Read-only and Archive

Hi All,

How do I change a program from Read-only to Archive? Here is my situation? I burn a CD with a desired program and then try to put it on a laptop. It transfers properly but burning the CD causes it to become a Read-only so that the program will not open on the laptop. Or, am I mistaken that such a change can not be made either on the hard disk or after the transfer? I'm using Windows XP Pro. Thank you.

 

If it's the installation file for a program you're burning, it should install directly from the CD without any problems. Or, after you copy it to the hard drive, right click on it, go to Properties and uncheck "Read Only" and check "Archive" (or check nothing).

If it's a folder you're referring to, they're all marked "Read Only." It's a meaningless setting that Windows ignores. Only Microsoft programmers know why it's done that way.

If, on the other hand, you're trying to get a program to install and run merely by copying its folder that you burned to CD from Program Files, that seldom works. Very few programs install themselves into just one folder. They scatter dll and other files around in various Windows folders, for example, and make registry entries...all of which they need in order to run.

 

After copying them to your hard drive, select the file/files and right click > Properties > and make the change if needed. I have never found that to be necessary that I can recall.

It is often impossible to run some programs from a CD since they require caching and archiving space. Some exucutables even store data dynamically within themselves and need to rewrite themselves with every use.

 

When I buy my kids cd games, I usually copy them to my hard drive because the original disk will be a mess in a week. I almost always have to do as Miz described on the hard drive, untick read only, before I burn a new cd that works for them.

HTH
Johanna

 

Miz, surferdude2 and Johanna

You are each correct. After fussing with the Read Only-Archive controls, and spending too much time concentrating on burning a CD, I eventually used Johanna's approach and after downloading a program, removed the Read-Only check while it was on my hard disk, then used Sendto to copy the program to the CD. When I inserted the CD in the Laptop the program loaded.

Thank you all.