VMware ThinApp is an application virtualization tool that helps you build any types of portable application quite easily; though looks complicated (I think there is no need to discuss about the technical aspect of VMware ThinApp in this topic).

How to Build Portable Application Using VMware Thin App

1. Download (50MB) VMware Thin App (available for 60-day trial) and install it. Run it and click ‘Next’ button. Then click on ‘Prescan’ button (see screenshot).

2. Now, wait for a while. It will scan your current system state and create a snapshot of your system.

3. After finishing the Prescan process, it will ask you to install software that you want to make portable (see screenshot below). Minimize VMware Thin App to system tray and install any application that you want to make portable. In this tutorial, I have installed Firefox 9 (Nightly build).

4. After installation, open minimized VMware Thinapp, click on ‘Postscan’ button, and wait some time (see screenshot above). After finishing the process, click ‘Next, Next’ button.

5. Now, it will display a window as shown below. Choose the executable that you want to be the main container (Here it is Nightly.exe) and click ‘Next’ button.

6. Select ‘Everyone’ (to set permission to all users) and click ‘Next’ button.

7. Now select ‘Full write access to non-system directories’ (Merged Isolation Mode) and click “Next” button.

8. Then select ‘User profile’ and click ‘Next’ button.

9. Now enter your own inventory name or leave it as default. Then click ‘Next’ button.

10. In this window, you can choose ‘separate DAT file’ for portable app or choose only single exe files (I have selected separate DAT file), then click save button.

11 Finally, click on ‘Build’ button to create portable application for installed software.

12. After finishing the process, you will get your own portable application, which will run on any computer.
Copy your portable app (in this example both Nightly.dat and exe) on a pen drive and run the exe from any computer.

Hope you will enjoy this tutorial.

You can transfer your system together with all data and programs either to a USB drive or to your existing system with the help of Paragon Go Virtual.

What are the benefits of Paragon Go Virtual?

1. You can carry your system on a USB hard drive or flash drive and use it on any computer, just as if you’re working from your own PC. The only requirement to run your virtual system you needs the VMware Player (or similar) present in the hosting system.

With this virtual machine you will be no longer restricted of your physical computer boundaries. You’ll become able to do your work, listen music and play video on any computer you reach. All your files and program will be with you anywhere.

2. Another benefit is you can use any old applications on your new PC in a virtual environment by creating a clone of your old operating system (supports Win 2000 – Win 7, excluding server).

3. Another benefit is you can safely test new operating systems, software and patches in an isolated environment without damaging your host operating system.

As I told above, to run your virtual system you need virtual environment in the hosting system. You can use free virtualization software, named VMware Player, for this purpose.

More detailed information and free download at paragon