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How do I download Google Chrome Web browser?

I have been hearing a lot of buzz in the last day or two about Google's new "Chrome" web browser application. But how do I find it, download it and try it? And what do you think about it anyway, Dave?


Dave's Answer:

The very last thing I expected to see from team Google was such an overt shot across the bow of the good ship Microsoft, but Google Chrome is indeed a fascinating utility application released just days after Microsoft gained much buzz for its latest Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) release. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Why is Chrome so interesting? Because it's really the Web-based front-end to what's clearly shaping up to be GoogleOS. Most Web browsers run a single process and manage all tabs, all separate windows, within that process. Google Chrome, on the other hand, runs each tab as its own thread, its own instance of the browser. This means that from a user's perspective if one tab goes weird it can only affect itself, not the other tabs in the browser. Nice!

Google Chrome - Firefox competitor - LogoBehind the scenes, however, this means that Google Chrome also has many of the core features of an operating system, including memory management, task management and the like. Hmmm... it also has Google Gears integrated into the browser, which means that you'll be able to have your Google Docs open and live, even if you're offline. Web browser + office suite + IM client (Gtalk, a part of Gmail) + web-based email system. Sounds like the Google folk are moving closer and closer to being a plug-and-play replacement for Windows, not just the apps therein.

Let me show you how to grab your own copy, then you can download it and explore what is available, what's coming soon, and what it all means.

Start by going to the Chrome home page at http://www.google.com/chrome. You'll see this:

google chrome download

Click on it (or click on the image above, which takes you to the same place) and agree to their End User License Agreement (EULA). While you're at this step, however, I encourage you to consider also agreeing to letting Google collect usage stats:

google chrome sent stats

Some people are paranoid about Google collecting usage data, but, to quote Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill Joy, "privacy is dead, get over it". :-)

As is now common with really big downloads, the installation process is in two steps. The first is to download a small app that manages the bigger download. That app is called ChromeSetup and you'll need to agree to have it saved on your system:

google chrome download 2

This doesn't take very long to download: it's a small file. When it's done, you have a new icon on your desktop:

google chrome setup

Double-click on it and your Windows XP system should - hopefully - confirm that you really want to run an app downloaded from the Internet:

google chrome run setup

Let's trust Google, just this once, and say "Run". Now it starts the main download:

google chrome downloading

After a few minutes - or faster, if you've a good 'net connection - you'll see this:

google chrome finish install

Now we're doing well!

Agree to the options specified, or click on "Customize these settings" to tweak things, click "Start Google Chrome" and after a few short seconds...

google chrome running

There ya go, we're runnin' Google Chrome like the important 'net folk.

Your mission: test it out, visit some sites, and come back to share your thoughts and reactions on this new and interesting contribution to the world of Web browsers.


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Categorized: Windows PC Help   (Article 8483, Written by )
Tagged: firefox, google chrome, microsoft internet explorer, microsoft windows xp, winxp
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Reader Comments To Date: 22

Maurice said, on September 2, 2008 6:28 PM:

Hey Dave,
Thanks for taking the time to put up this great how to. Happy I'm following you on twitter.

So many folks have been mentioning Chrome online but I didn't want to spend the time to figure it out on my own. I think you shared all I need to get started with Chrome, thanks so much!

FYI

Craigslist Interview QA
Maurice_Castle on Twitter :-)

Jamie said, on September 3, 2008 1:05 AM:

After installing Chrome, I et an error "Application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005).

Can you help?

media kingdom said, on September 3, 2008 12:18 PM:

should be interesting to see if Chrome works more efficiently than FireFox... if it's faster than Firefox, since isn't IE, then i'll use it

Dempsey said, on September 3, 2008 6:08 PM:

Awesome Bill Joy quote!

Dempsey said, on September 3, 2008 6:58 PM:

Awesome Bill Joy quote!

Chrystoph said, on September 4, 2008 6:33 AM:
nagarajan said, on September 4, 2008 9:55 AM:

hi,

I am having problem whiling installing chrome. Where can I download GoogleUpdate.exe

wadada said, on September 4, 2008 1:33 PM:

PLease can you send the download link into my mail box.
Please help me, Thank you.

Melanie said, on September 5, 2008 12:29 AM:

Thanks for the tutorial but unfortunately Google Chrome only work on Windows Vista

Dave Taylor said, on September 5, 2008 7:01 AM:

Since I installed it and ran it in Windows XP, I'm not sure what you're talking about, Melanie! :-)

Johnson said, on September 5, 2008 7:02 AM:

Thanks friend.. Good work...I have just downloaded and started working on that...Let me see.

Eadwine said, on September 5, 2008 2:05 PM:

It is a wonderful looking browser, but a real shame it is only supported for XP and up. I work on 2000Pro, and many other people do as well, and it would have been nice to run it on that.

Alas.

Rafiq Hassan Shah said, on September 5, 2008 10:21 PM:

Thank You,
I have installed Google crome on Windows XP and it works best.I am sure you are talking about.

anon anons said, on September 10, 2008 3:29 PM:

I unistalled google chrome for a little while and after installing recent microsoft/windows updates from Microsoft..when I try to download Google Chrome..It does not work..=(

steve said, on December 9, 2008 2:39 AM:

i still have to try that browser, is it really better ?

Why said, on March 31, 2009 1:19 PM:

Hey i think google chrome is a fascinating web browser in terms of its security and services. i prefer it to IE8 or Mozilla firefox.

John Chesterfield said, on April 17, 2009 7:43 AM:

I thought I wanted to download Google Chrome. But whan I was about to do that I notice that the web page said it was ok for WindowsXP 2. I have XP 3, so I presume I am not wanted as a subscriber. Correct?

Dave Taylor said, on April 17, 2009 2:37 PM:

John, I'm sure that like most apps, what Google's team means is "Windows XP release 2 AND HIGHER", so you'll be just fine with XPSP3 or I'll eat my [virtual] hat. :-)

Ritu said, on October 10, 2009 11:50 PM:

i had installed google chrome but wrongly deleted it now it does not show thw the icon whenever i try to install

Kelia said, on February 25, 2010 3:40 PM:

I have attempted to download chrome a few times and it ends up saying" DLLC:/windows/system32/DCIMAN32.dll is not a valid image so the download doesn't seem to complete. Can you tell me what to do with this?
Thanks you,
Kelia

vicent said, on November 8, 2010 2:27 AM:

I've tried Google Chrome four times and am ready to remove it again. It crashes and simply isn't stable enough for me. I'll stick with Avant and IE8.

jana said, on October 31, 2012 11:46 AM:

I had google chrome,when i went onto the wrench icon. it told me i couldnt update. so have installed the one up above.

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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