A simple SIMS install query..

[Snookered]

The SIMS setup in my school has until recently not been an area that I deal with, I look after our curriculum network and the Admin side of things was covered by a previous business manager.

However I'm being asked more and more to look at admin areas and SIMS has cropped up today.

Basically I have set up a new laptop on the Admin network for an existing user and everything has gone fine except SIMS, I can't install it.

I've done it once before with no problems and from memory I just had to go to Sims\Setups\simsinst and follow the steps.

Now though I get the following error:

"Unhandled Exception in Sims Installer" and unable to write to C:\Windows\Sims.ini.

(that doesn't exist)

Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong?

I appreciate its probably a very simple problem but it's all new to me...

cheers

[bladedanny]

From a first glance it looks like a file permissions error. Has the user you are logged on as got full permissions to c drive?

[creese]

You need a C:\Windows\Sims.ini

 

You may get away with copying from another machine if that is that is wrong

[glennda]

You need a C:\Windows\Sims.ini

 

You may get away with copying from another machine if that is that is wrong

 

if this file isn't there it will try and create one - by the sounds of it the user account trying to install doesn't have the relevant permissions to the folder.

 

from the top of my head to install/run sims the user needs read/write to C:\windows\sims.ini C:\program files\sims\ and also C:\windows\temp

 

EDIT: although they did recommed the user being a local admin but i don't like doing that! to much freedom!

[creese]

if this file isn't there it will try and create one - by the sounds of it the user account trying to install doesn't have the relevant permissions to the folder.

 

from the top of my head to install/run sims the user needs read/write to C:\windows\sims.ini C:\program files\sims\ and also C:\windows\temp

 

EDIT: although they did recommed the user being a local admin but i don't like doing that! to much freedom!

 

Just me assuming some trying to install SIMS would be an admin user. Note to self: don't assume.

[sven]

From a first glance it looks like a file permissions error. Has the user you are logged on as got full permissions to c drive?

 

This sounds like a very good place to start. I had an issue not long ago relating to NOVA-T4, and the cause of the issue was that the user was unable to write the SIMS.ini to the C: drive, as they did not have the permission to do so. If you feel it is safe to do so, make the user in question a local admin, or add them to the NTFS permission list.

[Michael]

The easiest way is to add the Active Directory security group in question to the local administrators group on the computer you wish to install Sims. I would recommend you do this, otherwise installing Sims and installing Sims upgrades will fail due to permissions.

 

Alternatively if you have many or different security groups that needs to use Sims, adding 'domain users' under local administrators will do the trick. Just make sure permissions on the S:\ drive are locked down.

[Snookered]

Many thanks for the quick replies, starting to get there.

It clearly is a permissions error as now that write is enabled I can start the installation...however as well as the missing ini file which is now in place the whole of Sims is missing in program files.

Is it worth copying the files from the same users desktop pc where they have no issues with Sims or could I run into registry issues?

[glennda]

The easiest way is to add the Active Directory security group in question to the local administrators group on the computer you wish to install Sims. I would recommend you do this, otherwise installing Sims and installing Sims upgrades will fail due to permissions.

 

Alternatively if you have many or different security groups that needs to use Sims, adding 'domain users' under local administrators will do the trick. Just make sure permissions on the S:\ drive are locked down.

 

I would suggest this but he said he didn't have much control over the admin domain which i thought would rule out that.

[Michael]

I would suggest this but he said he didn't have much control over the admin domain which i thought would rule out that.

 

I agree but logically I'm thinking there should be a trust between the two domains, so adding permissions (on the local machine) shouldn't be an issue, plus Snookered must be running Sims setup from the Sims share which would be hosted on the admin domain.

 

Is it worth copying the files from the same users desktop pc where they have no issues with Sims or could I run into registry issues?

 

Sims is a big application, I'd recommend you re-install it properly!

[Snookered]

I'll ask for a pay rise and start looking at the AD, as I can imagine this coming back to bite me in the future!

Thanks again for all the tips