How to formally install Skype directly to a TRUE totally removeable Skype portable version located on a removable USB drive only, without the need or requirement to formally install Skype first, on a systems hard drives, that the USB removeable drive is connected to, using any normal or business recent Skype for Windows versions.
By doing this, when the USB drive is not connected, this prevents Skype from being formally installed on the system in question, until the USB drive is inserted as well. So, there is also an additional security advantage when using these methods.
Preamble:
The intent of these instructions is not the same as one can do by simply installing Skype each and every time a new version comes out on a hard drive connected to your system to be able to retrieve a copy of said Skype.exe to be able to add/replace it on your USB drive.
That's a very easy process.
That can be done by simply taking a copy of the Skype.exe program and placing it on your USB drive and passing /datapath to the folder of your choice.
You will then have a very usable and portable Skype version for your USB drive as well as need to install any version of Skype on a hard drive attached to your system each and every time, you have a need to copy that older/newer Skype.exe program to your USB drive ("Unless someone gives you a copy of the Skype.exe you want").
The primary intent of these methods are to install Skype ("On") a USB drive connected to your system without any need to install Skype files/folders on a system hard drive first.
The registry entries on your system will point to your USB drive and not to any hard drive on your system using these methods.
If that's not important to you, then I would go with the simpler method, because it is more easier at first, but it does/will require you ("Get a copy from someone of the Skype.exe in question") or require you to install a version first on your system hard drives files/folders and all, to get a copy of the Skype.exe in question each and every time you wish to update the Skype.exe on your USB drive.
I had hoped that staring this thread with "How To Create a TRUE totally Removeable Skype portable version Located on USB drive only." would have been enough to get this point across, however, it would seem it has not, and this is why I am adding this very long explanation on what is different with these methods vs. the simpler method.
I guess one could say "Well, when I use the simpler method and I really don't want to have an installed version of Skype files/folder on my system, all I need to do is delete/remove all the Skype files/folder when I simply need a Skype.exe for my USB drive, each and every time, so what!".
All I can say to that is "Your Choice".
While these methods do require one-time edits to any Config.xml file for Skype names added to the USB drive, once done, there is never a need to install Skype folders/files on any hard drive on your system afterwards to upgrade/downgrade to other Skype versions. I as stated earlier, I thought the title spoke for itself.
IMHO that's alot of future busy work with deleting files/folders on hard drives just because you want to run a older/newer version of Skype on your USB drive, if the end goal is to not have Skype installed on a hard drive on your system while also having a functional portable USB drive of Skype.
So, getting back to what I thought was a "Clear Intent" of these methods, the primary purpose is to be able to have a system that for whatever reason does not have Skype files/folders installed on that system on a hard drive or referenced in the system registry as installed on any hard drive on your system and that actually references a USB drive in the system registry. That does not require one to first install Skype on a system hard drive for the sole purpose to add Skype.exe to a USB drive, and then manually remove those files/folders afterwards.
There are hundreds if not thousands of internet pages that can be found on "How to do that, the simpler method". These methods are methods to avoid doing that, which I had not found anywhere at the moment, and was why I decided to post these methods here and not simply repeat the other simpler methods which can be found easily, using the search engine of your choice.
The secondary benefit of these methods is to be able to also use that same USB drive portable copy of Skype on other system as well, however that should not be confused with the primary benefit, as it seems it has, if you read the many posts below that focus ("only") on this secondary benefit, which is the by-product by default of formally installing Skype on a USB drive vs. simply copying the Skype.exe to a USB drive, without formally installing Skype on that USB drive.
So, if your primary goal is to have Skype installed and pointing to a hard drive on your system and/or it's not, but you would rather remove/delete files/folders manually from your hard drives just to be able to get a copy of a different Skype.exe file for your USB drive, and you don't care about Skype files/folders being installed on your system hard drives in order to get different copies of Skype.exe from time to time, then I would suggest using the simpler method.
For those, that would like to not have Skype files/folders installed on their system hard drives each and everytime they have a need to use a different version of Skype.exe on their USB drive. Please see the below contained in this post.
Start of instructions for this method
Note: These folders and filenames are case sensitive and we will use E: as the USB drive, which you will need to change to the real drive letter in all cases.
1. Create a folder called E:\SkypeRemoveable on your USB drive.
2. Determine what version you want to install, normal or business version
In both cases save the download file below as E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype.msi
To install the most current version of the Skype client from a msi file, please click here: http://download.skype.com/msi/SkypeSetup_5.6.0.105.msi
To install the most current version business version from a msi file, please click here: http://www.skype.com/go/getskype-msi
3. Create a shorcut called InstallSkype in E:\SkypeRemovable enter this as the target:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe /i E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype.msi STARTSKYPE=0 COMMONSKYPEFOLDER=E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data TARGETDIR=E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype INSTALLDIR=E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype TRANSFORMS=:RemoveAllShortcuts.mst /norestart /qf
Note: For future versions of Skype, all you need to do is download that latest version and rename it to Skype.msi and then you only need to do step 4 without the need to even quit Skype at the end of step 4. to be upgraded. Without needing to do any other steps listed here.
4. Click on the shortcut E:\SkypeRemoveable\InstallSkype
Once installed and when Skype starts, quit Skype.
5. Create the following folders in E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data
Content
My Skype Received Files
Pictures
6. In the E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone folder create a shortcut called StartSkype with a target of:
E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe /removeable /datapath:"E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data" /secondary
7. If you already have history on the computer in question and you wish to save that history on your USB memory stick, please do this step, otherwise simply go to the next step.
Using a run command window, which can be started by using these 2 keyboard keys at the same time Windows Key("Looks like a flag") and the "R" key enter this data and then click the OK button:
%appdata%\skype
Copy any and all folders that match the Skype name that you wish to use on your removeable USB drive to this folder E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data
8. Click on the shortcut E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone\StartSkype
If Skype was not installed on this system or you did not move history, and there are no Skype names, add the ones you want, logon to each of them, and then quit Skype.
9. For each folder that matches a Skype name in E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data click on that folder and edit the config.xml file and make these changes:
<AvatarPath>E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data\Pictures\</AvatarPath>
<ContentPath>E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data\Content\</ContentPath>
<FiletransferDir>E:\</FiletransferDir>
<TransferSaveDir>E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data\My Skype Received Files\</TransferSaveDir>
Close the Config.xml file.
Profile Picture: Most likely if you are currently using a profile picture for this Skype name your profile picture was uploaded from your hard drive for this Skype name.
You should copy that picture into: E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data\Pictures so that you can use the Skype client to load your proflie picture from your USB drive now, so that the Config.xml file it is not still pointing somwhere to a picture on a hard drive.
This should be done for any Skype name being moved to your USB drive and the Config.xml file will be updated when you change your Profile picture to get it from E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Data\Pictures automatically.
Please make sure you are not still editing the Config.xml file and that the Config.xml file is closed before doing this.
NOTE: You should do this step for any new Skype name you wish to have added to your USB drive in the future as well.
10. Do this ONLY if you want no trace of Skype on your system besides being on your USB drive!
Using a run command window, which can be started by using these 2 keyboard keys at the same time Windows Key("Looks like a flag") and the "R" key enter this data and then click the OK button:
%appdata%\skype
Delete this folder.
NOTE: If you do the below, when your USB drive is removed from your system, you will not be able to start Skype while your USB drive is removed.
Delete your C:\Program Files\Skype folder for 32 bit systems or for 64 bit systems delete your C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype folder
Click on the shortcut E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone\StartSkype
Logon as any Skype name.
Using a run command window, which can be started by using these 2 keyboard keys at the same time Windows Key("Looks like a flag") and the "R" key enter this data and then click the OK button:
%appdata%\skype
There should be no files in this folder now, because everything is being used from your USB drive.
11. You now have Skype totally contained and using files from your USB drive only, and of course can use this USB drive on any other Windows system as well.
There is not even a Shortcut to start Skype on your system, besides the one created in the E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone folder on your memory Stick.
Note: If Skype was not already installed on the system before you did this, you can copy the Skype.exe from E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone to the hard drive and anyone using it will have their folders/files still stored in %appdata%\skype and if you don't do this, then when your USB memory stick is not connected, Skype will not be able to be started.
Of course you can copy the E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone\StartSkype shortcut to your desktop which will store any new Skype names added on your USB drive as well, when it is connected.
You can copy the shortcut from E:\SkypeRemoveable\Skype\Phone\StartSkype to E:\ so that you have quick and easy access to start Skype.
You also now have the ability to run multiple Skype client programs at the same time, from your USB drive by simply clicking on the shortcut to start another copy of Skype. You can't logon as the same Skype name, but you can logon as different Skype names with as many copies as you wish.
They were caused by your method not confining itself to the USB memory stick. Which means your methods are not creating a TRUE totally Removeable Skype portable version Located on USB memory Stick only.