In the PortableApps Installer (tried with Miranda, and Firefox) there is a bug. If you use destination folders such as:
C:\Program Files\MirandaPortable
"C:\Program Files\MirandaPortable"
you will get an error:
The destination folder you selected is invalid..............
If you use the 8.3 name (dir c: /x) then it will work:
C:\PROGRA~1\MirandaPortable
So, yes there is a workaround, but it is still a pain in the *** to have to wiggle every time I want to upgrade Miranda, or Firefox.
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Brian
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Blocking installation to Program Files is intentional. Installing to Program Files has never really been supported by PortableApps, as some apps break when run from this directory and UAC on Vista/7 causes issues with even more apps.
The installers no longer allow installation to that directory for a reason, and I'm pretty sure the installer will be modified to block your workaround sometime soon, too, now that it is known.
There are some people still running XP (and W2K). The workaround works, please leave it alone. How many people even know about "dir /x" ?
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Brian
Even on XP/2K some apps won't work properly, as some detect they are running from Program Files and ignore that they should be running in portable mode.
As mentioned above, there are quite a few technical reasons for this. Lots of apps have issues. All do on Vista/7. And letting someone unknowingly install on XP and have them all stop working when they upgrade their OS is a similarly bad idea.
But you don't need to worry about reinstalling or losing your data. Just create a directory called C:\PortableApps and then move each app to their (C:\Program Files\MirandaPortable moves to C:\PortableApps\MirandaPortable). They'll all adjust and all keep working. Even better, the installers will automatically find this location when you run them.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!