Can I run multiple versions of Google Chrome on th

Question

This fabulous answer suggests there’s no way to run multiple versions of Google Chrome on one machine.

Every now and then you’ll get a website user stuck on an old version of Chrome (no idea how, but it happens — maybe they installed the standalone version?) with an issue, and you need to be able to verify it. Bit difficult to do that without their browser version around.

Does anyone know if there’s actually a way to do this? I.e.

1. Obtain an installer for an older version of Google Chrome (Google seems to keep very quiet about versions, which is great for users, less great for developers trying to support old versions)
2. Run two versions of Google Chrome on one machine

Answer 1

I've recently stumbled upon the following solution to this problem:

Source: Multiple versions of Chrome

...this is registry data problem: How to do it then (this is an example for 2.0.172.39 and 3.0.197.11, I'll try it with next versions as they will come, let's assume I've started with Chrome 2):

1. Install Chrome 2, you'll find it Application Data folder, since I'm from Czech Republic and my name is Bronislav Klučka the path looks like this:

   C:\Documents and Settings\Bronislav Klučka\Local Settings\Data aplikací\Google\Chrome
   

   and run Chrome

2. Open registry and save

   [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Update\Clients\{8A69D345-D564-463c-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}]
   [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Update\ClientState\{8A69D345-D564-463c-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}]
   

   keys, put them into one chrome2.reg file and copy this file next to chrome.exe (ChromeDir\Application)

3. Rename Chrome folder to something else (e.g. Chrome2)

4. Install Chrome 3, it will install to Chrome folder again and run Chrome

5. Save the same keys (there are changes due to different version) and save it to the chrome3.reg file next to chrome.exe file of this new version again

6. Rename the folder again (e.g. Chrome3)

   the result would be that there is no Chrome dir (only Chrome2 and Chrome3)

7. Go to the Application folder of Chrome2, create chrome.bat file with this content:

   @echo off
   regedit /S chrome2.reg
   START chrome.exe -user-data-dir="C:\Docume~1\Bronis~1\LocalS~1\Dataap~1\Google\Chrome2\User Data"
   rem START chrome.exe -user-data-dir="C:\Documents and Settings\Bronislav Klučka\Local Settings\Data aplikací\Google\Chrome2\User Data"
   

   the first line is generic batch command, the second line will update registry with the content of chrome2.reg file, the third lines starts Chrome pointing to passed directory, the 4th line is commented and will not be run.

   Notice short name format passed as -user-data-dir parameter (the full path is at the 4th line), the problem is that Chrome using this parameter has a problem with diacritics (Czech characters)

8. Do 7. again for Chrome 3, update paths and reg file name in bat file for Chrome 3

Try running both bat files, seems to be working, both versions of Chrome are running simultaneously.

Updating: Running "About" dialog displays correct version, but an error while checking for new one. To correct that do (I'll explain form Chrome2 folder): 1. rename Chrome2 to Chrome 2. Go to Chrome/Application folder 3. run chrome2.reg file 4. run chrome.exe (works the same for Chrome3) now the version checking works. There has been no new version of Chrome since I've find this whole solution up. But I assume that update will be downloaded to this folder so all you need to do is to update reg file after update and rename Chrome folder back to Chrome2. I'll update this post after successful Chrome update.

Bronislav Klucka

Answer 2

Oldapps.com has old versions of Chrome available for download, and they’re the standalone versions, so combined with @SamMeiers’ answer, these work a treat.

The Google Chrome support forum has some good discussion of getting old versions of Chrome.

Answer 3

In the comments, I mentioned a step-by-step method to easily install multiple Chrome versions, side-by-side. This answer quotes my original answer, and includes a script which does the job for you.

Quoted from: section 7 of Cross-browser testing: All major browsers on ONE machine:

Chrome: Stand-alone installers can be downloaded from File Hippo. It is also possible to run multiple Chrome versions side-by-side.

Although Sandboxie can be used, it's recommended to use the next native method in order to run multiple versions side-by-side.

1. Download the desired version(s) from File Hippo.
2. Create a main directory, e.g. C:\Chrome\.
3. Extract the installer (=without installing), using 7-Zip for example. After extracting, a chrome.7z archive is created. Also extract this file, and descend the created Chrome-bin directory. Now, you see chrome.exe and a dir like 18.0.1025.45. Move chrome.exe to 18.0.1025.45, then move this directory to C:\Chrome. The remaining files in Chrome-bin can safely be deleted.

4. Create a shortcut for each version:

   "C:\Chrome\18.0.1024.45\chrome.exe" --user-data-dir="..\User Data\18" --chrome-version=18.0.1025.45
   

   Explanation of this shortcut:

   • "C:\Chrome\18.0.1024.45\chrome.exe" • This is the launcher
   • --user-data-dir="..\User Data\18" • User profile, relative to the location of chrome.exe. You could also have used --user-data-dir="C:\Chrome\User Data\18" for the same effect. Set your preferences for the lowest Chrome version, and duplicate the User profile for each Chrome version. Older Chrome versions refuse to use User profiles from new versions.
   • --chrome-version=18.0.1025.45 • Location of binaries:
     • The location (eg 18.0.1025.45) must be the name of the directory:
     • Must start and end with a number. A dot may appear in between.
     • The numbers do not necessarily have to match the real version number (though it's convenient to use real version numbers...).

Regarding configuration: All preferences can be set at chrome://settings/. I usually change the home page and "Under the hood" settings.

• Disable auto-updates: http://dev.chromium.org/administrators/turning-off-auto-updates

(the old version of this answer referred to Old Apps for old Chrome versions, but they do not offer direct download links any more through the UI. The files do still exist, I've created a shell script (bash) to ease the creation of a local repository of Chrome versions - see https://gist.github.com/Rob--W/8577499)

VB Script which automates install, config & launch

I've created a VB script which installs and configures Chrome (tested in XP and Win 7). Launch the script, and a file dialog appears (or: Drag & drop the chrome installer on the VBS). Select the destination of the Chrome installer, and the script automatically unpacks the files and duplicates the profile from a pre-configured base directory.

By default:

1. The Chrome binaries are placed in subfolders of C:\Chrome\.
2. The User profiles are created in C:\Chrome\User Data\.
3. The user profiles will be duplicated from the directory as specified in the sFolderChromeUserDataDefault variable, which is C:\Chrome\User Data\2\ by default.
   After the first Chrome installation, set your preferences (Home page, bookmarks, ..). Then modify the variable (see 3.) in the source code. After that, installing and configuring Chrome is as easy as pie.

The only dependency is 7-zip, expected to be located at C:\Program Files\7-zip\7z.exe.

Answer 4

A small virtual machine maybe?

Try VirtualBox a freeware program to install virtual machines (a lot of work for what you want to do, but it'll work)

Answer 5

As professional testers, my friends use Spoon.net browsers section to test compatibility of site in various browsers. Hope this should help you.

Answer 6

I have done the following on a Citrix XenDesktop VM, however you could just do this on your local PC:

Microsoft Virtual PC

If you are running Windows 7, you can download Microsoft virtual PC and create as many copies of Virtual PC as you need for testing without any licensing issues:

• http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

This requires no additional Windows licenses; you simply set up multiple machines with different browsers on them. You can run the browsers out of the window by following the tutorial available here:

• http://ieblog.members.winisp.net/images/InstallingXPMode.htm

Installing Browsers

You will need to create at least 3 virtual PC's (tip: keep the memory down to 256mb for each virtual PC to avoid wasting memory on the virtual desktops).

On the first VPC I installed this:

• http://tredosoft.com/Multiple_IE

along with Chrome 1, Safari 3.1, Opera 8.

On the second I installed Internet Explorer 7, Chrome 3, Safari 3.2.1, Opera 9.

On the third I installed Internet Explorer 8, Chrome 8. Safari 4.0.5, Opera 10.

On Windows 7 (native machine) I had Internet Explorer 9, Chrome 11, Safari 5, Opera 11 and for Firefox I install the following app natively too:

• http://utilu.com/UtiluMFC/

Personally I would not go back further than 5 years with compatibility (other than IE for government networks) unless you have a specific requirement (I split Chrome & Opera across years as I decided there were just to many releases). However, if you find that someone has a specific issue with a site using a specific version of the browser it becomes very easy to install additional virtual machines to run additional browser versions.

Obtaining Older Browsers

You can download older versions of Chrome from here:

• http://www.oldapps.com/google_chrome.php

and Opera here:

• http://www.oldapps.com/opera.php

Virtualizing The Test Platform (Optional)

I use Xen Desktop to virtualize the testing platform so that I can use it anywhere and have included my favorite development tools on there as well:

• http://deliver.citrix.com/go/citrix/XenDesktop

The express edition is available for free.

A Good Commercial Alternative

Another great product I recently came accross is Stylizer which is a CSS editor that installs multiple versions of browsers for testing purposes, however this is a commercial paid for product but is very good and worth the small fee they require to run it.