Ok ,this might sound stupid but I am sure I am not. 
I don`t know exactly why but it`s true. I am using portableapps on my harddisk (d:\...) aswell too. If I format c:\ and reinstall windows then my accounts and passwords are not longer saved in portable gaim.
The otr files are deleted aswell. But gaim is still startable...
I am almost sure you won`t belive me. I guess gaim will delete the settings on gaim`s first start on new system. Perhaps it`s not portable gaim`s failure, but otr`s.
I have not really an idea... The only thing I can do is using File Mon and take a screenshot next time I am doing this. Isn`t a very common bug.
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I got it. I am not stupid.
The reason is you can`t create folders with ".name". So you can`t create the .gaim folder where the settings are located. That`s the reasons why I can`t backup, copy and move my GaimPortable from portableapps.
This means, my backup programm (totalcopy) can`t create the new folder. Neither the standard windows explorer can. Just the .paf does.
So, any way out this illegal filenames? My suggestion is clearly to remove this ".".
This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the portable programs. Gaim itself uses %APPDATA%/.gaim as its settings file. Lots of apps use these types of names (Cornice, Borland Delphi, musikCube, DivX, SSH, GTK, etc). Apache uses them for .htacess files. The list goes on and on.
Names that are ".name" are prefectly legal file and directory names within Windows. Drop to a commandline prompt and create a directory ("md .test") and you'll see it works just fine.
So, the error is in Windows Explorer which has a bug preventing you from starting names with a period (this bug only affects renaming within Explorer). And it looks like your backup program has this bug as well. I'd suggest you take this issue up with them. Unless you think you're going to get hundreds of different programs to all change the way they work.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Okay, I see this problem is not really related to portableapps. I suggest to add this isusse to https://portableapps.com/support/gaim_portable#known_issues.
Not everyone knows this. Imagine... Someone download gaim portable from your page to his harddisk. He extract it, start it, set it up, terminate it, start it again... Working fine.... Then he copy it to his usb.
On the go he goes with his usb stick. He would be able to use gaim, but his settings woudln`t be saved. And that`s not very nice if you use long passwords and forgot to travel with your passwords because you think them where stored.
Imho it`s worth to add this under the isusses page if the gaim portable can`t be copyed with the standard windows explorer or many backup copy tools.
You can copy Gaim Portable once it's installed from any drive to any drive and it'll work just fine. The bug in Windows Explorer only affects when you're renaming directories yourself. You can copy the whole GaimPortable directory around wherever you'd like. I do that quite often.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!