MiKTeX and proTeXt ⇒ Access problems in Vista

[alexepascual]

I just installed MikeTex 2.8
I was missing fancyhdr.sty so I tried to use the Package Maanager to install it.
But I got the error mesage:

Windows API error 5: Access is denied
Data: C:\Program Files\MikTex\doc/latex/fancyhdr

I did a "copy info" and this is what I got:

MiKTeX Problem Report
Message: Windows API error 5: Access is denied.

Data: C:\Program Files\MiKTex\doc/latex/fancyhdr
Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\win\win.cpp
Line: 2603
MiKTeX: 2.8
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, 32-bit Service Pack 1 (build 6001)
SystemAdmin: no
PowerUser: no
Root0: C:\Users\Alex\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.8
Root1: C:\Users\Alex\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.8
Root2: C:\Program Files\MiKTex
Root3: C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.8
Root4: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8
UserInstall: C:\Program Files\MiKTex
UserConfig: C:\Users\Alex\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.8
UserData: C:\Users\Alex\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.8
CommonInstall: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8
CommonConfig: C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.8
CommonData: C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.8

Note that it says SystemAdmin: NO
But I am an administrator on this machine.
Is this a bug or did I do something wrong?
I'll appreciate your help

Alex

[T3.]

Note that it says SystemAdmin: NO
But I am an administrator on this machine.
Is this a bug or did I do something wrong?

You didn't do anything wrong and it's not a bug. It's "a feature" of UAC in Vista. Programs are by default run unprivileged even if your account in an admin one. Go figure. You need to explicitly start a program in an admin mode, e.g. from an elevated command prompt or by using "Run as ..." in the context menu. You can make this setting permanent for shortcuts by checking "Run as administrator" box in the shortcut properties.

Cheers,

Tomek

[alexepascual]

Thanks for this information Tomek. The problem here may be that I am a windows guy and have been spoiled to expect things to work without having to figure out how it works behind the sceenes. I am also new to LaTex. I just started looking into LaTex a few days ago as I wanted to use it to post math expressions in a forum. Although a program like MikTex seems to be more than I need for this purpose, I thought it wouldn't hurt to become familiar with it and LaTex in general as I may use this system in the future to write some article or book.
As I started to look into it I get the impression that most tools that facilitate the use of LaTex have been originally written for Unix. I find the structure of the programs quite different to everything I know. But I also understand that MikTex was originally written for Windows. It must be that most of the other pre-existing tools were originally developed in Unix and MikTex has to interface with them. Well, I guess I'll have to continue learning about these programs if I expect to be able to use them without running into problems.
Thanks a again for your help.

[phi]

It has nothing to do with MikTeX, Windows or Unix. Windows Vista is simply the first version of Windows that is properly configured in this respect. Working with an underprivileged account and raising privileges only in rare circumstances is a common behavior found in every modern operating system.