16-bit %TEMP% is broken in XP, still

From: Gordon Fecyk (gordonf_at_pan-am.ca)
Date: 04/08/05 

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 09:37:40 -0500

I just spent the past week with some tier 1 tech at Microsoft assisted
support. He believes I'm insane.

16-bit apps use the System settings for TEMP and TMP, which points to
%systemroot%temp, which don't work with limited user accounts.[1] Only the
user that created certain temporary files can change or erase them, and
other users won't be able to use those apps.

By comparison, Win2K SP3 and earlier make 16-bit apps use the User settings
for TEMP and TMP, which points to %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temp.
Starting with Win2K SP4, this was broken like XP is, but a patch supplied
under KB 840214 changed that behaviour back.

Now XP's used the wrong 16-bit TEMP behaviour since its release. At least
US English versions have. I can't seem to convince this tech at Microsoft
that this is a problem that needs fixing.

[1] Yes, there's no guarantee 16-bit apps can work with limited accounts -
that's my problem and it's usually fixed by granting Modify access to Users
to the app's installation folder. I don't want to do this to
%systemroot%\temp because it will expose that to abuse - system processes
and services store their temp files here and it's possible to break them by
messing with temporary files here. 

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Relevant Pages

  • 16-bit %TEMP% is broken in XP, still
    ... 16-bit apps use the System settings for TEMP and TMP, ... other users won't be able to use those apps. ... I can't seem to convince this tech at Microsoft ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: 16-bit %TEMP% is broken in XP, still
    ... I do not do or use 16 bit apps - never have ... WOW in W2k used the user env vars %temp% and %tmp% so ... WOW would use system env vars. ... > messing with temporary files here. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: 16-bit %TEMP% is broken in XP, still
    ... I do not do or use 16 bit apps - never have ... WOW in W2k used the user env vars %temp% and %tmp% so ... WOW would use system env vars. ... > messing with temporary files here. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: %temp% points to %systemroot% emp instead of %userprofile%LocalS~1 emp
    ... > When I use the recommended method of setting the ... whatever %temp% points to. ... At least for 16-bit apps. ... problem with more than one limited user uses ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • RE: Windows Vista strange settings on temp folder AppDataLocalTemp1
    ... What's really strange is that %TEMP% takes me ... system settings -> Environment Variables is set to AppData\Local\Temp ... Nick Bauer ...
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