I got a new laptop with Win 11. Went to install VFP 9 and it said it would need to replace some files. Hmm. Does that mean it will overwrite existing DLLs?

Is it safe to install VFP 9 on Win 11? Any help appreciated.

VFP9 will run without any problems on Win 11, if you install it in another folder than where the installation program suggests. The reason is that VFP9 needs read/write access to its startup folder. However, in newer versions of Windows, the folders "c:\Program Files" or "c:\Program Files (x86)", and their subfolders, are all read only.

To overcome this restriction, some people recommend running VFP9 as administrator, but that's a terrible idea. To quote the late Marcia Akins: "Cyanide is quicker"...

On my machine I install VFP9 in c:\VFP9, and it runs perfectly.

Tore,

If you install to c:\vfp9 you still won't have any rights to write by default unless you change permissions to include your account or INTERACTIVE with write permissions. In which case you could do the same in \Program Files (x86)\ I suppose...

The only default writable areas of the machine are under the User\yourUser subfolder... for everything else you still have to set permissions.

+++ Rick ---

Rick,

I don't want to argue, only clear any potential misunderstandings.

I was referring to VFP9 itself, not WWWC. With VFP9 installed in c:\VFP9 I haven't had a single problem so far. However, people who installed VFP9 in the suggested folder, clearly have many problems. Thus the recommendation to Run as Administrator which I see often on various message boards.

Thank you for the quick responses. I appreciate it.

Tore,

My point is: Windows locks down all folders that aren't off your user path. So if you use c:\vfp and you can write there, (or whatever it is that you think needs to be done in that root folder) then you explicitly set permissions there at some point which is no better than setting permissions in Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual FoxPro.

FWIW, I also install into a non-default folder (c:\programs\vfp9) mainly so that my paths stay somewhat short, but also so I can copy my install more easily.

Off the top of my head though I can't think of anything having to write or need access in that folder. Then again I don't use any FoxPro support tools/features/libraries anywhere so maybe that's it.

You need to run as Admin if you need to compile a project with a COM object in it - and moving the location isn't going to help with that.

+++ Rick ---

The original Class Browser needs access to the VFP9 install folder whenever you open a vcx which hasn't been opened before. It needs to update the table Browser.dbf.

This has been corrected in the very recently updated version on VFPX, which you can install through Thor.