Instructions for launching Sandboxie Plus, especially portable mode

[Gitoffthelawn]

Thank you for creating this fork and for all your hard work.

I'm trying to understand the details of how to actually use this tool, especially in portable mode.

After compiling it yourself (or extracting files from the release archive) into a folder, you will have 11 executables. Which one to use to launch Sandboxie Plus?

Also, to make it portable, is it as simple as creating an empty Sandboxie-Plus.ini in Sanboxie Plus's folder?

From looking at the code, it seems like there are 2 UIs provided. Are they both compatible with the portable mode?

I can update the readme with a summary of answers provided here.

Thanks!

[DavidXanatos]

Sandboxie-Plus is started using the SandMan.exe (Sandboxie Manager)

On first start the tool will unpack the driver if its not already unpacked and install it, for the later operation it will request admin privileges.
Once its started and the driver is loaded its ready to go.

To make it behave portable you need to create a Sandboxie-Plus.ini as well as a Sandboxie.ini in the application root folder.

When the tool detects that is running in fully portable mode on exit it will always uninstall the driver.

The legacy UI SbieCtrl.exe can be used once the driver is loaded but it does not have the functionality to Install/Uninstall/Unload) the driver for that SandMan.exe or kmdutil.exe must be used.

I would say if you want to use it portable only use SandMan.exe

[Gitoffthelawn]

Thanks so much David!

Before you had time to write your response, I did everything you said except creating Sandboxie.ini in the application root folder. I did create Sanboxie-Plus.ini.

I'll run through everything to see what changed, but it never hurts to ask: What do you think got changed in the system by not creating Sandboxie.ini first?

[DavidXanatos]

A Sandboxie.ini was created under c:\windows you can move it or delete it, that's all.

[Gitoffthelawn]

Thank you. That's all I have found so far. Almost done checking for anything else.

Would you like me to update the readme for you?

[DavidXanatos]

Yes please that would be helpfull

[Gitoffthelawn]

I will work on it for you.

Would you also like me to include a link to your Patreon in it?
For anyone reading this, it is:
https://www.patreon.com/DavidXanatos

BTW, I'm a little embarrassed by this, but I was computing without any sleep, and I accidentally ran kmdutil.exe from Windows Explorer. Since no params were provided, it just opened up a message box complaining about the lack of params. Anything I need to clean up from that? BTW, what does that executable do?

Also, using a non-sandboxed file manager, I was looking through the sandbox folder to learn more about how Sandboxie is working , and my fatigued fingers, eyes, and brain accidentally launched a shortcut in there that pointed to an executable in a subfolder of the sandbox. Did I run that shortcut and the executable outside of the sandbox?

Note to self: Sleep is important. Very important.

[DavidXanatos]

yes please include a link

kmdutil.exe installs/uninstalls and starts/stops the SbieDrv and SbieSvc without parameters it does not do anything except complaining.

When the SbieDrv is loaded starting a exe inside a sandbox location will force it to run sandboxes.

[Gitoffthelawn]

yes please include a link

Will do.

kmdutil.exe installs/uninstalls and starts/stops the SbieDrv and SbieSvc without parameters it does not do anything except complaining.

Thank you.

When the SbieDrv is loaded starting a exe inside a sandbox location will force it to run sandboxes.

That's impressive. So if SandMan is running without error, and you launch Windows Explorer outside of SandMan, and then you use Windows Explorer (which is not sandboxed)to launch any exe inside the sandbox folder, it will still get run inside the sandbox. Do I have it correct?

[DavidXanatos]

That's impressive. So if SandMan is running without error, and you launch Windows Explorer outside of SandMan, and then you use Windows Explorer (which is not sandboxed)to launch any exe inside the sandbox folder, it will still get run inside the sandbox. Do I have it correct?

Only the driver + service need to be running is the tool is not being executed in portable mode, you don't even have to have SandMan.exe running

Just keep in mind that in fully portable mode sandman on close will stop and remove the driver + service, than it wont work.

[MCHALMEI]

Hi,

I am from Brazil. Thanks for your dev efforts.

The "SBIE2303 Could not hook CoGetObject (33, 1655)
SBIE2303 Could not hook RegisterDragDrop (33, 1655)
SBIE2318 DLL initialization failed for 'ole32.dll' " is still persisting with Chrome browsers. A pity.

Suggestion: How about making it possible for users to set a global hotkey combo for cleaning any given Sandbox contents? It's a real pain having to open the program main window for achieving this.

Thanks in advance for your attention.

Regards.

[Gitoffthelawn]

@MCHALMEI Thank you for your report. May I recommend copy and pasting what you wrote to a new issue, and then deleting your text from this issue?

[Gitoffthelawn]

@DavidXanatos Thank you for the details. There were a couple typos in what you wrote, but I think I understand what you are conveying. Here is what I think you meant to write, in case others have trouble understanding it:

Only the driver + service need to be running when the tool is not being executed in portable mode. In non-portable mode, you don't even have to have SandMan.exe running

Just keep in mind that in fully portable mode, SandMan will stop and remove the driver + service when you close it. At that point, anything you run will not be sandboxed.

Did I "translate" your words accurately?

[DavidXanatos]

yes

[AndhikaWB]

Only the driver + service need to be running is the tool is not being executed in portable mode, you don't even have to have SandMan.exe running

Just keep in mind that in fully portable mode sandman on close will stop and remove the driver + service, than it wont work.

By executing KmdUtil.exe manually to install/uninstall Sandboxie driver (based on this and this), I believe a restart is actually required on each (un)installation. Sandboxie may not complain about it (and works just fine, I think?), but KmdUtil.exe does complain. Is it actually safe to ignore the restart process?

Here is screenshot after uninstalling driver and installing it again (without restarting):

[DavidXanatos]

If the sbie driver is unloaded and you are running as administrator no reboot is required.

a reboot needed message usually indicated that the sbie driver wasnt unloaded.

[STaRDoGG]

Can't start the driver in the latest version (see screenshot). This is the error I get:

Both .ini's are in the root folder. I manually installed the service and driver via the maintenance menu, then clicked on start driver.

[isaak654]

@STaRDoGG
I suggest you to uninstall the driver via the Maintenance menu > Advanced > Uninstall Driver and reopening Sandman.exe the next time without admin rights (you need to avoid right click -> run as administrator). At this point, you should be able to install the driver again & start it from the Maintenance menu.

Let me know if it works for you.

If it doesn't work either, you might need to make a full backup of your .ini files in order to uninstall Plus/restart Windows/reinstall Plus in this order. You can find further details about it: #755 (comment)

[isaak654]

I'm not sure who else has this problem, but I am trying to open a app with sand boxie but it doesn't open. I shows it is running, but the app doesn't actually open. Can someone help me out please?

Could you open a new issue with detailed information from here? Just replace the information in the preset text with yours.

[Gitoffthelawn]

Are there any updated instructions for "installing" the portable version?

BTW, want to upgrade a system with a very old version of Sandboxie-Plus portable (SbiePlus64-v0.3.5).

[isaak654]

There is a portable option that allows to extract the files from the Plus Installer itself, just run it.

[Gitoffthelawn]

@isaak654 Wow, nice and simple now. Thank you! Just run the extractor (installer) and then run sandman.exe.... that's it? If so, much appreciated how easy it is now.

BTW, anything special to get rid of the portable version already "installed" (Sandboxie-Plus portable (SbiePlus64-v0.3.5))? Just delete it's folder?

[isaak654]

Before deleting the portable folder:

• Make sure to stop/delete SbieSvc and SbieDrv via the Maintenance menu on Sandman or using the command lines
• Make sure to save these files on a safe storage, whether you keep them there or not: Sandboxie.ini, Sandboxie-Plus.ini
• Make sure to not have other personal files there

[Gitoffthelawn]

@isaak654 Thanks so much. For the portable version, the SbieSvc and SbieDrv will only be running if Sandman was run since the last reboot, correct?

[isaak654]

Sandboxie Service is set to run automatically at system startup, even if you didn't open Sandman.

[Gitoffthelawn]

@isaak654 Hmmm... Is the service somehow hidden from the Windows list of services? I'm not seeing it listed in the list of Windows services at all.

[isaak654]

One of my portable installs:

[Gitoffthelawn]

@isaak654 Thank you. Not sure why I'm not seeing it listed. Since you're seeing it there, is it also listed in the system's registry?

[isaak654]

I think you already received your answer here: #62 (comment)

Sandman allows to stop/delete SbieSvc and SbieDrv at your convenience, probably you just forgot it.

[Gitoffthelawn]

@isaak654 Thank you again for all your help.

[virtuallyvlad]

I tested v1.3.2 on Win7x64 and all I had to do to setup the portable was:

1. Run the installer
2. Choose to extract to folder as portable
3. Run SandMan.exe and follow the wizard/prompts

You no longer need to manually create *.INI files. Sandboxie detects it is running portable and creates those itself in the correct portable folder.

To run an app sandboxed, you can:

• Drag and drop a program *.exe over the SandMan.exe window
• Right-click on the sandbox from SandMan.exe and Run -> Run Program
• Right-click the tray icon -> (sandbox) -> Run -> Run Program
• Add the option to the explorer shell context menu and right-click on any *.exe and click Run Sandboxed

All of the above options, even the shell context menu, worked fine in portable mode.

Since I was doing this on Win7x64 I can confirm that none of these steps from @strx5 were necessary to get it to work and I experienced no errors whatsoever, so perhaps these were tied to an earlier version.

Thought I would post this update since I couldn't find anything in the readme/documentations/etc. about how to install, run, or use Sandboxie in portable mode. And this thread is mostly old advice and no-longer-existing issues.

[Gitoffthelawn]

Thank you for your post and for keeping the information in this thread current.