Google Browser – New Google Chrome Portable Browser

Martin Brinkmann
May 24, 2009
Updated • Sep 4, 2017
Google Chrome, Windows software
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116

A good way of testing new versions of the so called Google browser Google Chrome web browser is to run a portable version of it. The main advantage that portable versions offer is that they don't need to be installed and that they make little to no changes to the operating system because of that.

The only problem that arises is that it can be quite problematic to stay up to date with all the web browser updates that the Google Chrome team releases regularly. Long time Ghacks reader Caschy creates new portable versions of the Google Chrome browser regularly which he publishes on his website after official browser updates.

New versions of the Google browser can be regularly downloaded from the website. The browser can then be executed by launching the file ChromeLoader.exe for a normal program start or IncognitoChromeLoader.exe for starting the anonymous mode of the Google browser.

Updates that are released can simple be copied over the existing directory of the Google browser. Users just have to make sure to avoid overwriting the profile directory which stores user related data.

Users who are interested in staying up to date with the portable Google Chrome releases are encouraged to add the RSS feed of the website to their feed reader as this seems to be the best way to be notified of program updates.

Update: Another possibility is the portable version of Chrome at the Portable Apps website. The site operators offer downloads for the latest Google Chrome Stable, Beta and Dev builds on their site. You need to install those builds into a directory first before they become truly portable.

The portable nature makes it still necessary to download updates manually from the Portable Apps website. These updates are then installed over the current location on the computer.

The portable Chrome version has several limitations. Passwords are for instance tied to the PC the browser is run on, which means they are not saved in the same directory as the portable version of the browser. The same is true for certificates.

Summary
Google Browser – New Google Chrome Portable Browser
Article Name
Google Browser – New Google Chrome Portable Browser
Description
The article reviews two options to run portable versions of Google's Chrome web browser that don't need to be installed and don't modify system settings.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. foolishgrunt said on May 12, 2020 at 6:45 pm
    Reply

    I recently played through Chrono Trigger (a few times) on DraStic myself, and I know exactly what parts you’re referring to. :)

    Also, for extra credit.

    DraStic’s .dsv files are essentially raw .sav files, but with a few bytes of DeSmuME-specific data appended to the end (specifically so that this procedure outlined by Ashwin will work). On the other hand MelonDS (my preferred DS emulator on PC) cannot interpret this DeSmuME-specific data, and will need to be stripped out by a hex editor. In this case, you need to use a hex editor to strip it out. Open the file, find this at the very end:

    |<–Snip above h
    ere to create a
    raw sav by exclu
    ding this DeSmuM
    E savedata foote
    r:…………..
    ……….|-DESM
    UME SAVE-|

    …remove it, and save. Now you have a save file that you can import into any DS emulator that supports raw .sav files (presumably DeSmuME as well, though I have not tried).

    1. Ashwin said on May 14, 2020 at 5:09 am
      Reply

      Thanks for that.

      MelonDS is pretty good too. There is a new QT version in the works.

      https://twitter.com/Arisotura/status/1255059225371435011

      1. fakewooder said on July 26, 2021 at 8:19 pm
        Reply

        This worked from DraStic to MelonDS Android as well!

        DraStic seems smoother for the time being, but it’s nice to know you can transfer anytime.

  2. Trey said on May 12, 2020 at 9:00 pm
    Reply

    Nice tip foolishgrunt.

    Off topic but does anyone know the best way to play the original Majora’s Mask on Win10? Best emulator for it I guess?

    1. Ashwin said on May 14, 2020 at 5:27 am
      Reply

      Project64 https://www.pj64-emu.com/. Pretty straightforward to use. Enable the N64 plugin.

      You could try Mupen64, it’s good too.

      There are some pretty good texture packs that you can install to make the graphics look better.
      http://www.emutalk.net/threads/56677-Majora-s-Mask-N64HD-Project

      Just FYI, the 3DS remake which has some QoL improvements, runs flawlessly on Citra.

      1. Trey said on May 15, 2020 at 7:19 pm
        Reply

        Thanks Ashwin

  3. Mageia said on July 12, 2020 at 8:18 pm
    Reply

    I don’t have those options ‘Import Backup Memory”

    I have desmume 0.9.11 x64 on Linux

  4. delt said on September 10, 2020 at 7:46 am
    Reply

    Thanks for the info. I was playing a game called “Last window: secret of Cape West” (which wasn’t released where i live) and at one point there’s a puzzle that makes a rather weird usage of the DS’s hardware sensors, which i needed to test on a real DS.

    To convert a Drastic save file into a usable save file for the DSTwo cartridge, you just need to shave off the extra bytes with a command like:

    dd bs=1024 count=256 if=”input.dsv” of=”output.sav”

    …for a 256Kb save file. This should work on any Unix system, ie. Linux (including Android itself) BSD, MacOS etc. For winblows, well….

    Haven’t (yet) tested the reverse operation, but i’d presume if simply copying the file saved on the DSTwo back to the Drastic dir on my phone doesn’t work, i’d just need to re-append the extra few bytes at the end.

  5. Wouter said on February 3, 2021 at 9:22 am
    Reply

    Transferring the file from Desmume to Drastic doesn’t seem to work for me. I have a DSV and a NDS file with the same name in the backup folder from Drastic on my phone. But when I boot up the game in Drastic it just starts a new game. Anyone an idea what I could be doing wrong?

    1. guille said on March 8, 2021 at 1:40 pm
      Reply

      Try changing the save file to .dsv instead of .sav, worked for me.

  6. Anonymous said on February 14, 2022 at 4:18 pm
    Reply

    ok i try the drastic to desmume method with pokemon mystery dungeon explolers of sky and it doesnt work for me for some reason i just get new game option X_X

    1. Jesus Christ said on April 9, 2022 at 11:10 pm
      Reply

      Same

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