diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/Sources.pp b/direct/src/plugin/Sources.pp
index 660b43f361..7ef85d1757 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin/Sources.pp
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/Sources.pp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
   #define INSTALL_HEADERS \
     p3d_plugin.h
 
-  #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib comctl32.lib msimg32.lib
+  #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib comctl32.lib msimg32.lib ole32.lib
 
 #end lib_target
 
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.cxx
index a615f7474c..e67c633d25 100755
--- a/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.cxx
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #endif
 
-#include <iostream>
-using namespace std;
-
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -73,17 +70,60 @@ get_csidl_dir(int csidl) {
 }
 #endif  // _WIN32
 
+#ifdef _WIN32
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: wstr_to_string
+//  Description: Converts Windows' LPWSTR to a std::string.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+static bool
+wstr_to_string(string &result, const LPWSTR wstr) {
+  bool success = false;
+  int size = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, wstr, -1,
+                                 NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
+  if (size > 0) {
+    char *buffer = new char[size];
+    int rc = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, wstr, -1,
+                                 buffer, size, NULL, NULL);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+      buffer[size - 1] = 0;
+      result = buffer;
+      success = true;
+    }
+    delete[] buffer;
+  }
+
+  return success;
+}
+#endif  // _WIN32
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: find_root_dir
 //  Description: Returns the path to the installable Panda3D directory
 //               on the user's machine.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 string
-find_root_dir() {
+find_root_dir(ostream &logfile) {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-  // TODO: use IEIsProtectedModeProcess() to determine if we are
-  // running in IE's "protected mode" here.
+  // First, use IEIsProtectedModeProcess() to determine if we are
+  // running in IE's "protected mode".
+
   bool is_protected = false;
+  HMODULE module = LoadLibrary("ieframe.dll");
+  if (module != NULL) {
+    typedef HRESULT STDAPICALLTYPE IEIsProtectedModeProcess(BOOL *pbResult);
+    IEIsProtectedModeProcess *func = (IEIsProtectedModeProcess *)GetProcAddress(module, "IEIsProtectedModeProcess");
+    if (func != NULL) {
+      BOOL result = false;
+      HRESULT hr = (*func)(&result);
+      if (hr == S_OK) {
+        is_protected = (result != 0);
+        logfile << "IEIsProtectedModeProcess indicates: " << is_protected << "\n";
+      }
+      // Any other return value means some error, especially
+      // E_NOTIMPL, which means we're not running under Vista.  In
+      // this case we can assume we're not running in protected mode.
+    }
+  }    
 
   int csidl = CSIDL_APPDATA;
   // e.g., c:/Documents and Settings/<username>/Application Data/Panda3D
@@ -98,10 +138,60 @@ find_root_dir() {
   }
   string root = get_csidl_dir(csidl);
   if (!root.empty()) {
+    if (module != NULL) {
+      FreeLibrary(module);
+    }
     return root;
   }
 
-  // Hmm, if that failed, try the "Temporary Internet Files" folder.
+  // All right, couldn't get a writable pointer to our APPDATA folder.
+  // We're in fallback mode now.  Start by asking for a "writeable
+  // path" to a temporary folder.
+  if (module != NULL) {
+    typedef HRESULT STDAPICALLTYPE IEGetWriteableFolderPath(REFGUID clsidFolderID, LPWSTR* lppwstrPath);
+    IEGetWriteableFolderPath *func = (IEGetWriteableFolderPath *)GetProcAddress(module, "IEGetWriteableFolderPath");
+    if (func != NULL) {
+      // From KnownFolders.h (part of Vista SDK):
+#define DEFINE_KNOWN_FOLDER(name, l, w1, w2, b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8) \
+   const GUID name = { l, w1, w2, { b1, b2,  b3,  b4,  b5,  b6,  b7,  b8 } }
+      DEFINE_KNOWN_FOLDER(FOLDERID_InternetCache, 0x352481E8, 0x33BE, 0x4251, 0xBA, 0x85, 0x60, 0x07, 0xCA, 0xED, 0xCF, 0x9D); 
+      
+      LPWSTR cache_path = NULL;
+      HRESULT hr = (*func)(FOLDERID_InternetCache, &cache_path);
+      if (SUCCEEDED(hr)) {
+        if (!wstr_to_string(root, cache_path)) {
+          // Couldn't decode the LPWSTR.
+          CoTaskMemFree(cache_path);
+        } else {
+          CoTaskMemFree(cache_path);
+          root += string("/Panda3D");
+          
+          // Attempt to make it first, if possible.
+          CreateDirectory(root.c_str(), NULL);
+          
+          bool isdir = false;
+          DWORD results = GetFileAttributes(root.c_str());
+          if (results != -1) {
+            isdir = (results & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY) != 0;
+          }
+        
+          if (isdir) {
+            // The directory exists!
+            FreeLibrary(module);
+            return root;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }    
+
+  // We're done with the HMODULE now.
+  if (module != NULL) {
+    FreeLibrary(module);
+  }
+
+  // All right, GetWriteableFolderPath failed; fall back to the XP-era
+  // way of asking for the "Temporary Internet Files".
   root = get_csidl_dir(CSIDL_INTERNET_CACHE);
   if (!root.empty()) {
     return root;
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.h b/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.h
index d4e093c633..f05602672e 100755
--- a/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.h
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/find_root_dir.h
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@
 #define FIND_ROOT_DIR_H
 
 #include <string>
+#include <iostream>
 using namespace std;
 
-string find_root_dir();
+string find_root_dir(ostream &logfile);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstanceManager.cxx b/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstanceManager.cxx
index 0fdd06c206..23acccba3d 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstanceManager.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin/p3dInstanceManager.cxx
@@ -170,7 +170,6 @@ initialize(const string &contents_filename, const string &download_url,
            const string &platform, const string &log_directory,
            const string &log_basename, bool trusted_environment) {
   _trusted_environment = trusted_environment;
-  _root_dir = find_root_dir();
   _verify_contents = verify_contents;
   _platform = platform;
   if (_platform.empty()) {
@@ -247,14 +246,19 @@ initialize(const string &contents_filename, const string &download_url,
     _log_pathname = _log_directory;
     _log_pathname += _log_basename;
     _log_pathname += ".log";
+    cerr << "_log_pathname = " << _log_pathname << "\n";
 
+    logfile.clear();
     logfile.open(_log_pathname.c_str(), ios::out | ios::trunc);
     if (logfile) {
       logfile.setf(ios::unitbuf);
       nout_stream = &logfile;
+      cerr << "log correct\n";
     }
   }
 
+  _root_dir = find_root_dir(nout);
+
   nout << "_root_dir = " << _root_dir
        << ", platform = " << _platform
        << ", contents_filename = " << contents_filename
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/Sources.pp b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/Sources.pp
index 35b72ad611..3c047bf1d4 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/Sources.pp
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/Sources.pp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   #if $[WINDOWS_PLATFORM]
     #define WIN_RESOURCE_FILE nppanda3d.rc
     #define LINKER_DEF_FILE nppanda3d.def
-    #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib shell32.lib
+    #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib shell32.lib ole32.lib
   #endif
 
   // Mac-specific options.
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/ppInstance.cxx b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/ppInstance.cxx
index e237837673..6f2388d762 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/ppInstance.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/ppInstance.cxx
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ PPInstance(NPMIMEType pluginType, NPP instance, uint16 mode,
     _tokens.push_back(token);
   }
 
-  _root_dir = find_root_dir();
+  _root_dir = find_root_dir(nout);
 
   _got_instance_url = false;
   _got_window = false;
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/startup.cxx b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/startup.cxx
index dd3006310b..07d5829729 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_npapi/startup.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_npapi/startup.cxx
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ open_logfile() {
       log_pathname += log_basename;
       log_pathname += ".log";
 
+      logfile.clear();
       logfile.open(log_pathname.c_str());
       logfile.setf(ios::unitbuf);
     }
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_standalone/Sources.pp b/direct/src/plugin_standalone/Sources.pp
index aa18233d22..af17f234d6 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_standalone/Sources.pp
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_standalone/Sources.pp
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@
   #define SOURCES \
     panda3d.cxx panda3d.h panda3d.I
 
-  #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib
+  #define WIN_SYS_LIBS user32.lib gdi32.lib shell32.lib ole32.lib
 
 #end bin_target
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_standalone/panda3d.cxx b/direct/src/plugin_standalone/panda3d.cxx
index 0dc7b5abc9..73efbd5ee2 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_standalone/panda3d.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_standalone/panda3d.cxx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static const double wait_cycle = 0.2;
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 Panda3D::
 Panda3D() {
-  _root_dir = find_root_dir();
+  _root_dir = find_root_dir(nout);
   _reporting_download = false;
 }