Vista - import settings from WinXP to Vista - not working

On WinXP box, exported settings to WinSCP.ini

Then, copied them into the new WinSCP program directory on my new Vista machine:
\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.ini

However, when I restart WinSCP on the Vista machine, those imported settings are not recognized.

I read the documentation but I'm wondering if Vista is making things more complicated

Any help most appreciated, thanks

Are you sure you run WinSCP from that directory?

If you go to preferences, is INI file selected?

If not, close WinSCP, remove the INI file, start WinSCP, go to preferences, select INI file, close WinSCP. Check if the INI file was created.
If not, start WinSCP, go to preferences and see if the setting was preserved. If it was not, WinSCP do not have a permission to write to the directory. If it was, WinSCP created file elsewhere, because it is actually run from elsewhere.

Hi

Are you sure you run WinSCP from that directory?

Yes, it runs from C:\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.exe (according to the shortcut on the desktop)

If you go to preferences, is INI file selected?

Yes, INI is selected

If not, close WinSCP, remove the INI file, start WinSCP, go to preferences, select INI file, close WinSCP. Check if the INI file was created.

I tried that, went to preferences, selected INI, closed WinSCP, then re-opened, but no INI file was created - however, the previous Session had been saved (as desired) - apparently it is saving only in the registry, even though INI is selected

If not, start WinSCP, go to preferences and see if the setting was preserved.

Yes, the INI setting was preserved

If it was, WinSCP created file elsewhere, because it is actually run from elsewhere.

Where else could it be running from? I don't have a clue where else to look (besides in the Program Files directory)

Thanks :)

If INI file is selected even after WinSCP restart, then INI file must exist. The selection is not stored anywhere. It is dynamically determined on WinSCP start, based on presence of the INI file in EXE directory. So if there's no C:\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.ini, then you are not starting C:\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.exe.

Maybe it is some feature of Vista. It may copy the EXE to some temporary directory, where it starts it from?? I do not know. If you do not manage to resolve this, come back, I'll send you a debug version to track this down. Even if you manage to resolve this, let me know what was it.

You should run as administrator the exe file so it can read the .ini file in the exe directory.

martin wrote:

Maybe it is some feature of Vista.

Maybe its dedicated feature to deselect boons... ;)

SCNR either... ;) ;)

Vista does not allow non-Admin users to change files under C:/Program Files directory.

You can change the default location of the .ini file by editing your shortstop that you use to start WinSCP

Look here for help: https://winscp.net/eng/docs/commandline

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\WinSCP\WinSCP.ini

Still not best choice install all progs under $system_directory btw...
Try to have your system as clean as you can do.
Install "user driven" apps in other partition and/or phys/logical drives.

So you have "clean" system if critical error ocures...

Freitag wrote:

Vista does not allow non-Admin users to change files under C:/Program Files directory.

It surely does, depending on file/folder permissions admin set.
Vista security is more powerful than you may think... ;)

btw: suggest "Total Commander" from https://www.ghisler.com/ as preferred
file manager for all Win-Versions.

WinSCP of course is way better than all there inbuild "ftp's", but:
Explorer is fu***ng bullshit imho... ;)

And, at least me reporting:
Works fine with no errors at all under Win 7(final, system builder) Ultimate 64 bit.
Thx to prikryl :D