Saving RTW on Vista Problem

This isn't a modding question, but it has a lot to do with finding files, so I figured I would find the right type of people in this sub-forum.
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As a person that's used to XP, I recently purchased a new HP notebook with Vista on it. I installed RTW as usual on it, and then saved a game. Then when I tried to find the save files in their usual folder, they weren't there. In fact the "saves" folder was missing from my RTW directory completely. Oddly enough when I went to load campaign, the save was there. So RTW knew where the file was...but the question was could I find it.
:speechless:
I then performed a comprehensive search of the entire laptop that took about 20 minutes, and it found the file. But the file path was really bizarre.

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C:\Users\My Computer\Appdata\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\The Creative Assembly\Rome - Total War\saves

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This is bizarre because the folder "Appdata" doesn't exist in My Computer folder. And yet when I put that file path in the Run program, it will take me straight to the save files.:gah:

:help:The problem that I want to be solved is that I want to know how to combine this mysterious RTW directory that's got my saves in it, with my usual RTW directory.:help:

I would appreciate any advice from Vista savvy RTW players. :bow:

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Originally Posted by Good Ship Chuckle

This is bizarre because the folder "Appdata" doesn't exist in My Computer folder. And yet when I put that file path in the Run program, it will take me straight to the save files.:gah:

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Believe it or not this is in XP it just seems like Vista has increased the files which it does this to and this now includes saves - it appears Bill Gates believes we're all much too stupid to look after our save games. The folder Appdata is hidden so you cannot change things in there and it has all sorts of things like license files and saves in (apparently). Try copying it to the conventional directory and seeing if the game will recognise it.

Thank you for the quick response!

So is this a problem that everyone using Vista has? Including yourself?

I'll also try copying the folder into the real directory, and see if the game recognizes it.

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Originally Posted by Good Ship Chuckle

Thank you for the quick response!

So is this a problem that everyone using Vista has? Including yourself?

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Hehe, no sorry I dont use Microcrap Vista still on XP I've just found files in Appdata before. I'm not impressed by the fact Vista puts saves in there to be honest. Perhaps a Vista user will know if you can change the setting to stop that directory being moved. I remember being insulted when XP asked me whether I wanted to view program files because I could damage my machine, I thought "I've been doing this on 98SE why not tell me before". Then I promptly disobeyed it and made the directory viewable.

Ah-ha! Shazaaam!

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Originally Posted by Good Ship Chuckle

I'll also try copying the folder into the real directory, and see if the game recognizes it.

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It worked. I copied the missing folders that were in the mysterious directory (which btw were the saves, temp, preferences, and custom folders) and pasted them directly into the actual RTW directory. I then played the game, created a save, and then looked for it in the save folder in the actual RTW directory and there it was! All I had to do was some old fashion copy and pasting. Btw, I completely deleted the mysterious directory once I was done copying and pasting.

Thanks for your help Thor the Bassist. Though I wish I would've gotten some input from someone who uses Vista, as to whether they too have the same saving problem.

Another bug bites the dust! :7detective:

Welcome to Vista. You have found the "User Account Control: Virtualize file and registry write failures to per-user locations" feature.

More information here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=106639

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Originally Posted by HouseOfHam

"User Account Control: Virtualize file and registry write failures to per-user locations"

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Heck. Someone really needs to tell Microcrap that that doesn't make them sound clever at all.

Or, you could click the "compatability files" link at the top of the folder, and it will show you the things that are in appdata.

But the cop/paste makes things much simpler....

Copy/paste is not a solution. You will see the file in explorer, but that's not the file the game will actually be saving your game to, unless you turn off the UAC feature.

Alternatively, you could install RTW into your Documents folder, the saves don't go to AppData then.

Yeah, except no other user on the computer will be able to play it.

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Originally Posted by HouseOfHam

Yeah, except no other user on the computer will be able to play it.

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were you to put it in public documents?

Or just install the C:\RTW or any other place that isn't program files . . . .

I like the program files folder. I suppose I'd have to make program_files if I had Vista. Or just make C:/games C:/pc_health C:/other stuff etc.