It seems that the manually extracted files, without running the MSI
installer package, of Microsoft Edge v107-v109, refuses to run. It silently
terminates itself without any error message, error log file, or event log.
The same method of making a portable MS-Edge (using the `--user-data`
command line switch), has worked since the first release of MSI based
installer version. But no longer work for v107 to v109.

I've been searching for a download or a method for portable version of
Microsoft Edge v109 x64 which doesn't use third party "portablelizer" tool,
but I haven't found it yet.

Anyone know?

On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 15:23:07 +0700, JJ wrote:
> It seems that the manually extracted files, without running the MSI
> installer package, of Microsoft Edge v107-v109, refuses to run. It silently
> terminates itself without any error message, error log file, or event log.
> The same method of making a portable MS-Edge (using the `--user-data`
> command line switch), has worked since the first release of MSI based
> installer version. But no longer work for v107 to v109.
>
> I've been searching for a download or a method for portable version of
> Microsoft Edge v109 x64 which doesn't use third party "portablelizer" tool,
> but I haven't found it yet.
>
> Anyone know?

Note: never MS-Edge version is not applicable, since I'm using Windows 7.

JJ <jj4public@outlook.com> wrote:

> It seems that the manually extracted files, without running the MSI
> installer package, of Microsoft Edge v107-v109, refuses to run. It
> silently terminates itself without any error message, error log file,
> or event log. The same method of making a portable MS-Edge (using the
> `--user-data` command line switch), has worked since the first
> release of MSI based installer version. But no longer work for v107
> to v109.
>
> I've been searching for a download or a method for portable version
> of Microsoft Edge v109 x64 which doesn't use third party
> "portablelizer" tool, but I haven't found it yet.
>
> Anyone know?

Microsoft dumped their EdgeHTML rendered and Javascript interpreter to
move to Chromium's Blink renderer and V8 script interpreter. In effect,
you are using another Chrome variant with a different chrome (small "c"
meaning the graphical elements of the window), and slightly different
options (Edge-C is more securable than Chrome). However, there is no
portable version of Chrome, either, unless using the PortableApps
platform on which to run Chrome. Same for Edge-C.

https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/google_chrome_portable

As I recall, any distribution of Edge other than provided by Microsoft
is illegal. That is why:

https://portableapps.com/node/61604

where the admin killed the portable-ized Edge. Only code listed in the
redist.txt file can be redistributed. If there are no entries in
redist.txt then you cannot redistribute any of it.

If you want to run Edge without affecting anything in your OS, use
VirtualBox, or any other VMM (Virtual Machine Manager), to run a VM
(Virtual Machine) in which you install a legit copy of Windows that has
Edge-C, or update MS-Edge in the Windows VM to Edge-C.

Since MS-Edge or Edge-C is available in every Windows installation, what
would be the point of running a portable version? It's already there.
Edge is tightly coupled to the OS. Edge-C is supported on Windows 7 to
11. If you're using an earlier version of Windows, you're stuck with
Internet Explorer.

Since Edge-C is a Chromium variant, why not use Chrome? Or a variant of
Chrome, like Vivaldi (install the standalone version on whatever
removable media you want). With Vivaldi, they mention encrypted
passwords cannot be shared across platforms, because the encryption key
is platform specific, so you cannot share passwords with the standalone
version placed on removable media used on different platforms. You
could use the Sync service to get passwords to instances of Vivaldi
running on different platforms.

Did the --user-data-dir (not --user-data) command-line arg also prevent
Edge-C from writing to the Windows registry? If not, that instance of
Edge-C is not portable. All that arg did was specify where was the user
profile folder. Did you enclose the folder path in double-quotes, as in
--user-data-dir="<drive>:\<profilefolderpath>\<profilefoldername>"?
I've not tested that specifying the user profile folder affects where
Edge-C saves its app data.

On Mon, 9 Oct 2023 14:54:23 -0500, VanguardLH wrote:
> JJ <jj4public@outlook.com> wrote:
>
>> It seems that the manually extracted files, without running the MSI
>> installer package, of Microsoft Edge v107-v109, refuses to run. It
>> silently terminates itself without any error message, error log file,
>> or event log. The same method of making a portable MS-Edge (using the
>> `--user-data` command line switch), has worked since the first
>> release of MSI based installer version. But no longer work for v107
>> to v109.
>>
>> I've been searching for a download or a method for portable version
>> of Microsoft Edge v109 x64 which doesn't use third party
>> "portablelizer" tool, but I haven't found it yet.
>>
>> Anyone know?
>
> Microsoft dumped their EdgeHTML rendered and Javascript interpreter to
> move to Chromium's Blink renderer and V8 script interpreter. In effect,
> you are using another Chrome variant with a different chrome (small "c"
> meaning the graphical elements of the window), and slightly different
> options (Edge-C is more securable than Chrome). However, there is no
> portable version of Chrome, either, unless using the PortableApps
> platform on which to run Chrome. Same for Edge-C.

I'm aware of that. In fact, original Edge which use EdgeHTML won't run on
Win7 due to missing functions in some system DLLs.

> As I recall, any distribution of Edge other than provided by Microsoft
> is illegal. That is why:
>
> https://portableapps.com/node/61604
>
> where the admin killed the portable-ized Edge. Only code listed in the
> redist.txt file can be redistributed. If there are no entries in
> redist.txt then you cannot redistribute any of it.

OK. Then I just need the method of making Edge v109 usable _without_ running
the MSI installer. I only want tbe ability to run different versions of Edge
with user specified browser profile folder. I already succeeded on achieving
that for v106 and older. It's v107-v109 which have problems.

> If you want to run Edge without affecting anything in your OS, use
> VirtualBox, or any other VMM (Virtual Machine Manager), to run a VM
> (Virtual Machine) in which you install a legit copy of Windows that has
> Edge-C, or update MS-Edge in the Windows VM to Edge-C.

No.

> Since MS-Edge or Edge-C is available in every Windows installation,

No it's not.

> what would be the point of running a portable version?

I need it for R&D with fresh and/or separate browser profile. Separate from
the browser profile for normal use.

> If you're using an earlier version of Windows, you're stuck with
> Internet Explorer.

No I'm not. I'm currently using Edge v106, among others.

> Since Edge-C is a Chromium variant, why not use Chrome?

I'd rather use Chromium if Chrome and Chromium are the only choices.

> Did the --user-data-dir (not --user-data) command-line arg also prevent
> Edge-C from writing to the Windows registry? If not, that instance of
> Edge-C is not portable. All that arg did was specify where was the user
> profile folder. Did you enclose the folder path in double-quotes, as in
> --user-data-dir="<drive>:\<profilefolderpath>\<profilefoldername>"?
> I've not tested that specifying the user profile folder affects where
> Edge-C saves its app data.

Edge does write some data to HKCU, but it's doesn't prevent or interfere
separated browser profiles. I don't use Edge with the default browser
profile where its folder is placed in user's profile folder. I always
manually specify the browser profile folder - for all Chromium based web
browsers which I need. The only exception is Opera (Chropera), since it was
installed as a portable installation.

You mentioned using the --user-data command-line argument. Incorrect
arg name. Did using --user-data-dir also not work?

For a non-Home edition of Windows, you can use policies to define where
is the user data folder. See:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies
Do a find on "UserDataDir", or go to:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#userdatadir

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/edge-learnmore-create-user-directory-vars
I'm not sure where you define those variables. Perhaps in the policy.

In Edge-C, you can go to edge://settings/profiles to add more profiles.
Maybe you can then select which profile to use from there. I only have
1 profile, so I cannot tell you what that internal config page looks
like when 2, or more, profiles have been defined. You probably have to
deselect the Automatic profile switch option, so you can pick one.
However, auto profile switching seems based on where you visit, so you
could have Edge use a different profile when you visit different sites,
like a URL for 1 test setup, another URL for a 2nd test setup, etc.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/topic/sign-in-and-create-multiple-profiles-in-microsoft-edge-df94e622-2061-49ae-ad1d-6f0e43ce6435
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-automatically-switch-profiles-for-specific-sites-in-edge