|
Posted by R. C. White on September 29, 2008, 5:44 pm
Please log in for more thread options
Hi, John.
> 1.) I don't use Vista; I use XP.
I remember. But there are plenty of others "reading over our shoulders".
;^} And it's not just WinXP v. Vista; much of this confusion is 32-bit v.
64-bit - in either OS.
> 2.) The reason for my question is that it's being reported that Quicken
> tech-support is telling users to install Quicken in a folder other than
> Program Files. I'm trying to find out why Intuit might be telling users
> to do that.
To simplify their tech support calls.
Microsoft must have some of the most-creative file-and-feature-naming crews
in the world. NOT! :>( Program Files is just one more example. In
addition to my previous comments (gripes about the (x86) naming)...
Quicken will, by default, install itself into one of the following folders:
In 32-bit, whether WinXP Vista:
C:Program FilesQuicken
In 64-bit, whether WinXP or Vista:
C:Program Files (x86)Quicken
In either case, Quicken should install happily and run smoothly.
But when Quicken tech support tries to support it, they have to continually
keep in mind both possible locations. And either tell the customer that
(x86) is OK, or tell the customer to ignore that, depending on which OS is
running. It's extra work for tech support and extra opportunity for
confusion. If everybody were to create a new folder called, for example,
C:Quicken, and install Quicken into that folder, then support's job would
be much easier. They could always refer to the same foldername. (But it
would make Microsoft mad if Quicken formally recommended that!)
So, if I were on the Quicken tech support team, I might suggest that users
not use Program Files, but create a new folder.
That doesn't mean that using Program Files causes problems. Just confusion.
> Is it possible that since Q2009 is not a 64 bit app, and you say Vista
> Program Files is for 64 bit apps ... that Quicken should be installed in
> Vista Program Files (x86)?
Yes - and no. It's not WinXP v. Vista. It's 32-bit v. 64-bit. See far
above.
> Would installing Quicken in a brand new folder under the root folder be a
> valid alternative?
Yes. But Microsoft wouldn't like it.
> Is the Quicken install program smart enough to know which Program Files
> folder Quicken should be installed in?
Yep. See above.
So it boils down to a sort of "turf war". Microsoft wants ALL applications
to be in Program Files (or Program Files (x86)), while Intuit wants to keep
Quicken out of Program Files so that they don't have to explain all this
over and over.
Now I'd better send this before I "improve" it some more and make it even
more confusing. :^{
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(Retired. No longer licensed to practice public accounting.)
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Currently running Quicken 2009 Deluxe in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)
> R. C. White wrote:
>> Hi, John.
>>
>>> installing Q2009 in the Program Files group
>>
>> That is the way it is supposed to work! The C:Program Files folder
>> is intended to hold all applications. That is the way it was
>> supposed to work in WinXP and predecessors, too, but the rule was not
>> enforced, so it was generally ignored in the real world. If you
>> accept the Default location for Q2009 (or Q2008 or several prior
>> versions), that's where the Quicken installer will put the Quicken
>> folder: C:Program FilesQuicken.
>
> That's how I understand it too.
>
>> The Program Files folder is SUPPOSED to hold ONLY the .exe and .dll
>> and other files to run the program. Any DATA that the program
>> generates (like the .qdf and other files in the Quicken fileset) are
>> NOT supposed to be in Program Files at all. Much of the metadata,
>> such as quser.ini, are in other special locations; in MY Vista, that
>> file is at
>> C:UsersRCAppDataRoamingIntuitQuickenConfigquser.ini. These
>> special locations are different in WinXP, which I haven't used in a
>> couple of years, so I've forgotten the details.
>
> As soon as I discovered that Quicken was defaulting to looking in Program
> Files for its data (back when I was using Q2000), I moved my Quicken data
> to a folder outside of Program Files ... and it's been that way ever
> since.
>
>> In Vista, there are several "protected locations", where the operating
>> system will not let us store files unless we invoke Administrator
>> status and insist. The Root of the Boot Volume (typically C:) is
>> one of those locations; Program Files is another. Many users THINK
>> they are storing data in a subfolder of Program Files, but Vista
>> quietly redirects those data files to another folder within
>> C:Users<username>. Where is YOUR JohnP.QDF file, John? The full
>> pathname, please?
>> As I've often reported here, my Quicken installation is NOT the
>> default. For a decade or more I've installed Quicken into
>> E:QuickenW. WinXP accepted that location without protest, and so
>> does Vista. So my Quicken installation is not typical and some of
>> what I see is not what most users will see. My automatic backup
>> files, for example, are in E:QuickenWBACKUP; most Vista users will
>> find them in a subfolder of
>> C:Users<username>AppDataRoamingIntuitQuicken, I think - but I'm
>> not sure.
>>> why installing Q2009 in the Program Files group would cause problems?
>
>> It should cause NO problems. Installing it anywhere else MIGHT. And
>> putting your Quicken (or other) DATA in Program Files might also cause
>> problems.
>
> I should have included two things in my original post:
>
> 1.) I don't use Vista; I use XP.
> 2.) The reason for my question is that it's being reported that Quicken
> tech-support is telling users to install Quicken in a folder other than
> Program Files. I'm trying to find out why Intuit might be telling users
> to do that.
>
>> One additional wrinkle ONLY for users of 64-bit WinXP or Vista: The
>> Program Files (x86) folder. This is not necessary and not used at
>> all in 32-bit Windows. But, since 64-bit Windows can run both 32-bit
>> and 64-bit applications and utilities, and they often require
>> different drivers and other support files, the system needs a way to
>> tell them apart. So Microsoft subdivided Program Files into TWO
>> folders. They could have kept Program Files for 32-bit apps and
>> created a new Program Files (x64) - but they didn't! Instead, taking
>> the name from Intel's x86 family of 16-bit and 32-bit CPUs (8086,
>> 80486, etc.), they created Program Files (x86) and put the 32-bit
>> apps there, reserving the original Program Files folder name for
>> 64-bit apps. This creates a little confusion for some 64-bit users
>> and a LOT OF CONFUSION for those of us who dual-boot both 32-bit and
>> 64-bit Windows. :>(
>> If you run only 32-bit Windows, just ignore Program Files (x86). (Except
>> to know just enough about it to understand why you might see
>> it mentioned now and then.) All of Quicken and your other apps
>> should still be installed into Program Files. Quicken is not yet
>> available as a 64-bit program, but 32-bit Quicken runs just fine in
>> both 32-bit and 64-bit WinXP and Vista.
>> We've discussed this before, John. If your archives allow, you might
>> check out the thread in July with the Subject: Quicken, Vista, and
>> THE Administrator.
>
> I do recall that (didn't I initiate that discussion?).
>
> But I don't recall any comments about problems caused by installing
> Quicken (and Q2009, in particular) in the Vista Program Files folder. Or
> what problems could be caused by installing in the Vista Program Files
> folder.
>
> Is it possible that since Q2009 is not a 64 bit app, and you say Vista
> Program Files is for 64 bit apps ... that Quicken should be installed in
> Vista Program Files (x86)?
>
> Would installing Quicken in a brand new folder under the root folder be a
> valid alternative?
>
> Is the Quicken install program smart enough to know which Program Files
> folder Quicken should be installed in?
>
> --
>
> John Pollard
| 
Yahoo! 
Google 
Windows Live 
del.icio.us 
digg 
Netscape 
XML Sitemap