GPS Software - Run from USB Flash Drive?

[+infiniteMPG]

Was wondering if anyone has ever done this but figured if they did it would save me a little investigating. Was interested if there was any way to install GPS/geocaching software on a USB Flash drive (or similar device) and run from the USB device?

 

For example, we travel to visit friends and relatives on vacation and take along a bunch of various geocaching wares and pocket queries on a USB drive. When we're at someone else's place we don't want to install Mapsource, GSAK, GPS Babel, CMconvert, CacheStats and things like that on their PC. We rather have them installed on a USB Flash drive, run them from the flash drive and when we leave, we leave nothing installed or added to their computer.

 

Has anyone had experience with this? I am sure the older versions of GPS Babel would run as that's not got an install to run it, but more concerned with Garmin's Mapsource and GSAK.

 

Thanks,

Scott

[+PDOP's]

In regards to GSAK this is not possible. It's been discussed a few times on the GSAK forums.

[+infiniteMPG]

Thanks for the info on GSAK. That and Mapsource would be the big two I would want. I have seen in some cases where people simply grab whatever INI or DLL files were added in SYSTEM32 (or where ever) and copy them into the local folder so the program finds them and then it launches anyway. Might still play around with that but my issue is I have GSAK installed on everything I own so even uninstalling it might give me a false run from leftover files....

[+Thrak]

A laptop would, of course, be your best bet. I'm wondering though if it might be possible to install and run your programs on a Windows based pocket PC device. You'd have a small, easily transportable, device. It might be worth looking into since you could get one for far less than a laptop. You could easily find out about GSAK and pocket PC devices by checking the GSAK Support Forums.

[+MetroGT]

I run GSAK off of a USB Flash drive for a bit. The only problem is... (as mentioned) you have to have the 2 dll files copied onto the PC you are going to using this on. I did this by creating a Batch file that copied the two files where I needed them and then used a Batch to EXE program to take the batch and 2 dll files and turn them into an EXE I could run before using it.

 

You really need a fast USB flash drive to use this and bare with the speed. I had a brand new Lexar 2GB drive and it was slow as dirty. I did some research and it only got about 6kb/sec read and 8-10 kb/sec write... they have much faster ones out there, but you will pay for the speed. I'd recommend looking for ones that are "Vista Ready Boost Enhanced" since usage of that feature requires a decently fast stick.

[+GeekBoy.from.Illinois]

Was wondering if anyone has ever done this but figured if they did it would save me a little investigating. Was interested if there was any way to install GPS/geocaching software on a USB Flash drive (or similar device) and run from the USB device?

 

For example, we travel to visit friends and relatives on vacation and take along a bunch of various geocaching wares and pocket queries on a USB drive. When we're at someone else's place we don't want to install Mapsource, GSAK, GPS Babel, CMconvert, CacheStats and things like that on their PC. We rather have them installed on a USB Flash drive, run them from the flash drive and when we leave, we leave nothing installed or added to their computer.

 

Has anyone had experience with this? I am sure the older versions of GPS Babel would run as that's not got an install to run it, but more concerned with Garmin's Mapsource and GSAK.

 

I have not tried this method, but you might want to look into MojoPac. I have looked at this product in the past and it might just be what you are looking for.

[+infiniteMPG]

The MojoPac looks like it has some good potential. Have to play with that. I have a beat up laptop at home with power plug issues so I am working on that and agree that is the best bet all the way around. And as far as hand held devices, I use a Palm Tungsten TX and it runs Palm OS and not Windows based OS so that doesn't help me for much outside of CacheMate.

 

Thanks for the info!