Here I go again! I'm working on a legitimate, portable Adobe Photoshop CS3. Someone will need to create the NSIS-based launcher, but let me share the steps I've taken to reach the nearest point. To write these steps most accurately, I am starting with neither Adobe Photoshop/ImageReady CS2 or CS3 or either activation license on the machine...
:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\ => => ACE.dll => adobe_caps.dll => adobe_epic.dll => adobe_personalization.dll => AdobeLinguistic.dll => AdobeLM.dll => AdobeLM_libFNP.dll => AdobeOwl.dll => AdobeXMP.dll => AGM.dll => ahclient.dll => asneu.dll => AXE8SharedExpat.dll => AXEDOMCore.dll => Bib.dll => BIBUtils.dll => CoolType.dll => ExtendScript.dll => FNP_Act_Installer.dll => Photoshop.dll => Photoshop.exe => PSArt.dll => PSViews.dll => ScCore.dll => \AMT\en_us\AMT.zdct => \AMT\LMResources\en_us\information.html => \AMT\AdobeConfig.xml => \AMT\application.sif => \AMT\application.xml => \AMT\aul.xml => \LMResources\ (root files) => \LMResources\en_us\Main.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\ReEnterSN.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\Retail_Activation.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\Retail_Return.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\Volume_Installer.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\Volume_Overdraft.zdct => \LMResources\en_us\Volume_Return.zdct => \LMResources\privacystatements\ActivationInformationEng.txt => \Required\ (all files)
Remember this is for the bare bones of Adobe Photoshop CS3 to operate. I'm still updating this instructional, so it may not work yet for everybody. 
UPX *.*: In total, keeping only these files and UPXing the remaining core removes approximately 220 MB of unnecessary materials and brings the installation down to approximately 22 MB!!!
At this point you can uninstall Adobe Photoshop CS3.
Maybe this will provide the means to a working NSIS-based solution. We're still waiting for LapLink, guys. Cheers.
- aniperleo
Good Ol' Reliable Aniper Leo
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Back again I see
I might be able to get a copy of Portable PS and base a launcher off that for you.
----
Ryan McCue
Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
(Tom Lehrer)
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Just ask.
I am on vacation now, but will get you a copy when I get home. January 3rd or so.
***********************************
Deuce {The Core}{Dev Blog}
Portable Software: Just the beginning.
Deuce
Portable Software: Just the beginning.
I though I could get a copy of PortaSoft via FTP. Guess not
Thanks.
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Ryan McCue
Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
(Tom Lehrer)
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
you though or thought? P.S. I'm back after a weekend away and have only three exams to go!
Yours
Steve Lamerton
Hey, I'm the pedantic one!
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Ryan McCue
Life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
(Tom Lehrer)
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
That would be neat! Then maybe *I* might be remembered as something other than the ghost who comes and goes. I'll try to update my post today with some new discoveries.
Good Ol' Reliable Aniper Leo
Good Ol' Reliable Aniper Leo
"I am starting with neither Adobe Photoshop/ImageReady CS2 or CS3 or either activation license on the machine..."
Does this mean that you can activate this from a thumb drive and have no trouble running it on a home machine and work machine?
Will Static
Will Static
What I mean when I write "I am starting with neither Adobe Photoshop/ImageReady CS2 or CS3 or either activation license on the machine" is that I'm starting from scratch. See, if I had installed CS2, or if I had an activation license on the machine, I might yield different results than the fellow who tries to run it off their USB stick. Also, it provides a clear starting ground of legality. Obviously, I would want to have a legitimate functional copy, over any sort of hack.
- aniperleo
Good Ol' Reliable Aniper Leo
Good Ol' Reliable Aniper Leo
Aniper Leo, if you're still around
drop me an email at cubegames[at]gmail.com
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Ryan McCue
Person 1: Oh my god. You will never believe what just happened.
Person 2: What?
Person 1: I can't remember, I've forgotten.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
In my test I built CS3 on one machine and migrated to a USB to test on another. My main wish was to test the beta without a full install on that machine as there are known and reported bugs/errors with the uninstall. It damages parts of CS2. Also keeping it small is very nice.
Any way I found that with out the "Adobe PCD" folder stored at C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe you will probably receive this error "Licensing for this product has stopped working". It must be a folder that does not get removed during the uninstall process so did not show in your test? Bet a software usually have bad uninstall routines (full versions are not much better) This folder can show up if testing other CS3 apps or I think it can be linked with Acrobat 8 I know there are issues with CS3 and Acrobat 8 discussed at the adobe forum. I hope this has been a helpful finding
OK the above makes it so CS3 will start up with no issues, but when you try to open or create a new file the application will crash. I copied all the folders from Common files that are installed additionally by CS3 and it works fine. Now I just have to figure out or does anybody know which one is being referenced during file open or file new?
Here is a list of the folders created additional to older installs:
Adobe Anchor Service
Adobe Asset Services CS3
Adobe PCD
Adobe Version Cue CS3
Bridge CS3 Extensions
caps
DefaultLanguage
Help
Installers
Linguistics
Startup Scripts CS3
StartupScripts
TypeSupport
I already found that Adobe PCD is required to avoid an error on start. Now to find the other essential folder.