How To: Install and run Geosoft software on Windows Vista

Symptom/Problem:
I have had problems installing Oasis Montaj, Target, or Target for ArcGIS. Or, the program(s) will not run properly, on Windows Vista.

Enviroment:
This resolution applies to all versions of Oasis Montaj, Target, and Target for ArcGIS that are being installed/run on Windows Vista.

Resolution:
Option 1
Right-click on the Geosoft icon and choose "Execute as Administrator".

Option 2
Turn off the User Account Control (UAC) in Windows Vista.

There are a few ways to do this.

1) Go to Control Panels > User Accounts. Turn off the User Account Control. At this point you will need to re-start your computer, and may be required to repair your Geosoft installation if need be (by using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel).

2) Global: for all users and you can do this through Internet, using MSConfig. Go to Start > Execute and type in msconfig. In the Tools menu choose "Turn off UAC" and click "Start".

This procedure modifies the registry key. After this, you need to restart your computer.

Note: Often, in Windows Vista, the option to "Execute" doesn´t appear in the Start menu. You have to right-click on Start, then choose Properties, and then choose Activate the option "Execute" on the "Start menu".

3) Another way of doing this is to manually edit the Registry Key. Open the registry editor (Start > Execute > regedit), go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Policies > System, and change the value of the key "EnableLUA" (0 to turn off and 1 to turn on). To do this, right-click on EnableLUA and choose Modify. Then change the Word/Value data number from 1 to 0 or vice-versa.

You will then need to restart your computer.

4) Another way of disabling UAC is using the Security group policy. This can be used either to turn on or off the UAC for administrators, but keeping UAC for limited users.
Go to Start > Execute, and type secpol.msc. In "Local policy" click on "Security options". Locate "User Account Control: execute all administrators as Administrator approval mode".

And then, restart your computer.

Further information regarding Vista security policies and the User Account Control

Vista has a special system to control the user's account, which is different from other Windows versions. All programs are executed through a standard procedure account with a limited account, even when it is executed together with the administrator account. To effectively execute a program with administrative permissions, it's necessary to approve this consciously.

Windows Vista has a User Account Control, UAC, and it works in accordance to the comments bellow:

• If the user is a limited user, all programs are executed as limited user accounts. If any program needs to save files in either any of the global system folders or in global configuration into the registry, it will be necessary to execute it as an administrator account. You can do this clicking the right button of the mouse at the program and choose "Executed as..."

• If the user is an administrator, even logged on as one, the programs executed by administrators have limited privileges. To execute a program as a real administrator, you must approve this.

So, how can you execute a program when holding an administrator account?
The User Account Control makes things safer, but, at the same time, it causes incompatibility with some programs that don't work without administrative privileges.
In these cases, you have to right-click on the program and select "Execute as Administrator", or you need to turn off the User Account Control all together.