FFS 8.4 - Portable Installation install.dat problem

[ektorbarajas]

Hi.

I need to have FFS 8.4 (and all the upcoming versions) installed in portable mode, and then copy the folder to a different computer

But I have attempted this via USB and via Dropbox with no result, every time I start FFS I get the install.dat error

Please help to fix and solve this

[therube]

Is install.dat "portable" between machines, or is it tied to a specific machine?

I don't have two to test on, currently, so if you install on one, then install on the other, then compare the install.dat between the two, that will tell you if they are the same or not. And if not, I'd guess you would have to install on each computer separately.

[ektorbarajas]

What I know is that If I install it on computer A, I can't copy the installation to a USB flash or cloud storage, then copy to computer B and make it run.

I need a solution to this

Please Zenju, let me know if I donate this can be addressed

Thanks

[Zenju]

Installing directly on the USB stick should work.

[ektorbarajas]

Hi Zenju

Not working either.

I installed it on a USB then copied to a computer and get the install.dat error

[Plerry]

Portable installations are intended to be run of the USB stick ...

[LiveFreeDead]

Face the fact, everyone wants to copy it off USB or cloud storage to their PC's to install (access) it without having to "install" it, the creators of this app did this mentioning "security/integrity" as the motive, but what happens is if your not paying attention during the install process you install the ads/extras that come with it, sucks for those of us who purchased a version expecting it to continue to provide one of the features we loved about Free File Sync which is now it's just an acronym for how I feel (FFS), I am sticking to v7.9 which doesn't have this great new "security/integrity" check after the damn thing has already started (meaning if it's infected or damaged then you could potentially already have lost/corrupted/infected your data).

I am grateful 7.9 still works as I intend and need, but as this has continued to be an unwanted feature in every version since 8.0, I doubt I'll update until it's available in a classic compiled version or at least a way to bypass this check.

[ektorbarajas]

Zenju:

We need the latest version to be able to copy from a USB or cloud, to another computer without this install.dat problem.

I even asked that if a donation can give me always a FFS that should work this way

For now I've to stuck with version 7.9 and I want to have the benefits of latest versions.

Please come with a solution (even if it implies donation) that will fix this annoying problem.

Thanks

[oz42]

I am a newbie and have this problem with a non-portable installation.
Tried this tool the 1st time ever and bang! it's broken.

Workaround: give the "user" group write access to this file.

[therube]

I believe that install.dat looks at the "LAN", network address, NIC - something in those areas?

As in I've successfully taken an install.dat from one machine & moved it to another machine on the same network, & it works.

Note that while it "works", the install.dat still appear to be "personalized" to each machine.

IOW...
machine A -- machine B -- machine C, all on the same network (LAN)

install FFS 84 on A
copy instalDir from A to B, from A to C

All work.
On first run, install.dat from A works on B, B install.dat is modified, personalized to B, & continues to work.
On first run, install.dat from A works on C, C install.dat is modified, personalized to C, & continues to work.

Now, disconnect from the network (LAN), Gateway (in my case) goes from 192.168.1.1 (IP, 192.168.1.200) to 72.bla.bla.bla (IP 0.0.0.0).

The "personalized" install.dat continues to work.

still disconnected, copy A-install.dat to install.dat on B,
so B now has the original (A) install.dat that was originally copied in,
& with that, on attempted run, FFS reports that install.dat is corrupt,
install.dat is unchanged, not personalized to the machine, B

reconnect to the network & attempt to run again, & it works,
install.dat is "personalized", & now install.dat will work - on that machine, regardless of connected to the network or not

So, if all your machines are on the same network, you should be able to copy the instalDir from one machine to another, & it should work. If you actually run FFS on each machine (from that original copy), install.dat is "personalized" & thereafter should continue to run - on that machine.


(Haven't looked into the install onto Flash Drive, yet.)

[ektorbarajas]

Hi therube, thanks for your suggestions, but it seems to not work on my side

I've installed it portable to my dropbox folder on my computer A and connected to my home WiFi, then at computer B, downloaded the freefilesync folder from dropbox to my local drive, extracted the folder, and after attempting to run the program I get the install.dat error

Zenju:
I suggest the following solutions, please implement them or at least one
1) A donator being able to install as portable app, and copy the installed portable app to any other computer without the install.dat checkup (and isuse)

2) Besides the Freefilesync.exe setup file, for you to release a "direct" portable zip, that has the full portable program ready to use, you can keep the install.dat checkup by doing the following: once the program is extracted and executed, then the install.dat is customized and so the extracted and executed FFS cannot be copied to another computer, hence you need to have the original portable zip and extract to the other computer

3) really make the installed portable version to work as you mentioned at other posts, so that users can run the portable app on another computer without having the install.dat situation

Regards

[ektorbarajas]

Hi Zenju,

Please assist us with this

[ninj_marx4]

Please Zenju...just remove this install.dat-Thing-Whatever...this little file is a deal breaker.

[ektorbarajas]

Zenju:

Please help us.