then the x2settings.reg does get imported. But I'd rather not do that, because it also changes my access rights to the network folders of my client. Folders which are accessible by Windows Explorer aren't accessible anymore by x2 when run as administrator.

For now I just import the x2settings.reg manually, use the /W argument for x2, and remove the x2 keys afterwards, manually.

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 07:43

i just tried on my vista ultimate and had no problems at all
i had the portable executable in a folder of the usb stick, and "x2settings.reg" next to it. It would read this file whether I'd use /I or not (since it's the default REG file name)

so it must be some sort of security policy that prevents you loading it

another possible explanation is that with all this dialogs and authorizations it takes too long to load the settings file and x2 moves along without settings (it will only wait for 3 seconds maximum). To check this open regedit while x2 is running and see if the registry key of zabarakatranemia is fully populated or not

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 11:22

with all this dialogs and authorizations it takes too long to load the settings file

Quite possible. The screencap in my previous post has been taken while x2 was running, and as you see, the settings file has been loaded for only a very small part.

I don't know what types of security policies there are altogether. And how it affects the loading of the settings file. Maybe someone knows more about this...

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 11:31

if the snapshot was taken as x2 was running as you said (and you didn't stop the registry import with all those UAC answers) then the time delay theory doesn't work

can you try some things for me in that vista computer:

1. remove all registry entries for x2

2. as a normal user, double click on the REG file (without loading x2), does it import the settings file? What sort of confirmations do you have to go through?

3. remove all registry entries for x2 (if any)

4. use Start | Run and type the following command:

Code: Select all

regedit /S path_to_x2Settings.reg

Does it import anything? (that's the command line the portable uses internally). Do you get any messages?

if #4 doesn't work, then try repeating it without the /S (silent) switch and see if that works and what messages you have to go through

thanks

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 12:22

@2.
First I need to confirm the dialog 'Windows needs your autorisation to continue' (not sure about the translation, working on a French PC this time). It is regedit.exe that caused the message.
After confirmation there is this warning telling me that some components might get damaged when I add information to the registry: yes or no to continue.
Finally a message that the keys are added correctly.

@4. (after removing the keys from the registry)
The command "regedit /S path_to_x2Settings.reg" does import the registry. Completely. The only confirmation message I get is the 'Windows needs your autorisation to continue' dialog. As you probably would have guessed: without the '/S' the result is the same, but with the same batch of messages as with doubleclicking the x2settings.reg.

Makes me curious what you make of this

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 12:38

in the "loud" modes, do you have to type any passwords?

frankly your #4 doesn't make any sense for me. This command is exactly what xplorer2 uses internally, and now you're telling me that it works from RUN dialog and not when xplorer2 tries it... are you sure you deleted all registry info between 2 & 4? (also you must close x2 before you remove the registry keys)

when you run the portable x2, do you get the "windows need your authorization to continue" dialog and do you reply OK quickly? (within the 3 second timeout). Then x2 may work after all?

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 13:37

do you have to type any passwords?

No, not at all.

are you sure you deleted all registry info between 2 & 4?

That's what I was thinking: it is contradictory. All registry info was deleted between 2 & 4. Just checked it again. There seems to be a difference depending on if the run-command does "regedit /S path_to_x2Settings.reg" or x2-portable does it. I don't know if this is just a stupid question, but isn't there a difference between access rights of an application and those of a user?

I also tried the 'quick authorise' trick, but it leaves me with the reg editor in the state you saw in the screencap. (to be sure: this is a fast computer and a couple of fast hands

)

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 13:50

ok, let's try another one to test the "different if launched from within x2" hypothesis. Run x2 portable, then while running remove its registry keys, then type the same command in x2's addressbar:

> regedit /S path_to_x2Settings.reg

any registry import now? any different messages?

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 14:29

Bingo!
When I run the command from the addressbar it gives a "CPU tried its best but this command is ineffable" error. No import. Same for the silent and the 'loud' mode.

Just for the experiment, I ran x2 as administrator. In that case, running the command from the addressbar is the same as running it from the old 'Run' dialog. Only: the silent mode in the run-as-admin/addressbar is really silent (no more question about authorisation), and the loud mode from the run-as-admin/addressbar just gives me the second dialog ('adding keys might damage etc' or something that style)

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 14:48

well there had to be an explanation!
if you type "$path" in the addressbar (in normal user mode) which folders do you get in the default path? Where is regedit.exe on your system? In my XP it is under C:\WINNT\

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 15:17

This is the path to the registry editor:
C:\Windows\regedit.exe

The 'path' command gives these paths:
PATH=C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\AGL;C:\Users\[user]\AppData\[some application specific path]

Post by **nikos** » 2007 Jul 19, 16:03

so it's in the path but it can't be found

what does Help | Last error have to say, any further info for "the command is ineffable"?

what's teh default value of this registry key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command
does it have a full path on regedit?

finally i'm sure if you lauch it as a dos command from the addressbar it will work (notice $ prompt)

Code: Select all

$ regedit /S path_to_x2Settings.reg

Mr.Pleasant · Post by **Mr.Pleasant** » 2007 Jul 19, 16:58

This was the complete message:
CPU tried its best but this command is ineffable
Windows error = 50: Cette demande n'est pas prise en charge.

(sorry for the french. It says that the command doesn't run).

For the rest: getting back tomorrow.