1. You are viewing our forum as a guest. For full access please Register. WindowsBBS.com is completely free, paid for by advertisers and donations.

Windows Vista XP-type Batch file to tame Vista?

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by masonite, 2008/10/13.

  1. 2008/10/13
    masonite

    masonite Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/09/02
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    1
    For many years I've been using EditpadLite to replace notepad.exe in XP.

    The replacement batch file is fairly simple and reads like this:

    copy /-y notepad.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\dllcache
    copy /-y notepad.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32
    copy /-y notepad.exe C:\WINDOWS

    (Beforehand, one prepares a copy of Editpad renamed notepad.exe)

    Sometimes notepad is found in other locations so the batch file can be edited accordingly.

    But Vista is a whole different ballgame, even with UAC turned off.

    Anyone know how to do this could be done? Like, I can't even FIND notepad.exe in my Vista Ultimate version :-(
     
  2. 2008/10/14
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

    Joined:
    2001/12/30
    Messages:
    12,315
    Likes Received:
    252
    Just like in XP did you turn off HIDE system files?
     

  3. to hide this advert.

  4. 2008/10/14
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

    Joined:
    2001/12/30
    Messages:
    12,315
    Likes Received:
    252
    Now that I'm on my Vista machine...I found notepad.exe in the
    C:\Windows
    C:\Winodws\System32 folders.
     
  5. 2008/10/14
    davehc

    davehc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2008/09/21
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    1
    I'm missing something. Why do you need the batch file?
    If you install editpad lite and associate it with , for example, .txt files, would that not be enough?
     
  6. 2008/10/16
    masonite

    masonite Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/09/02
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    1
    Thanks for the responses Steve and Dave. Sorry about tardy reply:

    Yes Steve, show all files is ON. And UAC is OFF. After I read your post I did umpteen more searches for the file and finally found notepad.exe only when I told Blista to look in C. It couldn't see the file when I searched the entire 'Computer', all it found was my renamed copy of EditPad, sitting in a temp folder. Odd........

    It also found other 'copies' of notepad.exe in C - five of 'em actually, with very esoteric and obscure pathnames, but I assume that these are due to some obscure requirement of the OS.

    As you noted, notepad.exe is indeed in Windows and system32, so I amended the above batch file and ran it several times, but without success. Actually, I also emailed the guy who created Editpad, and asked him how to do it, but all he said was that 'he hadn't tried the replacement process in Vista', which I thought was curious, as he used to be a vociferous advocate of the forced swapping in XP. Perhaps he got knuckle-rapped by Mr.Gates...

    Dave, no reason to run the batch file-replacement process other than I've always done it successfully in XP and didn't stop to consider any other method. I shall attempt, forthwith, to see if it'll work in Vista just as a regular application.

    Cheers :)
     
  7. 2008/10/17
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

    Joined:
    2001/12/30
    Messages:
    12,315
    Likes Received:
    252
    I haven't used it yet, but Vista has ROBOCOPY (Robust File Copy for Windows) that might be worth you looking into.
     
  8. 2008/10/17
    masonite

    masonite Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/09/02
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    1
    You mean use Robocopy to overwrite notepad.exe with my own file, rather than with the batchfile?
     
  9. 2008/10/17
    davehc

    davehc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    2008/09/21
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    1
    Sorry to but in again!! Notepad takes up a massive 148 kbs! Where are you going with this thread, or is it merely a matter of curiosity?
    EditPadlite installs and runs in Vista without hiccup. You could, from then on, run it without even being aware that notepad ever existed.
     
  10. 2008/10/20
    masonite

    masonite Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2002/09/02
    Messages:
    445
    Likes Received:
    1
    Heads-up: You were right Steve, Editpad runs OK in Vista, and allows you to nominate it as the default text editor, which effectively disables the native notepad.exe.

    Cheers.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.