on advice of JTH, I move https://portableapps.com/news/2011-01-06_-_private_browsing_1.0#comment-... /ask the prob i'm experiencing portion of said thread here:
on 1 of my USB flash drives, my Firefox 4.0b8 (BETA channel) gives me this message whenever i launch it http://img202.imageshack.us/f/firfoxportabletest40b8m.jpg/ ...does this mean that it's corrupted? (I don't know exactly what caused this corruption other than i'm guessing it happened after one of those times i updated this channel......???? cuz b4 even this channel was working OK!!!!! Would this be a common cause of getting this message???)
HOW DO I FIX it withOUT losing my extensions, bookmarks, whatnots for that version??? Everytime I'd clicked NO as the option, did I do the right thing?
RIGHT AFTER clicking NO, I get following message ''Fx Portable can not run directly from a read-only location and will now close'' and I can never use this Fx channel on said drive. The other Fx and GCP channels on said same drive are OK and that's never setting anything on the flash drive
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That message will only appear if the launcher is unable to write a test file to ensure that Firefox has read/write access to its profile. This should only occur if:
1. You have a drive set in read only mode. Set it to normal.
2. You have corruption on the drive. Right-click, Properties, Tools, Check for errors.
3. You have a removable drive formatted as NTFS, are using it on a Vista/7 machine other than the one where you loaded the Firefox Portable 4.0 Beta, and you didn't disable security descriptors on the drive. To fix it, right-click on the drive letter in Explorer, Select Properties, Select the Security tab and then edit it to give Everyone full control. Vista/7 suck at dealing with removable NTFS file systems.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
1) not aware at any point i set any setting on USB flash drive so i guess scratch on checking up on 1)
2) I know of 2 ''Check drive for errors'' functions/options. One in OS/Windows Explorer. The other one in the PAM/P(latform)^Options(LEFT click on it)^Check drive for errors. R U talking about the 1st one? They are the same so pick one?
If i pick latter, OK to do it while I have some PAF on problemed drive running (GCP for ex) ???
3) this point is somewhat confusing to me (but even if not confusing, don't recall ever at any time changed any setting........on problemed drive)...OK/not confusing so far up to ''You have a removable drive formatted as NTFS, are using it[= PROBLEMED drive] on a Vista/7 machine'' (then it starts getting confusing to me after that)...
...HUH??????? ''other than the one where you loaded the Firefox Portable 4.0 Beta, and you didn't disable security descriptors on the drive'' ???????????
how do I check problemed drive whether it's NTFS or whatever?
yes, problem drive is hooked up to a Vista laptop (IMAGESHACK shows it)
the rest of point 3) (To fix it, right-click on the [PROBLEMED ?!?!?!]drive letter in Explorer, Select Properties, Select the Security tab and then edit it to give Everyone full control. Vista/7 suck at dealing with removable NTFS file systems) I can perform once i clear up the confusing part
==
==
awaiting ur answers/clearing up the confusing part b4 doing anything
and thanks for ur help, JOHN!
Just follow the instructions in number 3 to edit your security settings on the drive. Right click on the portable drive in Explorer, properties, security tab, "edit" and give the user called "Everyone" full control of the device. You may need to add the user Everyone if it isn't already in the list.
Vista/7 suck at dealing with removable NTFS file systems: If you install an app on Computer A running Windows Vista and then attempt to run that app on Computer B running Windows 7 on a drive with NTFS, it won't work. You won't have write permissions to that app's Data directory, it will think it is read-only, and you get that exact error message. That's what I meant. Basically *NTFS was never meant for removable media*. Only advanced users should really use NTFS for external media.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I right clicked on problemed drive^Properties
but there's no SECURITY tab
but I found out it said File System = FAT !!!!! so this is good, woohoo!!
but then what do i do now? point #2? but which? in explorer? or in PAM/P? either way, exit all running apps/PAFs on problemed drive? also must I X or ^ in bottom of PAM/P before performing #2? what's the diff between X or ^ ???
It should be at least FAT32 otherwise there will be other issues.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
http://img340.imageshack.us/i/firfoxportabletest40b8m.jpg/
when i 1st got the drive i didn't know if any sort of prepping was required so just installed PAM/P then installed the apps i wanted (at least that's all i remember i did)
am i in a world of hurt now? what to do, now?
You can copy the files off to a local drive on the PC, reformat the drive, and copy them back on to get to FAT32.
But your drive is also nearly out of space, which could also be causing you issues.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
out for now
* additional note/might/might not be relevant: copy process not smooth/just simply copy & paste process in 1 swoop/shot. Had to break into smaller copy ''chunks'' and/or manually create folder(s)/director(ies) with same name(s) on destination HDD then copied folder's contents over. Even then, for ex, still 1 extension of GCP [extension=DATA folder] couldn't copy (message effect: name (?)...incorrect/too long...or something like that...so I had to simply skipped it)
NOW for the Q: when right-clicked on troubled drive to format, ''default'' was FAT so I changed to FAT32...NOW Q...allocation unit size changed to 4096 bytes (when I changed from FAT to FAT32). So should I accept 4096...OR change it to something else but recommended...and click START formatting?
==================================================================================
incidentally/on a tangent using PAFs ON A HDD, would FAT32 be the File System should any1 decides to install/use PAFs on a HDD--whether internal (like C:\) OR external HDD? or is this also depend on OS version this said HDD is hooked up to (like u said something about Vista/7 sucky sucky) ?
other incidentals:
And to quote JTH elsewhere:
but solanus and I talked about bumping up 1 add'l directory (esp for HDD installations...but I doN'T get what he meant by ''and it renames your C: drive via the autorun.inf'')--in interest of simplifying the backup process/taking care of the straggler files:
with these 2 BLOCKQUOTEs in mind, do u think it's possible JOHN JTH, in some future implementations of PAFs hereonout, PA.c change/accomodate ALL PAFs to ''default'' the installation directory up 1 add'l directory (whether HDD or USB flash stick--again, in the name of easy backing up for HDD type of installs) ??? I'm thinking adding a ''PAFs'' folder:
C:\PortableApps\ |-StartPortableApps.exe |-autorun.inf |-Documents\ |-PAFs\ |-(all my installed portable apps)on the HDD type of installs (I don't know about USB flash stick installs), would it be possible (for me) to DELETE autorun.inf to solve that issue solanus mentioned (whatever it means) ???
How would non-PAFs function with this new PAM/P(latform) should JTH decides to go with it ?
==================================================================================
''if'' I changed it to FirefoxPortable2 BUT then change it back (again) to FirefoxPortable, would this ''fix'' these ''broken extensions'' ? In other words, should I ''accidentally'' change the relative path (cats/kids crawled around on the keyboard) and break things and recognize the change that broke things, would I be able to simply rename the folders/paths to restore things to working order?
That was such a huge run-on post, I honestly can't follow it.
Bottom line, format your external drive as FAT32 with the default allocation.
Always install apps to X:\PortableApps\AppName. Install the platform to root. If you do it that way, app installers will automatically find where they are supposed to install. It'll work other locations, but any deeper and some apps like OpenOffice.org will fail.
And stop overthinking everything. Seriously.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
of 2GB USB flash stick used (cuz I didn't copy back everything...yet...breathing rooms for troubleshooting these issues)
I just copied over contents like u suggested 1/7/2011 without doing a fresh install of the PAM/P(latform)--fresh at least for the PAM/P
the new message is the bottom 1 of this screenshot http://img97.imageshack.us/i/fxtestbetanowstableprob.jpg/ . Was getting this new/bottom message b4 formatting (as u recall, drive was near full) and https URLs didn't show but thought with this formatting will solve new/bottom message but evidently not. OLD message not fixed either. Google Chrome GCP as well as GCP DEV channels copied back aren't working either: with the former I got what looked like that black DOS command line thingy flashed on the screen real quick then that vanished; the latter got ''GC has crashed'' under Windows Explorer.
didn't know PortableApps.com apps could be so much headaches. What to do now, John? Is it high time for a guide from prepping drives (USB flash stick or C drive or external drives), to tips for preventing issues of these particular types. What u think bout this last suggestion?
That would be a security issue with NTFS. NTFS is not designed for removable media and has issues moving between Vista and 7 machines. You need to reset the security descriptors on the drive:
https://portableapps.com/node/26160#comment-167394
Why are we going over this again? All you need to do is follow the directions that have been laid out a few times already and it'll work fine.
This is NOTHING to do with PortableApps.com and everything to do with poorly formatted drives. FAT32 is the recommended format for external flash drives. FAT will have issues with long names. ExFAT will not work on many computers (including most XP machines, Macs and Linux). NTFS has security settings issues on Windows and may not work on Mac or Linux properly.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
in screenshot ImageShack=STABLE Fx. Summed up, FX STABLE works just not httpS URLs
thanks for trying ur patience cuz not all of us technically knowledgeable and sharp as u
there's NO ''security'' tab as u suggested here https://portableapps.com/node/26160#comment-167394 ...this is the case even after reformatting just like BEFORE reformatting--if u recall (AFTER= http://img97.imageshack.us/i/fxtestbetanowstableprob.jpg/ with a ''Customize'' tab after the ''ReadyBoost'' tab; BEFORE= http://img340.imageshack.us/i/firfoxportabletest40b8m.jpg/ )
so i can't perform step #3 if item u mention doesn't exist, John:
so i can't perform step #3 if item u mention doesn't exist, John:
OR instead of right-clicking on PORTABLE, u meant C:\ DRIVE, John...cuz for C, then I see a ''Security'' tab...and if follow thru ur Step #3, get message:
Windows Security X
u r about to change permission settings of root directory of startup disk which can result in unexpected access problems and reduce security. CONTINUE?
|YES| |No|
I said NO...until if u confirm u meant perform Step #3 FOR the C DRIVE, OK?
If it is formatted as FAT32, then I'd wager that you have a bad drive. Or something is MAJORLY wrong with the host PC. There's no reason for anything to be read only.
We would never tell you to do anything to C:. When anyone tells you to do to your drive, they are ALWAYS meaning your portable drive.
Please seek someone technically knowledgeable to assist you directly in real life. I think we have reached the limit of what we can assist you with via forums. None of these issues are related to the apps. They all indicate security issues or other issues with your PC and/or drive.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
reformat would fix the whole mess but just seems even more mess as trying diff fixes
at least now please give me tips on how i can save as much of diff apps configs/prefs/settings, bookmarks, extensions, search plug-ins about:config changes I made. Where are they stored when I backed these apps to a HDD b4 formatting??? I don't want to have to completely start over from scratch (on a newly bought flash stick or whatever) in customizing my apps/browsers/whatnots (for ex, I extensively customized Speed Dial extension https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4810 and don't want to have to start over...among other customizations). This is for the diff channels of Fx & GC & other non-browser apps...........THANKS, JOHN!!!
Do you have a DVD burner in the PC? You can create a "Data DVD", just burn everything to the DVD. Otherwise get some kind of external hard drive and just copy everything over for now. You can always delete what you don't need later on.
All PortableApps applications settings are stored in X:\PortableApps\AppName\Data\, where
is the drive you have installed/copied/backed up the files too and "AppName" is the name of the specific PortableApp. e.g. FirefoxPortable. This also assumes you install to the default folder "PortableApps".
So for FirefoxPortable the most important folder is:
X:\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable\Data
The key folder is "Data". This is where all your customizations/settings/preferences are stored for any Portable App, and each Portable App has its own "Data" folder. Savvy?
BTW, have you tried right clicking on the PortableApps folder on your USB drive and unchecking the "read only" box, click apply and then choose "apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files", then OK. A long shot,but you never know.
we're talking just a temp placeholding when I xferred contents from USB flash stick over to an avail HDD so I can reformat it then xfer contents back...so I think ''THE PATH'' wasn't broken for any of the apps/extensions/whatnots ?!?!?! Otherwise, savvy. Fort Knox=all/any ''Data'' folders!! If doing any burning, DATA DVD, NOT DVD-Video or something else! Saavy!
Will try ur suggestion in last paragraph later/some other time
peace out
timeline of events in order as they happened:
(1) GC DEV=updated (cuz new version came out, not that i was actively trying to solve GCP prob; updated via double clicking DL'ed PAF.exe) and that seems to fixed prob...meaning i see my bookmarks...guess haven't installed any extensions yet cuz didn't see any...see history of most visited and recently closed...even let me restored last browsed session tabs
(2) GCP stable=updated (via double clicking DL'ed PAF.exe) and that seems to fixed prob...see my bookmarks AND extensions including settings whether which extensions are allowed incognito! woo hoo!...see history of most visited and recently closed...
...with GCP Stable now fixed, surf the internet, while GCP Stable surfing, carried out following:
.
.
.
so i got bold and......yaah, u guessed it, buddies!...
...(3) i updated my diff Fx flavors, and waalaa...lucky streak didn't continue, whatever messages b4, continue receiving them!! BUT 3.6.13 Stable FX bookmarks AND extensions are still there...let me restored last browsed session tabs BUT message still there!!! still won't navigate to httpS URLs.
(4) as for Fx4.0b8 TEST/BETA still same message and can never use this Fx channel
idk what can be gleaned from all this...why updating GCP flavors fixed them but not Fx flavors?
but perhaps most important Q, is it possible for a GCPs to work again as if nothing had happened (after updating) on a ''BAD DRIVE'' just the other browsers (Fx's) not fixed even after updating? HMMMMMMM? still, idk what to be gleaned?
(5) with these 4 above results, i decided to carry out Darkbee's suggestion=right clicked on troubled flash DRIVELETTER:\PortableApps FOLDER^Properties THEN I UNchecked READ-ONLY (Only applies to files in folder) box for DRIVELETTER:\PortableApps FOLDER=b4 box was filled with blue...then when i UNcheck, box wasn't that blue color anymore but color was just like the other 2 boxes beneath it[Attributes: Hidden AND Active]...carried out suggestion, got Applying attributes to: message and took something like 3 minutes to complete...then withOUT rebooting/restarting troubled DRIVELETTER OR host PC, launched Fx4.0b8 TEST/BETA=NO LUCK still same message and can never use this Fx channel...thought I try 3.6.13 Stable FX=NO LUCK still same message and won't navigate to httpS URLs
NOW what, reboot troubled flash stick and/or host pc (Windows Vista) and try launching the 2 Fx flavors??????? if not now, will be next time when i really have to reboot host PC (for me, tend to be long in between host PC reboots)
PS. don't think anything wrong with my host PC either: CPU usage not exhibiting unusual activities unless i knowingly put it under load eg. transcoding or similar, hardly ever crash/BSOD, Windows Update regularly & timely, got avast and ZoneAlarm, hardly rarely use my IE 8...think/believe/of opinion running strong as day i got PC
The whole drive should be configured as writeable. No X, No blue box. An empty gray box meaning everything is writeable. Settings things read-only does not increase security or prevent infection. The malware just changes it back to writeable and messes with it.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
perhaps u missed my (SUBJECT line=point #3 confusing) post but I said I NEVER made any of my drives (esp USB flash sticks) read-ONLY. Perhaps the only wrong thing I did was accepting default FAT then went ahead and installed PAM/P, then the various apps--but that was because there is no guide...to setting up a new flash stick. But let's move on.
As relative to http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=2085071 ,
can u tell me where
profile folder and file named cert8.db are in the Portable Firefox 3.6.13 ecosytem?
EDIT: would it be DRIVELETTER:\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable\Data\profile\cert8.db ?!?! If it is, then my the "Read-only" checkbox is NOT checked, like it's supposed to be! So then, HMMMMMMM!! So after posting up, i will follow instructions for
Corrupted file
The file cert8.db in your profile folder may have become corrupted. Delete this file while the application (Firefox, SeaMonkey, etc) is closed.[1] To do this on Windows machines:
1. Close the application by choosing File -> Exit.
2. Open your profile folder in Windows Explorer.
3. Click on the file named cert8.db.
4. Press delete.
5. Restart the application. cert8.db will be recreated when you do so.
will come back and let yall know, aight (EDIT=I'm back=YUP, that was it! IT"S A CASE OF CORRUPTED FILE! THANKS to mozillaZine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND TODAY I LEARN I'M SO AWESOME CUZ OF 2 THINGS: (1) I NEVER GAVE UP AND ALWAYS KEEP ONE'S THINKING CAP ON!!! I GIVE GOOD CUSTOMER SUPPORT!!! Gotta pat myself on the back! (2) IF U WANT to PROMOTE POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT UR CREATION, U CAN NEVER IGNORE UR CUSTOMER BASE IF U WANT THEM TO SPREAD THE WORDS FOR UR SOFTWARES!!! Having said these, I still got to thank JTH for his somewhat trying patience--BUT U GOT to give me this was a tuff 1, John; that's why it's such a back-and-forth thing. Otherwise it had been solved quickly and a long time ago right?) SUMMARY: Fx 3.6.13 STABLE is now FIXED!!! Only Fx4.0b9 TEST/BETA left to FIX
============================================
somewhat incidental/sidebar-ish:
how do i create a NEW Firefox profile but keeping all other configs/prefs/settings, bookmarks, extensions, search plug-ins, about:config changes I made to Fx 3.6.13 ? Same Q for Fx4.0b9 TEST/BETA ?
THANKS!
cert db files are dealing with crypto keys, so well if it is corrupt certain sites will not work properly, but this will not prevent the FF to operate normally otherwise. It has in general no impact for most users.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
in particular, httpS URLs and only those, OTTO? (as i found to be in my case)
https , depending what setup the server needs, some will be happy with ssl some need more special certificates to be allowed to do certain things, but those are often more found in company networks.
Sites using plain http protocol and without any crypto gadgets build in will not make use of the cryptographic module and so not use the certificate store and cert data base either. Certificates is just other name for public keys in that context.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
in post with SUBJECT line
CLARIFs: OLD message=TEST/BETA Fx, new/bottom message
BEFORE (formatting to get FAT32)= http://img202.imageshack.us/f/firfoxportabletest40b8m.jpg/ NOT http://img340.imageshack.us/i/firfoxportabletest40b8m.jpg/
EDIT/clarification for clarity:
If, out of habit, double click on "Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition" in the PortableApps menu, it will try to open two instances of it in a row and will get in conflict with a locked file (or something like that). You will then get a message telling you that your disk is in "read only mode".
Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)
but i don't think that was what happened to cuz my read-only device issue