Portable Software Permanently Installed

[kokain]

I like to put portable software on my computer. I have a seperate partition of only portable software. I don't know why, I just think it is nice to copy a piece of software when I need it to go fix my mom's computer, or go to a friend's house, or whatever. I like when software writes nothing to the registry. BUT I want to associate a few programs (Paint.net to jpegs) and add a few context menu entries (Folder2ISO for a directory). But every time I do, I inevitably run CCleaner and don't pay attention and lose the registry entries. Is there a way to make them stick? Am I an id*** for even asking if I can make registry entries for a portable application?

[g-force]

For some "portable" apps I create a SFX containing the sources and a regfile.

Sources are unpacked to the wanted location, regfile is executed, and I add

a link on desktop to .exe - everything is running fine.

This is no more "portable" because of the reg-entries, but I prefer this method

to use programs that keep their settings in its programfolder. I can save settings

and update the program - just by recreating the SFX by "Add Files" my SFX

is simply up-to-date and can be used again and again.

[Guest]

Is there a way to make them stick?

Change the keys permission so they cant be deleted by CCleaner.

[kokain]

That sounds cool g-force. Thanks, I'll look into that.

-x- how do I set the permissions? in CCLeaner or in regedit?

[Guest]

In regedit.

[g-force]

I never ran into problems with CCleaner and these regentries.

Could you please explain what happens?

[kokain]

I assume it is CCLeaner. I don't use anything else to mess with the reg. I'm not trying to give CCleaner a bad name, I assume it is working as it should.

I associate say paint.net to .jpeg files and theKMplayer to avi files. It three or four days the associations are gone and the avi and jpeg icons are the default blank ones. No big deal. I just want to stick the associations.

[MrJinje]

Why not re-package your "portables" into an .MSI container with WISE (or any other MSI compiler), then you could include registry settings and file associations, plus be assured they would be removed properly during uninstall. That would have the benefits of portable (single large exe vs 15,000 small files for office), and be relatively permanent.

Should be very easy to add Shell setting for Folder2Iso.

Imagine that this could also stop the ccleaner. Assuming that ccleaner respects the rights of registered .MSI applications. Anyone know if this prevents the settings from being seen as abandoned.

Edited November 17, 2009 by MrJinje