Problems with installing executables from shared drive using DIM

bytescapes

I have all my 3D content on a NAS, which I have mounted as a networked drive. Installing ordinary content using DIM works without problems. However, anything that contains executable code, such as applications or plug-ins, fails. In order to install software, I have to temporarily change my download directory to a directory on my local drive, download to that, install, and then set the paths back to point to the NAS.

It occurred to me that this might be a Windows security setting rather than anything specific to DIM. Has anyone else encountered this issue and, if so, did you find a workaround?

Leana

I've seen people reporting that issue before, but never saw a fix beside "use a local directory when installing plugins or apps"

bytescapes

Someone suggested running DIM as an administrator, which was smart, but unfortunately it just gives a "… cannot be run with elevated permissions" error.

jmucchiello

Sounds like a security thing. Right click the download in explorer and look at the properties. If you see the attached, click unblock. (Assuming you understand the risks and know for a fact you got the file from somewhere safe.)

bytescapes

Given that it applies only to executable code, it's fairly clearly a security thing. But the OS treats all DIM downloads as basically the same; they're zip files, and they're not marked specifically as hazardous, whether they contain executables or standard DAZ content. It's only when DIM unpacks the zip file and tries to install the application that it runs into trouble -- but only for executable code, and only if the zip is located on a network drive. It's presumably an OS-level security measure in Windows that DIM doesn't have a way to get around.

It looks as if there isn't a good answer to this, aside from temporarily switching DIM to use a local directory when installing apps or plugins. Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions.

Omniflux

If you are using a mapped network drive, the installer (DIMHelper) is losing access to the mapping once the process becomes elevated, which it does to install Applications and Plugins, but not Content.

You will see this message in the DIM log (not the helper log) when this occurs: [WARNING] :: QProcess: Destroyed while process is still running.

 

The issue and solution are documented by Microsoft at Mapped drives are not available from an elevated prompt when UAC is configured to Prompt for credentials.

If your system is not connected to a Domain (as is the case for most home users), you want Workaround - Method 2.

 

I have attached a registry file to make the change described in Workaround - Method 2, however you should never load a registry file from an unknown source without examining it in a text editor first to verify it does what it claims to do.