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How to Autorun Portable Apps off of a CD

How to Autorun Portable Apps off of a CD

Here, you can learn how to put free apps on CD. You can run an application without creating any files on the computer, so you can pop it in and out of PCs without causing any disruption. It's also great if the computer you want to work on has restrictions on it. My school doesn't block Autorun files that lead to EXEs, but does block opening a flash drive in Windows Explorer, so this is my solution.

This includes basic coding (don't worry, it's all copy and paste). If you just want to learn how to make simple autorun files, just go straight to step 3.
Inspired by this instructable by marijnboz

You will Need:
-CD burner
-CD-R or CD-RW

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Step 1Get the App

Go to http://portableapps.com/ and click on Applications. Choose your app, download the setup file, and run the setup file. You can even use the Portable Apps Suite and get all the apps on one CD; it is under the 700MB file-size of a standard CD. I am using GIMP for simplicity.

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33 comments

Dec 29, 2008. 7:20 AMKing825 says:

This has nothing to do with knex. I HATE people who type things just to gain more search results.

Aug 15, 2009. 9:31 PMwillrandship says:

I don't see anything about knex either, but it's not in the title either...

Nov 21, 2008. 2:12 PMfwjs28 says:

i have a question on your .INF tid bit....do you think i could replace the program with a part of my 'ible as the shutdown shortcut? so that it would automatically shut down the comp when its plugged in?!?!?!?!

Apr 1, 2008. 7:39 AMjimmers says:

agree with m-arijns. If you use the portable apps menu or pstart this instructable could be more useful. create a folder like in the tutorial, place all of your portable apps in there (700mb worth! woot!), configure them, install the menu to the same folder, add the shortcuts to the apps into the menu. Write the autorun to open the menu that you chose to use and then burn it. This way the cd will open your menu stuffed with links to all of your goodies instead of just one of your goodies.

Nov 24, 2007. 8:39 PMAnonymiter says:

Is there a way to use this same technique to autorun something on a floppy? I tried the .inf on it but it doesn't seem to be the same.

Nov 25, 2007. 9:26 AMFenwick (author) says:

There's no way to do it unless you tweak some of the settings in XP.

Jan 23, 2007. 8:26 PMPetervG says:

Okay, sorta seems to be the same as the flash drive one.

Nov 21, 2007. 11:03 AMFenwick (author) says:

The first two steps are the same, but after that my instructable goes off in a different direction.

Feb 13, 2007. 4:30 PMSpacekidkyle says:

Yes, my flash drive is a U3 "smart drive". It can do pretty much the same thing as this, but the PCs at my school stop me from running them. This could work great! I can't fit programs on my flash drive, I use it for too much stuff, and I filled it mostly up. This is a useful instructable, at least for me.

Sep 23, 2007. 11:07 AMandrew101 says:

i have the same drive :P

Jul 4, 2007. 7:42 PMTHE_GEEK2007 says:

Hey fenwick, Do you use windowblinds? TGT

Jul 5, 2007. 2:20 PMFenwick (author) says:

nope, I've just got a Firefox theme and a theme for windows called "Royale Noir".

http://www.istartedsomething.com/20061029/royale-noir/

Jul 10, 2007. 3:38 PMPSPerson says:

thx man! i just got the zune one that is just like it but instead of green it's orange!!!

Jul 10, 2007. 3:46 PMPSPerson says:

err i mean instead of the start button being black it's orange! see for yourself!

Jul 10, 2007. 4:05 PMPSPerson says:

oh and what theme for firefox? it looks sooo badass when they're together

Jul 10, 2007. 11:48 PMFenwick (author) says:

It's called MidnightFox.

Jul 11, 2007. 10:04 PMPSPerson says:

thanks

Jul 6, 2007. 11:33 AMTHE_GEEK2007 says:

Here is the theme "Noire" in windowblinds.... TGT

Jul 10, 2007. 3:37 PMPSPerson says:

Windowblinds sucks! It isn't free and it sucks up all of your system resources! bootskin is alright but windowblinds SUCKS

Aug 16, 2007. 3:12 PMTHE_GEEK2007 says:

I'm watching you... TGT

May 26, 2007. 9:24 AMAmadeos says:

use a CD-RW next trime, Add/remove easy

Mar 28, 2007. 8:04 PMnoobsarenew1 says:

didnt work on my flash drive but it did on disks :) thanks

Jan 25, 2007. 2:00 AMm-arijn says:

i've got another idea to improve your instructable...on portableapps.com there is also another program wich you can start other programs of their site...maybe you could put that on your cd??when you go here hereyou can go to basic version, this is a version with no software added, its just the menu. then you can download more software and you can start all the software from this menu.

ps. i've got a U3 flashdrive myself and the menu is almost the same but it's free!!

Jan 24, 2007. 11:49 AMrockyt says:

When I need an auto run I just open up notepad and type

[autorun]
open=fileName.exe
icon=fileName.ico
label=type something that will show up as the label for the cd

Jan 24, 2007. 11:51 AMrockyt says:

It gets added to a newly created cd along with the other files but needs to remain at the root or the disc

Jan 24, 2007. 11:51 AMrockyt says:

that should say at the root of the disc

Jan 24, 2007. 7:28 PMFenwick (author) says:

Will do!

Jan 24, 2007. 9:24 AMm-arijn says:

it does realy have a lot in common with my instructable(I did post it yesterday or something)...maybe you could refer to it with a link?? something like:this instructable is based on another instructable by marijnboz and a link would be nice

not that i'm someone who wants all the attention but this one is obviously based on my instructable.

except that I like the instructable:)

Jan 24, 2007. 7:18 PMFenwick (author) says:

yes, you're right, I was "inspired" to write this because of your instructable. I picked up the Portable Apps website from Popular Science a while ago and did this already, but I did use your instructable for some references on how to set it up and stuff. Sorry I haven't given you credit yet, I'm editing it right now.

Jan 24, 2007. 4:00 PMalexsolex says:

hi ! With your story of an autorun file on the CD I had an idea ! It is not related to your "CD apps" but the m-arijn flash one... I put VLC on my flash key, in the VLC directory I made a MP3 directory. I know that the command to run VLC playing the files in the MP3 directory randomly is : vlc.exe "MP3" -Z What I now want to do, is to run this when I plug my flash key. Tried the autorun but does not work... Any idea ? It could be very nice, if you plug your flash key on a pc you got all your music play randomly with no action !! just make the computer sound louder or lower...

Jan 24, 2007. 4:08 PMalexsolex says:

reply to myself : Sadly, it is impossible to boot an autorun on a flash key (security reasons I think) without previously install something on the PC ...

Jan 24, 2007. 6:46 AMWolvesOfWar says:

nice, just like your flash one

Jan 24, 2007. 9:28 AMm-arijn says:

not his flash one...my flash one. but the idea putting it on a Cd is pretty cool...but most secured pc's don't accept .exe files from a cd-rom...and mostly they do accept them from a flash drive. At least at my school they don't accept CD's with executables.