[Freeswitch-users] Issues creating/modifying FreeSWITCH files after using MSI installation in Windows 8

Fri Jan 10 05:46:38 MSK 2014

This will be my last post on the subject as I think I've already sufficiently conveyed my thoughts on the way the MSI file works.

Maybe you all are FreeSWITCH experts, but I am not.  In fact, prior to downloading and installing it using the MSI file a few days ago, I had absolutely zero experience with it.  Moishe-for all your posturing about it being a security feature, etc, what you are failing to take into account is that I am a desktop support tech and I was able to figure out what the problem was NOT because you people helped me, NOT because it's documented anywhere, NOT because of anything that the community/developers/etc did, but because of my extensive experience with all versions of Windows since WFW 3.1x.  Have you stopped to think about how someone without the benefit of my experience would've fared?  It's simple, you say....just copy the config files out of the Program Files directory, modify them somewhere else, save them, then copy them back into the Program Files directory providing Administrator permission.  But if this is the way that FreeSWITCH is intended
 to be used under Windows, why in tarnation isn't this procedure documented somewhere, like...oh, I dunno...how about the getting started portion of the wiki??

More than one of you folks has been quick to jump on me about helping to fix the problem and yet none of you have realized that that's exactly what I'm doing.  As I mentioned in my first post, I figured out what the problem was.  I figured out how to work around it.  I posted about my experience from a desktop support tech's point of view for the benefit of the folks who can do something to FIX the behavior of the MSI file.  Now Moishe would have you believe that the way it works now is fine, and nothing needs to be changed because "it is a security feature and should stay this way".  Hey, if that's what you all determine is the best way to go about this, then fine....but someone needs to document the procedure for working around the UAC BS somewhere that mere mortals can find it.  Now, Moishe, you've accused me of insulting the people working on this project.  Aside from stating that storing config files actually IN the Program Files directory
 hasn't been part of standard pratice for years now, and that setting the MSI file up to work like this is very poor design, what exactly are you referring to??  Additionally, I was accused of being disrespectful which I promptly apologized for before you even decided to lay into me yet again in the message you sent this morning.  So what is your real complaint here, and why are you taking it out on me??  I would suggest that if you have some CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM for me that you feel free to post it for all to see and benefit from...but if all you want is to make baseless accusations, route them to /dev/null because I'm not interested in hearing you bitch for the sake of bitching.  On the other hand, if you decide you want to use my feedback to help incorporate changes to the MSI installer, the wiki, etc - I'm all for that.  Let's work together and make things better.

Jeremy    

On Thursday, January 9, 2014 8:42 AM, Moishe Grunstein <max at nysolutions.com> wrote:

I have quite a few Windows 8 FS installs using the MSI, I never had these issues, I modify the configs elsewhere, then copy into freeswitch folder and provide administrator permission. I think it is a security feature and should stay this way. In Linux you need to Sudo for many things too. The MSI's are very convenient, when ever I ran into any little issue Jeff fixed it very quickly.

If one person posts to this list with an attitude and insults the people working hard on this project we should ignore him.

Thanks,

Moishe Grunstein
Tornado Computer Systems, Inc.
212.400.7650 888.IPPBX.US
Service Request Email: support at nysolutions.com 
Snom Certified, Polycom Certified VAR
Microsoft Small Business Specialist, Cisco SMB Select Certified

________________________________

From: freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org [freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org] on behalf of dgarcia at anew.com.ve [dgarcia at anew.com.ve]
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2014 4:36 AM
To: FreeSWITCH Users Help
Subject: Re: [Freeswitch-users] Issues creating/modifying FreeSWITCH files after using MSI installation in Windows 8

Hi All!, 
Windows UAC is quite annoying. We work with other solution that have similar issues. You have to realize that is not FS issue, it is Windows "policy" that changes how to operate. 
You have another workaround: install FS in another directory that is not in Windows UAC control, and add any permisions to your user account if it needed. 
On January 8, 2014 at 9:57 PM Jeff Leung <jleung at v10networks.ca> wrote: 
>
>
>I’m with Mr. Lenk on this one. Before you start going off on a disrespectful tone, there’s the wiki you can search through.
> 
>Hint: You can get FS to look for a set of configuration files elsewhere. Using sc.exe you can alter the FreeSWITCH service into looking for the config files in a custom location under Windows.
> 
>From:freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org [mailto:freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Lenk
>Sent: Wednesday, January 8, 2014 16:27
>To: FreeSWITCH Users Help
>Subject: Re: [Freeswitch-users] Issues creating/modifying FreeSWITCH files after using MSI installation in Windows 8
> 
>Your tone is kinda disrespectful here! I have provided an msi as an example of many things that FreeSWITCH can do and do so without having to build the code. It is a very simple MSI and I would like individuals perhaps like yourself to help out and contribute patches to enhance the installer.
> 
>Nothing undocumented about it the permissions aren't set to allow files to be created or modified unless you are the administrator. Your point about default permissions here is fair enough and I would consider modifying that. It would have been far better suited for you to offer to patch the MSI building process to set some default permissions.
> 
>Sent from Windows Mail
> 
>From: Moishe Grunstein
>Sent: ‎Monday‎, ‎January‎ ‎6‎, ‎2014 ‎3‎:‎37‎ ‎PM
>To: FreeSWITCH Users Help
> 
>You can disable user account control, or run as administrator.
>
>
>Thanks,
>
>Moishe Grunstein
>Tornado Computer Systems, Inc.
>212.400.7650 888.IPPBX.US
>Service Request Email: support at nysolutions.com 
>Polycom Certified VAR
>Microsoft Small Business Specialist, Cisco SMB Select Certified
>
>Computer Networking * Managed Services * IP Video Surveillance * Network Assessments * Web Solutions * Voice over IP * Disaster Recovery * Network Security * Site Surveys * CMS
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org [mailto:freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org] On Behalf Of jayen
>Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2014 12:37 AM
>To: FreeSWITCH-Users Mailing List
>Subject: [Freeswitch-users] Issues creating/modifying FreeSWITCH files after using MSI installation in Windows 8
>
>I don't know if many (any?) of you folks have ever tried running FreeSWITCH in Windows 8, but the MSI installed version seems to have an issue that had me scratching my head for awhile this evening.  Specifically, it seems that I can't seem to create OR modify
 files in the FreeSWITCH directory located (by force) in Program Files.  Before you ask, yes-I'm using the 64-bit MSI/version in a 64-bit OS.  For instance, when I right-click in any folder in the FreeSWITCH directory tree and go down to "New", this is what
 I see: <http://i.imgur.com/1IJfir4.png>.  When I try to edit an existing file, I'm told that it's "read only" and my changes can't be saved.  How nice.
>
>Interestingly enough it seems that only sub-folders located in "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)" exhibit this level folder/file protection, and I am a member of the local "Administrators" group.  Having a bit of experience with all version of Windows
 post-Vista, I suspect that some craptastic (un?)documented feature of UAC is "protecting" the contents of the FreeSWITCH directory...just like it protects the rest of the contents of Program Files as well.
>
>Now to my point: as anyone who has ANY degree of experience with Windows in the last 10 years fully knows, there are virtually NO PROGRAMS in existence that store configuration data actually IN the Program Files directory, or a sub-directory therein....so why
 in tarnation does FreeSWITCH?!?
>
>Please fix this, or if I'm missing some really obvious solution to this problem, please-enlighten me in a response.  If you're going to suggest that I simply move the folder out of the Program Files directory to somewhere else on the system that isn't "protected"
 by UAC, that's a GREAT idea!  I think I'll do JUST THAT.  But why should I have to in the first place???  For that matter, why doesn't the MSI installer give you the option of installing the program somewhere OTHER than Program Files???  Food for thought...
>
>Thanks all
>Jeremy
>
>_________________________________________________________________________
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>http://www.freeswitchsolutions.com
>
> 
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>
>
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>
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_________________________________________________________________________
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http://www.freeswitchsolutions.com

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