I have Google Chrome (48.0.2564.116) Portable installed, and I use it on Windows XP. This is the most current version which works on Win XP, so I cannot update to the latest version (or any version newer than 48.0.2564.116).
QUESTION 1:
As of a couple of days ago, every time I start up Chrome, it gives me a popup windows saying,
Your preferences can not be read.
Some features may be unavailable and changes to preferences won't be saved.
I'd like to resolve this so that the window does not pop up every time. Ideally, I'd fix whatever issue Chrome is having and allow it to use the preferences file.
QUESTION 2:
Is there a way for me to remove and reinstall Google Chrome Portable 48.0.2564.116?
I tried moving the existing installation to a new folder (by renaming the folder from
"D:\PortableApps\PortableApps\GoogleChromePortable"
to
"D:\PortableApps\PortableApps\GoogleChromePortableOLD"
and then reinstalling the portable app. I downloaded the file "GoogleChromePortable_48.0.2564.116_online.paf.exe" from PortableApps then used the PortableApps installer (accessed by right clicking my tray icon). However this did not work, as the portable app apparently tries to go online to find the 'real' version of Google Chrome in order to do an install and it can't find it (presumably it is ver 48.0 it is looking for, and cannot find). I can find and download Google Chrome 48.0.2564.116 (from e.g. FileHippo), but I have no way to make the Portable Apps installer make use of it.
Thanks for any help on either item. PortablApps is a very cool utility.
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If you can find and place the installer file 48.0.2564.116_chrome_installer.exe in the same directory as GoogleChromePortable_48.0.2564.116_online.paf.exe, the PA.c Installer will automatically use it. It will check it's the correct one by ensuring the MD5 is c63d17dcbeeb1a035d484c3f4a13bb11.
There's also a chance that error means that Chrome can't read your settings from Google if you're logged in, which is a possibility as Chrome 48 was dropped a while ago.
I'd highly suggest switching to Firefox Portable Legacy 52 as it is much more up to date: https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox-portable-legacy-52
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
I want to thank you for your response. I appreciate you taking the time to reply and for being very explicit in your response. The fact that you named the file I need ("48.0.2564.116_chrome_installer.exe") really helped out. That installer file was already downloaded into the correct folder, but it had a different name, and that was causing the install to not work though I had no idea that was the problem. Because your response was so clear it helped me right exactly where I was stuck. I also appreciate you telling me the MD5.
The install of Chrome Portable worked. And the new install does not have the error I was having, so I am basically fixed.
On your suggestion, I have installed ff 52 and will try it out. I used to like ff a lot but it got flaky on me. I don't like google but Chrome was pretty smooth sailing so I ended up using it for quite a while. So far I am not loving all the outbound connections ff makes at startup (even having gone through all the privacy settings AND the "How to stop Firefox from making automatic connections" stuff), but I might see if I can tame that and keep using ff. I do appreciate the suggestion. Thanks again,
Not sure if they are legit;
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/10/14/what-is-pingsender-exe-on-windows/
https://www.a2p.it/wordpress/tech-stuff/mozilla/firefox-data-faster-shut...
Thank you for the links. I hadn't heard of that (and I also don't know whether they are or are not actually legit), but in my case, pingsender does not APPEAR to be what is happening. My firewall tells me that firefox.exe is the culprit (not pingsender). And, I have turned off all the telemtry etc., which should prevent the pingsender. I don't like that ff claim to be so big on privacy, and make out like they are the browser to use if you want to avoid having your browser provider spy on you ... then they turn around and load their browser full of stuff that, in my opinion, is spying on us.
I appreciate the response.