Lowter

Browsers on Thumb Drives

Published on the 11th of June 2005

By Ethan Poole

Ever wished that you could take your browser of choice wherever you go? That way you don't have to use Internet Explorer? I've found methods to get both Opera and Firefox on a thumb drive. Both work fine and make a nice way to have a good browser with you at all times.

Opera

megamanXplosion at Sitepoint.com (external link) posted some great instructions on how to get Opera on your thumb drive. It also guides you through setting the cache to go on the current computer and for Opera to be offered to you on the drive's startup menu:

Quotation by "megamanXplosion"

Installing Opera on a jump-drive is pretty simple. Create a folder called "Opera" on your desktop and then launch the installer. Install Opera as a single-user to the "Opera" directory on your desktop. Then, copy the Opera folder over to your jump-drive. Open /Opera/profile/opera6.ini and add "Cache Directory4=C:" under [user preferences]. Once you have changed the cache directory, open Opera and go to: Tools -> Preferences -> Advanced -> History -> then check "empty on exit.

Now when you open Opera from your jump-drive it will store its cache on the computer you're using and when you close Opera it will delete the cache from the computer. Now, to add the finishing touch ("Run this program" in the options) can create an autorun.inf file, in the root directory of the jump drive, with this inside...

[autorun]
open=Opera/Opera.exe
icon=Opera/Opera.exe
label=Opera 8.02

You can view the original post on the Sitepoint Forums (external link).

Firefox

To get a portable version of Firefox visit the project's home page (external link).

The installation is optimized for a thumb drive and runs quite smoothly. You may also want to look into Portable Thunderbird and Sunbird.

Opera 9. Innovation delivered. Download Now (external link)