Emergency Preparedness

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-07 13:25

ASSuME that I would not be able to bring a laptop when travelling, or the laptop goes belly up while travelling, emergeny preparedness seems to call for having removeable media that would permit use of someone else's computer.

To do this, I am assuming that:

1. A separate account has been set up on the host PC.
2. Appropriate apps have been installed for all users, or the apps can be (re)installed to permit access in the separare account.

So, I was wondering what files would be needed:

a. For a email program.
b, For a browser.
c. For a newsreader.

For Firefox, would it be sufficient to have only a copy of the Firefox Profiles directory?
For Thunderbird, would it be sufficient to have only a copy of the Thunderbird Profiles directory?

What files would be needed for Outlook Express?

**jscher2000** · 2006-10-08 18:06

You can upload your Firefox profile to a USB flash drive after installing "Portable Firefox." There might be a similar version of Thunderbird.

Outlook Express accounts are stored in the Registry. You might be able to export them to an importable settings file (it might have an extension similar to .iac). You can bring your DBX files, but I don't know how you would redirect OE to read them from removable media. Or is this a "trusted" host?

I think we had another thread on a portable environment on a USB flash drive, but it might have been a Linux environment...

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-08 22:02

Outlook EXpress Accounts export to .iaf files.

**JohnBF** · 2006-10-09 01:29

For portable media, review the programs and forums on http://portableapps.com/apps. OE is not going to be highly portable (in convenience and interchangeability terms), and you know why; its close ties to Windows and IE.

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-09 10:21

Maybe it's time to start using Thunderbird as a newsreader?

**JohnBF** · 2006-10-09 13:42

There are a lot of people who'd recommend TB as a newsreader, and it's a solution to your emergency portability concern.

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-09 14:05

Thunderbird is no more portable than OE among windows systems.
Still gotta port the right files.

**Sundog** · 2006-10-09 14:22

Howard, this is slightly off-topic as I can't answer your question directly. I have a similar need, and will be trying MojoPac software soon. It purports to allow loading of applications and data files on a USB drive, so you can run them from any USB-enabled computer. Any early adopter reports out there? http://www.mojopac.com/

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-09 17:21

Lemmee clarify my original request.

I do not want to use apps such as "portable XYZ", rather, just need to be able to "easily" use the usual apps.
Really no different than porting settings from system to another.

It should be possible to create a program that copies all needed stuff to, say, CD-RW or a ZIP drive or a USB drive.

***JoeP517*** · 2006-10-09 17:50

It certainly is possible to construct such as program. But it would most likely only work if the original vendor of the application you wished to run on a CD, etc. happened to write it. The original vendor is the only one in a position to easily identify all of the files, settings, dlls, etc. required to run the app.

BTW, who gets to decide what the 'usual' apps are?

Joe

**jscher2000** · 2006-10-09 20:26

How about just exporting your identity from the registry and merging it into your host's? Of course, you'll want to set a System Restore point in case something goes horribly wrong... <img src=/S/wink.gif border=0 alt=wink width=15 height=15>

(Where is that tongue-in-cheek smiley?)

**JohnBF** · 2006-10-09 21:17

I suggested portable apps because they transfer quickly, they do not require setup on the host computer, and they leave no footprint or a very light footprint on the host computer registry, user profile data, and file structure.Think about the setup work you will have to do on the host computer to make your apps work, and the traces you'll leave behind, and perhaps you'll understand the basis for my recommendation. It's one of those decisions where you pay one way or the other; you choose.

BTW, I have portable openoffice, FF, 7Zip and a few utilities set up on my 2Gb thumbdrive. (But not ThunderBird, I use webmail until I get back to my PC.) Yes, it takes some maintenance to sync favorites, files, etc., but I don't have to mess about with the host. It's an epiphyte, not a parasite.

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-10 02:54

It's Windows 2000.
A separate account has been created on the PC in Windows.
So there would be no conflicts.

Would you believe the system had NO Administrator password!

**Howard Kaikow** · 2006-10-10 02:55

i'd be logging in to a separate windows account.

**jscher2000** · 2006-10-10 06:35

> Would you believe the system had NO Administrator password!
That could have been the default configuration from Redmond at the time. Anyway, it's easy enough to remove the Administrator password with a downloadable CD image from Norway and a 3 minute procedure. (I had to use it once...)

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