Could Not Write to Data Folder - but folders exist [solved]

[aelfwyne]

I am trying the demo for Live for Speed for the first time.. I downloaded the file, and extracted it with folders intact... I found that there was no installer, so I simply ran the LFS.exe file..

I was greeted with this error message: "Could not write to data folder - Is LFS correctly installed on a hard drive"... I, unfortunately, have to answer "YES, IT IS"... as far as I can tell.

I searched the forums here for that error, and all I could find is that some people didn't extract folders properly... However, I have done so, as can be seen in the attached screenshot. I have also checked that attributes are not set read-only (they aren't)... I am at a loss as to why this will not work. Anybody have any ideas?

I had high hopes for this game... however if the demo won't even run, there's no way on Earth I'm buying it.

(See attachment to see that I do indeed have the folder structure intact)

[M.Mos]

Everthing looks okay. Did you try something other then this xplorer thing to let lfs.exe run (windows explorer) ?

[huxorator]

How dows the /data/ folder structure looks like? Should be like on the attachment.

[TagForce]

Does the user you're trying to play the game with have the correct permissions?
(right click LFS/Data folder -> Sharing and Security -> Security tab. Needs to have at least Write/Modify permissions.

[aelfwyne]

Everthing looks okay. Did you try something other then this xplorer thing to let lfs.exe run (windows explorer) ?

Gack, I've used xplorer2 for YEARS and have NEVER had any compitility issues with it...

Yet, that is the problem. This game is definitely doing something funky on load - I've *NEVER* had a compatibility issue launching from xplorer2.

[huxorator]

Maybe that Explorer2 thingie has a function to start certain programs under other user accounts, similar to the right-click function "run as..." that the win explorer has.

[avih]

Everthing looks okay. Did you try something other then this xplorer thing to let lfs.exe run (windows explorer) ?

pfff, nice call :)

[aelfwyne]

Maybe that Explorer2 thingie has a function to start certain programs under other user accounts, similar to the right-click function "run as..." that the win explorer has.

Wouldn't be an account issue, as I have administrator access... I'm not sure what the cause was, but all I know is this is the only program ever to have a problem with it.

I did finally get it working, and finally figured out how to get it to use the analog controls on my gamepad... the driving is *NICE*, a refreshing break from the EA Fiasco... Just wish the graphics looked better on my 21" screen... but still may actually buy.

[bobbfwed]

There hasn't been an installer provided. But I have created one. There's no way for me to post it to the forums here. But if anyone needs it, they can download it off my site (45KBps). Just leave me a message here/or private chat in the LFS Mailbox (in the LFS desktop). I don't have much bandwidth on my cable modem, so I don't want to give it out to too many people, but ask me and I'll likely let you download it.

It has an actual installer UI.
It has both the game and the quick skin viewer.
It has a real uninstaller.
It writes the correct registries so Windows knows it exists.
It shows up in "add/remove programs".
It takes all the guesswork out of extracting a .zip file.
It creates desktop and/or start menu shotcuts (optional).
It is a "real" installer!
With all this, it is also 16MB smaller than the .zip file provided from the LFS site.

[bobbfwed]

The installer .EXEs are being hosted by another LFS member (ORION -- thanks!). Here are the links (they are both the same file, just different servers):
http://www.zt-racing.com/downloads/files/Live_For_Speed_S2-ALPHA-Q_Install.exe
http://zt.racenetwork.de/zt-files/Live_For_Speed_S2-ALPHA-Q_Install.exe

This will install LFS like a real program. It also has the skin viewer packaged with it.

[Execution Style]

It writes registries so Windows knows it exists.

why? :shrug:

is it so you can launch a replay directly from a .spr or .mpr file? I saw a thread about that once...

[Jakg]

why? :shrug:

is it so you can launch a replay directly from a .spr or .mpr file? I saw a thread about that once...nope, LFS has no reg entries, you set the replay thingy up manually via explorer options

[AndroidXP]

It doesn't need extra registry entries to do that, you just have to try to open the spr/mpr once and select LFS.exe as program to open it when windows asks you what to do (only works with the recent test patches, though). Yes I know that by doing that you're actually creating registry entries, but that's beside the point.

The installer does this for the ease of use, so you can uninstall LFS from the "Add and remove programs" dialog, I reckon. The reason is, that contrary to what you may believe, there ARE people out there who don't grasp the concept of .zip files and horribly fail when they suddenly have to do something different than "double click ... I agree ... next ... next ... next ... finished". :shrug: