It is folder related. If I move the install files from C:/Program Files/Aurora to C:/Aurora it works fine. That is true for both my main PC and my laptop.
No idea what is going on there.
The "program files" directories in modern (post-xp) windows versions is meant for immutable program data. It has different file permissions and backup behavior than the rest of the filesystem, and consequently is very slow to write.
Assuming that you have a base database file(s) that are meant to be changed during use, the correct way to use them in modern windows systems is to have a clean copy of them in the game folder in in the install folder, but never open them from this folder, instead on startup you check whether %appdata%/aurora4x(example_name)/ exists, and if not, create it, and then copy over all the files that are meant to be changed during use, and open them in %appdata%.
Things like this bug me immensely when trying to keep my System drive dedicated to the OS and only specific software that benefits from using a SSD.
If I have something installed on my secondary HDD, I expect it to keep as much of its dependant files stored relative to the drive I've installed it on, not to dump additional files onto another drive.... I get why developers do it, but so much of it seems to stem from outdated "Good practise" that really isn't necessary 9 times out of 10.
Just like all those games out there that despite being installed on my secondary HDD, still insist that settings, mod data, saves and such all be tossed onto my system SSD in a directory within the users Documents hierarchy, which ends up meaning my system drive has gigs of misc data sprawled around on it for applications installed on my secondary drive..... Yes Paradox.... you suck big time for doing it for every game.