Unable to make C:\Program Files NOT read-only

This is a very strange problem. I've tried all the published fixes for it and none of them works. My system in Win11 23H2 Build 22631.4169 with all updates installed. Except for this problem it runs fine.

The problem is I have one app (PrusaSlicer) that runs OK when it is installed on a non-boot drive. But when I put it in it's proper place C:\Program Files\PrusaSlicer it behaves like it is read only/write protected. The exe's Properties window shows it is NOT Read-only, but nevertheless I am unable to make any parameter changes within the program. For some reason the properties for C:\Program Files DOES show it is Read-only, but other programs running from this directory function OK. Un-checking the Read-only option followed by Apply simply closes the window and leaves Read-only still applied.

Things I've tried: Disk Manager (boot drive is not write protected), DISM, SFC, changing security permissions for all users, Windows Security quick scan, and a couple of other things I can't remember.

If I put the program directly in the C: root directory (C:\PrusaSlicer) it works OK. So I'm thinking the real problem is that C:\Progam Files has some sort of problem that affects some of it's subdirectories. But this doesn't make any sense to me. Would you believe this:

If I move the C:\PrucaSlicer directory (in which the program works OK) from the C: root to C:\Progam Files, the program gives me the read-only behavior. I know that moving anything from one place on a drive to another place on the same drive only changes the pointers to what is moved, not the data itself. So it has to be something associated with the C:\Progam Files directory showing as Read-only. But nothing I've tried to uncheck the Read-only box for C:\Program Files works.

Am I missing some little secret? I hope so.

Why are some of you playing with attributes that are not even set to begin with, if "Program Files" set with read-only attribute there is no way you can install software on your system that uses this directory.

Good question. Answers are:

1. I haven't messed with any attributes

2. I just installed 7-Zip (which I don't use) into C:\Program Files and used it to extract all the files from PrusaSlicer.zip successfully.

I said this was an unusual problem.....

I've had success in custom installing programs on C:\ and also on D:\, not using the automatic suggestions by the program/s. The Program Files and Program Files (x86) are part of Windows and sometimes prevents user intervention.

Example: [Buffalo is my NAS, lotus is an older office program named Lotus SmartSuite]

ALL folders would have the read-only flag set, it's meaningless.

Use Windows Search and look for Allowed Apps
If Controlled Folder Access is disabled - Enable it - then click on Allow an app through controlled folder access > Add An Allowed App and look for PrusaSlicer.exe

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Gosh - I thought this would fix it. But nooooooo....

After going to Add an Allowed App and selecting Prusa-slicer the window just closes - nothing happens. If I do that again I get the rotating red/white circle for a few seconds, then it disappears - and nothing happens. I do have quite a long list of allowed apps listed - but prusa-slicer isn't one of them.

Birk said:

2. I just installed 7-Zip (which I don't use) into C:\Program Files and used it to extract all the files from PrusaSlicer.zip successfully.

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Why are you extracting this program as apposed to installing it with the installer?

antspants said:

Why are you extracting this program as apposed to installing it with the installer?

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My guess is that it's because the file is a Zip file. I'm in the habit of just letting Windows extract my files when I download them.

Winuser said:

My guess is that it's because the file is a Zip file. I'm in the habit of just letting Windows extract my files when I download them.

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Yeah sure, what the user is extracting obviously is, but the official installer isn’t an archive file, it’s an executable






So why the extracting?
So I am interested, why is this program being extracted as apposed to being installed?

Not the purpose of the thread but the OP mentioned it so I am curious.

@antspants, I'm only going by the fact that they said that the file name is PrusaSlicer.zip. That tells me the file needs to be extracted first.

Winuser said:

@antspants, I'm only going by the fact that they said that the file name is PrusaSlicer.zip. That tells me the file needs to be extracted first.

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Yes, thats kind of obvious. My question is why?
Even if the exe is archived, you wouldn’t extract the executable into the program files directory to run it.
It would seem obvious (at least to me) that the OP is extracting a pre installed program folder, but why?

Is it a portable version? From what I can find, PrusaSlicer doesn’t offer one.

Birk said:

For some reason the properties for C:\Program Files DOES show it is Read-only

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No it doesn't. You're misunderstanding that dialog. Read it carefully. Notice that it says "only applies to files in folder".

Also, go take a look at the folder properties for any folder on any Windows computer. You will always see a solid box on that item. It's not an indicator of anything. It's a control (i.e. a two-way button) to let you set or unset all files in the folder read-only. That's it.

Even if that control let you set the folder's attribute to read-only (it doesn't) that would have no affect on anything important.

To make a folder read-only for a given user, or class of users, requires setting ACLs (i.e. permissions). Those are set via the Security tab. And, please, don't mess with permissions for system folders (unless you really do want to screw things up)!

antspants said:

Yes, thats kind of obvious. My question is why?
Even if the exe is archived, you wouldn’t extract the executable into the program files directory to run it.
It would seem obvious (at least to me) that the OP is extracting a pre installed program folder, but why?

Is it a portable version? From what I can find, PrusaSlicer doesn’t offer one.

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I don't know where the OP downloaded the program. The only thing I know is that any .zip file would have to be extracted before they ran the .exe. The OP needs to give us more info.

This is from my PC (listed below). These are the default permissions for c:\program files. They are as set by Microsoft\Windows and have never been changed by me.

Birk said:

from the C: root to C:\Progam Files, the program gives me the read-only behavior

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post a pic of the advanced security of that program's folder

Winuser said:

I don't know where the OP downloaded the program. The only thing I know is that any .zip file would have to be extracted before they ran the .exe. The OP needs to give us more info.

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Please read my posts again.
I'm fairly certain the OP knows what I am asking.

antspants said:

Even if the exe is archived, you wouldn’t extract the executable into the program files directory to run it.

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I missed the part where they said they extracted the file into the Program Files folder. Even if they did, when they ran the .exe, it should install the program and run OK. I will admit that I may be missing something more than where they extracted the file.

Anyway, Les is correct (as usual) Read Only attributes on a program folder aren't always what they seem.

LesFerch said:

No it doesn't. You're misunderstanding that dialog. Read it carefully. Notice that it says "only applies to files in folder".

Also, go take a look at the folder properties for any folder on any Windows computer. You will always see a solid box on that item. It's not an indicator of anything. It's a control (i.e. a two-way button) to let you set or unset all files in the folder read-only. That's it.

Even if that control let you set the folder's attribute to read-only (it doesn't) that would have no affect on anything important.

To make a folder read-only for a given user, or class of users, requires setting ACLs (i.e. permissions). Those are set via the Security tab. And, please, don't mess with permissions for system folders (unless you really do want to screw things up)!

Click to expand...

To answer some of the questions and clear up some fog....

1.The 7ZIP I installed came directly from the 7ZIP website. I downloaded and EXE file that was the actual installer program, and it installed 7ZIP in C:\Program Files. The program ran fine from there.

2. PrusaSlicer comes in various versions depending on OS: Windows, Mac OS, or Unix. For Windows there's a plain ZIP that extracts everything to whatever directory you want. The ZIP extraction is the installation. This type of install is also called a "portable" install because it has everything needed to run the program.

3 This is what the Properties option shows for my C:\Program Files directory:
I made a new directory C:\PrusaSlicer and copied the results of extracted PrusaSlicer ZIP file into it. That copy of the program runs fine. This is what the Properties for that directory looks like:

Needless to say I did not specify Read-only for that directory, and I have no idea how that setting got made. Just like C:\Program Files\PrusaSlicer I cannot turn off the read-only option.

4. LesFerch is correct - the Read-only checkmark seems to be always set when creating a new directory. But this doesn't explain why all my other apps work fine - as did PrusaSlicer - and now PrusaSlicer only works if I put it in a directory other than C:\Program Files.

5. MS has provided us with an interesting form of app protection inside Windows Security. If you do a search for "smart app control" you'll get a screen that lets you set that feature (whatever it is) to On, Off or Evaluation (whatever that is.) For me it is set to Off. It also says "If Smart App Control is off it can't be turned on without reinstalling Windows."

Since it is Off for me it's pretty clear Off does not mean completely off. There's a "Learn more..." link that gives a bit more info about what Smart app control is, but (of course) there is no truly useful information provided. I'm thinking now that I'll just run PrusaSlicer from it's own boot drive directory (ugly and messy) and wait for Windows12 for a solution for this - if I live that long of course.

Birk said:

PrusaSlicer comes in various versions depending on OS: Windows, Mac OS, or Unix. For Windows there's a plain ZIP that extracts everything to whatever directory you want. The ZIP extraction is the installation. This type of install is also called a "portable" install because it has everything needed to run the program.

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OK, I couldn’t find a portable version. Or I missed it.