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Retain displayed tabs data in RAM to continue browsing on another computer without the need to reload all the tabs content

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February 16, 2021 - 4:16am
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Arpad
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Retain displayed tabs data in RAM to continue browsing on another computer without the need to reload all the tabs content

Dear Portable Apps,

Please help with the following – the gist of it, my question is in bold.

Scenario:
Attached USB SSD, using Chrome from it. There are many open tabs. While the browser resides on the USB SSD, I assume all open tabs are in the RAM, and if I use an extension to highlight specific words on the pages, then those highlights are also in the RAM. So, I assume that when I detach the USB SSD, then all tab data and all extension data are gone, i.e. I can’t preserve the rendering of tabs/pages and extension highlighting with the portable Chrome on the USB SSD.

Am I right with my interpretation? I assume that (just like with an installed Chrome on a built-in drive) I can utilize an extension to save tab data (e.g. Tabs Outliner or Session Buddy), but when attaching my USB SSD to another computer, then all tabs are needed to be loaded from scratch. The same as if I were to close all tabs on an installed Chrome, then opening all tabs again from Session Buddy.

I.e. it is not possible to retain the displayed page data for all the open tabs in portable Chrome on the USB SSD in order to display them the same way on another PC – so actually porting Chrome’s RAM content (loaded pages with some word highlighting by an extension) to another PC.
Is my interpretation correct?

Is it possible to continue a browsing session on another computer without the need to reload all the tabs’ content? Is there any way of achieving this?

Thanks,
Best,
Arpad

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February 16, 2021 - 10:38am
John T. Haller
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Similar to Local

It's similar to local in that when you close it, you lose what was in memory. It's dissimilar from local in that you need to be logged into Google for most stuff to be retained if you move PCs. When you move, Google interprets it as a corruption of settings and reloads stuff from the Google sync servers. This is by design to prevent local software from adding extensions or modifying Chrome's search/homepage/new tab settings.

There are some extensions that will allow more fine-tuned control but I can't recommend them offhand.

Firefox is a bit more consistent in usage as they specifically allow some settings to assist with portability and work with us on it.

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

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February 16, 2021 - 6:04pm
Arpad
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install 2 copies from different channels instead of portable app

Thank you for clearing things up.
While I see the various usage scenarios when a portable app might be helpful, I now think that if one uses two machines and has administrator rights on both machines (and has no intention to use other machines), then there is not any benefit of using portable Chrome as opposed to install it on both computers and sign in with your Google account.

And if you want to use two separate environments (settings, extensions, tabs) and incognito mode doesn’t suffice, then you can install another copy of Chrome – from any other channel, e.g. the official Beta channel version.
That way, you can use two separate environments – your work setting doesn’t interfere with your private stuff, yet you can conveniently use your well-known private setting: all your extensions will be there for you if you sign into your Google account, and even all your open tabs can be easily accessed on both machines, automatically.

Correct me if I’m wrong or have left something out of consideration.

Regardless, hat off to you sir to provide all these portable apps for all the other use cases.
Best,
Arpad

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March 18, 2021 - 5:06am
Arpad
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Or, better yet, you can add other profiles/users to Chrome

Or, better yet, you can add other user(s) to Chrome, and you don’t even have to have administrator rights for that, I think.
That way, you also have two (or more) separate environments with different settings and different set of extensions, all customized to your particular needs.
Chrome will open an additional window for each profile/user and overlay the profile picture on the corresponding taskbar buttons.

Obviously there are different usage scenarios, and portable apps is a nice to have solution – but for now, for me, using separate Chrome profiles/users or/and using another instance of the Chrome browser from a different channel (e.g. beta) is a more straightforward and more convenient solution.

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