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Browsers does not display, if started from locally mapped network-drive

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October 21, 2019 - 5:22am
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m@rtin.ws
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Browsers does not display, if started from locally mapped network-drive

Hi Portable-Apps-Team,

I can't really say, if it is a bug or not (sorry, if not). I'm using portableapps in a folder I:\vm\shared\Portables, and it is also used by virtual machines (Win7, win10), which are mount this directory with Z: in my virtual machines.
Now, to have the same driveletter on localhost, I mounted on it Z: => \\localhost\I$\vm\shared to have the same drive-letter on my localhost, than in the virtual-machines. But all browsers I start in localhost under Z: does not display anything (firefox, opera, chrome), browser is running, but the window is only white (menus are visible). Only kmeleon is working. So:

I:\vm\shared\Portables\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable => no error on localhost
Z:\Portables\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable => no error on vitrual machine
Z:\Portables\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable => ERROR on localhost

Same with Opera, Chrome etc. All other Programs (instead of modern browsers) are running perfectly.

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October 25, 2019 - 11:59am
mjashby
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Running PortableApps on a shared Virtual Drive

Try using the 'true' Network Drive 'location' to run your software instead of the 'mapped' Drive. You haven't said which Virtualisation software you're using, so it's difficult to be precise, but if it's VirtualBox, the Network Drives will appear in File Explorer under Network > VBOXSVR > VBOXSVR\\Whatever Folder

'Ordinary' Shared Drives use is O.K. for file management, but you're likely to hit all sorts of problems if you use mapped Windows Drive Letters to launch/run/update software (and not just PortableApps).

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October 27, 2019 - 5:47am
(Reply to #2)
m@rtin.ws
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My virtualisation software is

My virtualisation software is VirtualBox (sorry for not mentioning it). But the problem does NOT come from the VM. It comes from the host. I mapped I:\VM\Shared to Z: in the VM:
- I can start FF in the VM from the networkdrive (Z:\PorableApps) without any problems.
- I can also start FF from the host (I:VM\Shared\PortableApps) without any problems
I mapped (on the host) I:\VM\Shared to Z: to have the same path in each VM AND the host. Each portable app is running perfectly exept FF
- I start FF on "Z:\PorableApps" on the HOST and it show only a blank screen (and only two instead of four tasks).

You can try for yourself if you want to. Just map your PA-directory to a drive-letter (i.e. K: => \\localhost:D$\PA-directory) and start FF. You will see, that all apps running instead of FF. The big mistery: Why does it work on a VM, but not on the host?

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October 25, 2019 - 12:05pm
John T. Haller
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Chrome et al will fail. Firefox should work

Chrome and all derivatives (Chromium, Opera, Iron, etc) will not run from a network drive. This is due to coding in the base app itself.

Firefox was working from a mapped network drive a few versions back but I do not know if it currently does. It's such a niche thing they likely don't test for it.

Our platform and all our tools work without issue from mapped network drives.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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October 27, 2019 - 6:05am
(Reply to #4)
m@rtin.ws
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Hi John,

Hi John,

sorry, but that's not true. I run them in a VM from a networdrive without any problem also the lastest versions. Same with Opera and Chrome. And all other apps does so in a VM. I want to map them on the HOST (see comment above), to have the same driveletters for i.e. AndroidStudio. Otherwise I've been asking by some apps, something like: configuration-file is not in I:. (i.e. AndroidStudio does not find gradle in the right place).

I forgot to mention sth. (yet tested): Chrome and Opera shows the same blank window like FF, if started on localhost from a locally mapped network-drive. But they are all running in a VM on a network-drive. All other apps running perfectly on a network-drive on both VM and localhost.

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