thebes: I went to properties to change it to administrator and it is working so far.
Then the cultrip was UAC as I predicted. To avoid problems with it in future, you should always install games outside program files folder (C:\games or something). This should allow you to mostly avoid problems with bug (what else to call a "feature" that does nothing benefitical and causes serious hair loss due to hundreds of issues it causes.) Microsoft indtroduced in Vista (present in Win7 as well) know as User Account Control.
I must've posted this same advice around 1000 times by now.
Saves are not lost by the way, UAC just moves them to virtual store. It's also supposed to ensure game in question always has access to those saves but it's buggy and unreliable as heck. Running game as administrator SHOULD allow game to bypass UAC but due to it's bugginess UAC sometimes ignores administrator privliges as well so having games outside program files folder is the most reliable medhod avoiding problems with it.
The lost games can be found in
C:\Users\*username*\AppData\Local\*app_name*\*save_folder* (for Vista)
C:\Users\(your username)\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\*app_name*\*save_folder* (For Win7)
Note that above only applies to games that try to save in game folder.