Cannot delete "Games Explorer" shortcut

[supraspecies]

I wrote a custom launcher for Games Explorer to include in my custom windows installation. All I want to do is replace the original shortcut in Start MenuGames with mine. But neither overwriting nor deleting works.

FileDelete(@ProgramsCommonDir & 'GamesGames Explorer.lnk')

is what I use. Ownership is granted to admins, I'm an admin, and I'm running script as admin. Also tried using "Games Explorer.*", but didn't work.

And yet I manually delete shortcut no problem. Any insight on the issue?

EDIT: It appears no search programs find "Games Explorer" shortcut in game folder, it's as if it doesn't exist. QAnd yet its clearly there, manually deletable, and properties say its an ".Ink" shortcut. I cant figure out what the heck is it then. If it's not an actual file, maybe its removeable through the registry. 

In any case, if I can delete it manually, I should be able to delete it with AutoIT.

EDIT2: Looks like its one of those "Undeletable registry-based shortcuts" , as described on this page:

http://www.knowledgesutra.com/forums/topic/54637-create-undeletable-shortcut-using-registrywindows-add-desktop-inside-computer/

But I dont have registry permissions to delete HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}. How to give my script permissions to delete these entries? But I guess that I can find out myself already by digging the forum. Looks like I've found the main cause for my issue.

Edited November 17, 2013 by supraspecies

[mLipok]

Why You want to automate this ?

It looks like game automation.

 

Besides, if you do not have access to the registry key is all the more what is it?

Are you sure that your computer?

Or maybe you have parental controls?

[supraspecies]

*Rolls eyes* This is my computer. I am making unattended Windows 7 installation. Part of this unattended installation is a modified theme, which removes the "organize" bar from all windows. Unfortunately, the only way to configure Game Explorer is through the organize bar (or group policy, but I don't use it). and as I have removed the organize bar, that has corrupted Game Explorer's settings, making them impossible to access. I have written a tool which, upon being launched, asks a user to configure or launch Game Explorer.

This is the tool:

This is the window with removed organize bar:

-------------------------

As you can see, I am only trying to fix my own customized windows. You shouldn't jump on people with suspicions. The ONLY thing I am trying to do is replace the original shortcut with my launcher.

 

Here is my whole script:

expandcollapse popup

#notrayicon
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>

GUICreate("Games Explorer", 220, 90, -1, -1)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)
$image = GUICtrlCreatePic(@ScriptDir & '\GE_Logo.bmp', 0, 0, 220, 90)
      $Button = GUICtrlCreateButton("Launch", 33, 58, 74, 22)
      GUICtrlSetState($Button, $GUI_ONTOP)
          GuiCtrlSetState(-1, 512)
      $Button2 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Configure", 113, 58, 74, 22)
      GUICtrlSetState($Button2, $GUI_ONTOP)
      

   
   While 1
      $msg = GUIGetMsg()
        
      Switch $msg
         Case $Button
         Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & '%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /E,::{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}', "", @SW_HIDE)
         Exit
         Case $Button2
         RegWrite("HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\GameUX", "FirstRunDialogLaunched", "REG_DWORD", "0")
         Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & '%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /E,::{ED228FDF-9EA8-4870-83b1-96b02CFE0D52}', "", @SW_HIDE)
         Exit
         Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
         Exit
      EndSwitch
   WEnd



HotKeySet("{Esc}", "_Exit")
While 1
sleep(100)
WEnd
Func _Exit()
Exit
EndFunc

And last but not least - indeed admins do not have the access to remove what appears to refer to this particular shortcut:

 

Hopefully I have cleared all doubts.

Edited November 17, 2013 by supraspecies

[l3ill]

Hi supraspecies,

  I believe you...

Near as I can tell these are undeleteable (why is that not a word!) reg entries and there is no way to get rid of them.

There should be a way however to prevent them from being installed.

I built a coupla winXP unattended cd's and if I remember correctly there where switches for just this problem.

I can only assume the Win 7 Unattended kit has the same features...

Bill

[Starstar]

I think we cannot Discuss on games in this site. Because it is against forum rules.......Sorry if i am wrong...

Edited November 17, 2013 by Starstar

[Melba23]

Starstar,

This thread is NOT about games. The OP has explained that it is to do with a customised Windows installation configuration.

Although I do wonder why he needs a script to run an unattended istallation on his own machine?

This is my computer. I am making unattended Windows 7 installation

M23

[supraspecies]

Starstar,

This thread is NOT about games. The OP has explained that it is to do with a customised Windows installation configuration.

Although I do wonder why he needs a script to run an unattended istallation on his own machine?

M23

 

Not as much "unattended", as "customized". I like to install windows, and have it already configured to the way I like to use it, instead of spending time configuring it each reinstall. On first run, my installations runs a few AutoIT scripts that do things around Windows which would be a pain to do via normal batch. Replace Themes, create shortcuts to some new utilities, etc.

Anyway, If someone would know how to get around this weird problem, I'll keep an eye out on this thread. Meanwhile I''ll try to write a script that will click on an icon and simulate manual deletion, although that feels like a crappy workaround. Thanks everyone for looking into it.

 

EDIT: This does the job:

#notrayicon
#include<GUIListView.au3>
$Path = (@ProgramsCommonDir & '\Games')
Run(@WindowsDir & '\EXPLORER.EXE /n,/e,' & $Path)
WinWait ('[TITLE:Games;CLASS:CabinetWClass]')
WinActivate ('[TITLE:Games;CLASS:CabinetWClass]')
Send('{G}+{A}+{M}+{E}+{S}+{Space}+{E}+{X}+{P}+{L}+{O}+{R}+{E}+{R}')
Send('{DEL}')

And since it's gonna be running when no user interaction is possible, I suppose its quite fool-proof.

Edited November 17, 2013 by supraspecies

[BrewManNH]

Have you ever thought of creating the software load once, and then creating an image of the drive instead of re-installing it over and over again? There's a lot of freeware imaging/cloning software packages out there that would make this a WHOLE lot easier than trying to reinstall Windows every time you want to wipe your drive and start over.

[NewPlaza]

Try this.

FileDelete(@ProgramsCommonDir & '\Games\GameExplorer.lnk')

[abberration]

In the past, I have used a program called Regperm to modify registry permissions. Microsoft also has someting similar called Regini, but I found it a lot more difficult to work with.

I'm curious, are you using nLite to modify your project? I used to love that software. I made all kinds of customized XP discs a few years ago.

[kaotkbliss]

Have you ever thought of creating the software load once, and then creating an image of the drive instead of re-installing it over and over again? There's a lot of freeware imaging/cloning software packages out there that would make this a WHOLE lot easier than trying to reinstall Windows every time you want to wipe your drive and start over.

Windows 7 comes with imaging software (it's part of the backup/restore options) and that is the first thing I did after installing all my games and software.

[NewPlaza]

While we are on the subject.  I use Deep Freeze by Faronics.  I love this program.  I only reinstall Windows once every 3-4 years (only because I want to).