Google Chrome goes portable: Carry it on a USB flash drive

Filed under: Internet, Windows, Google, Freeware, Open Source, Browsers

Google Chrome goes portable: Carry it on a USB flash drive

by Brad Linder Sep 4th 2008

Want to take Google's new web browser Chrome for a spin, but don't want to install anything on your computer? While Google hasn't officially released a portable version, the browser is open source. So just a few days after the launch of Google Chrome, an independent developer has released Portable Chrome,

Portable Chrome comes as an 11MB self extracting file. When you run the executable, all the files you need to run Chrome will be loaded to the directory of your choice. Just click on ChromeLoader.exe to launch Google Chrome. And that's pretty much it. The browser includes all the same features you'll find in the original version of Chrome, including a super fast JavaScript engine, incognito mode, and the ability to run tabs as separate process.

[via Digital Inspiration]

Tags: chrome, chromelauncher, google-chrome, portable, portable-apps, portable-chrome

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Nick said 4:08PM on 9-04-2008

Just used this to install Chrome on my work PC. they have my machine completely locked down and I'm not able to "install" anything. This workaround is great! Now to test out Chrome

http://htcsource.com

kingkool68 said 4:54PM on 9-04-2008

Just look at that Chrome logo it kind of reminds me of a bunch of different things: the Death Star, HAL 9000, a Pokeon ball...
http://www.russellheimlich.com/blog/google-chromes-logo-looks-like/

Brian said 6:16PM on 9-04-2008

This is great, I've just started college and they don't let you install things on the computer and we have to use yucky IE so i can now just whip my ol' usb stick and use chrome. I'd use firefox portable but it is very sloooow. Chrome Portable seems fast.

Mike Cerm said 7:53AM on 9-05-2008

I haven't been able to get Flash working in Portable Chrome, so that really limits usability. Other than that, it's great, but lack of Flash functionality is sort of a show-stopper.

Mike Cerm said 7:54AM on 9-05-2008

Nevermind. You can just put the Flash dll in Portable Chrome's "plugins" folder, just like Portable Firefox. Otherwise, if you have Flash installed on the system it works fine.

AR said 7:40AM on 9-09-2008

Not having flash really is a show stopper. What's the Flash DLL called, and where is it usually located for IE/Firefox (non-portable)?

Stuart Halliday said 9:04AM on 9-05-2008

Unfortunately you lose all that lovely speed enhancement when you put it on a USB stick.

It goes as slow as a 3 legged dog.

Nice idea though.

Stuart Halliday said 11:44AM on 9-05-2008

Unfortunately you lose all that lovely speed enhancement when you put it on a USB stick.

It goes as slow as a 3 legged dog.

Nice idea though.

geng zeng said 10:56AM on 9-20-2008

this is very good software and this site is a collection point of software for peoples. thanks

Brent said 5:41PM on 10-03-2008

One thing you should be wary of: Chromium Portable does not password-protect your saved passwords. So if you lose your flash drive, anyone who finds it can use CP to login to your accounts. Unless you deselect the option to remember passwords. You have been warned.

usws said 8:11AM on 11-20-2008

It doesn't lack anything at all? Hmm, so i'm not missing out if i just use portable chrome instead of installing it? Haha, kinda redundant but I'm just plain lazy.

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