Opera Browser Assistant?

A Former User @Guest

One thing I noticed, though, is that although I have the Opera browser assistant string in my startup programs (as seen through CCleaner), I do NOT see any evidence of any "assistant" actually running. One person mentioned they had it running with an icon showing up in their systray. I don't have that. I also scoured over Process Hacker (which I use nonstop throughout the day) for any evidence of a new program or anything called "opera browser assistant" and I cannot find any, which is a little odd. I've checked my services, I've checked every running process I can see in Process hacker, and I don't see any evidence of any new program running. But it IS in my startup options. Weird.

I DO see the program in my Opera directory, though. I don't know what it's supposed to do, but if it's running and exiting extremely quickly then I guess that's why I don't see it. Can a moderator explain EXACTLY what this "browser_assistant.exe" program does? I looked at the .json files in n++ and couldn't really make anything out, except that it's doing something to the registry.

A Former User @leocg

@leocg I have been using Opera for a while now, but I have been using Avira (free AV) even longer (ever since I built this PC 4 years ago). I just received a notification to update to a new version of Avira, which I declined for the moment until I see what they've done..., and during my first few moments researching this new version I see that it says "As part of the security package, you'll also benefit from the all-new Avira protected Opera browser with built-in security and privacy tools." Now I NEVER used the Avira browser add-on, as it is well known to be terrible, if not malicious, so I hope this new version of Avira Free AV doesn't force a new version of Opera on me and replace/merge the old one (which I've had for a long time and customized to my liking). I'm now wondering if Avira had downloaded part of it's big new update to my system and this assistant somehow came with it, as it has just appeared in the last day or so in the startup programs.

ruetzelberg

ruetzelberg

Hi folks,
here my facts about this issue:

I use Opera since decades. And always installed from Opera Homepage, resp. their FTP-Site. Never "Bundles"!
It runs on 2 PCs Windows7 and 2 PCs Windows10.
The issue ocurred on all 4 along with the "sheduled" autoupdate from Version 66.0.3515.103 -> 66.0.3515.115.
The tray icon only emerges on Windows10.

I would really appreciate to know what this process is for....

So long

A Former User

For some reason my initial post was greyed out for this topic as if the moderator wanted it to be deleted or it did not meet the rules etc of the forum, if this is so I apologise. I did not receive any replys to my email address which is odd. I had downloaded Opera via the link on the Opera blog page right hand side, Windows 64 bit, no third party involvement. I have since done a disk revert and I will now try and download it from the ftp site. If the assistant reappears afterwards thats the end of Opera for me.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@mike88 Your other topic was merged into this one.

A Former User

I downloaded from the ftp site, same Opera Assistant is shown in startup but it was not present in the previous installation version that I had of Opera.I believe about six thousand people have read these posts but no one from Opera has had the decency to reply. Perhaps they are all drinking coffee and looking forward to the weekend. As for me failing a fully detailed explanation of Opera Assistant it will be goodbye to Opera from me, whilst I trial run another browser.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@mike88 Did you remove all traces of the previous installation of Opera, including the browser assistant?

What file did you use to install Opera?

ruetzelberg

ruetzelberg This post is deleted!

A Former User

As I have stated the previous version did not have the assistant.Then from the ftp site I downloaded Opera 67.0.3575.31 setupx64.exe and then I checked in startup and the assistant was there. But It Gets Worse , I then thought I'm going to remove this latest version of Opera which I did through the normal Windows 10 "Add & Remove" menu, guess what, Opera went so did the Assistant (as expected) but it also took away my battery check utility from startup as well ! Since that experience I reverted my drive to an earlier version of Opera, uninstalled that and I have no assistant and my battery check utility is still present in startup. So judge for yourself , everything points to Opera and it may be a long long time before i return to the program if I ever do so.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@mike88 Please avoid shouting

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer

Okay, just noticed it listed in Task Manager > Startup. Its path relates to Opera developer.

A Former User

When Windows 7 booted up, Opera Browser Assistant has stopped working. Here's the technical details:

Description
Faulting Application Path: C:\Users\Teacher\AppData\Local\Programs\Opera\assistant\browser_assistant.exe
Problem signature
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: browser_assistant.exe
Application Version: 60.0.3255.170
Application Timestamp: 5d01d850
Fault Module Name: browser_assistant.exe
Fault Module Version: 60.0.3255.170
Fault Module Timestamp: 5d01d850
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000077db
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.4
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789


Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID: 149171724

Can anyone find the solution?

A Former User @leocg

@leocg i havent use a third party software but it's there in startup apps

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@thegeneral Yes, it seems that the assistant is being installed even on regular installations/upgrades.

Don't know if it is some bug or if it will be the default from now on.

A Former User @leocg

@leocg also autoupdate is showing up in download folder of windows explorer

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@thegeneral Has nothing to do with thi stopic and was discussed somewhere else already, including some explanation and possible solution if I remember correctly.

A Former User @leocg

@leocg yea and it didn't help and shouldn't be happening

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest

@thegeneral Never saw it happening here. Anyway, that discussion doesn't belong here so let's end it.

burnout426

burnout426 Volunteer @leocg

@leocg I have the startup entry too. It was coming from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" and was pointing to "C:\Program Files\Opera developer\assistant\browser_assistant.exe", which was present along with "installation_status.json" and "assistant_installer.exe". There was also an extra Opera Developer task in the Windows Task Scheduler that listed "component name=assistant" or something like that.

Weird thing is, in that installation_status.json, it lists "67.0.3575.31" for the version.

I also had tons of Opera Developer updaters in my task manager. And, I had a tons of Opera Installer(SFX) processes.

I also had a separate "opera_autoupdate" folder in the Opera Developer install directory that I hadn't seen before. But, that part was probably due to some of the new update mechanism stuff. Maybe this all is.

"C:\Program Files\Opera Developer\installation_status.json" also had:

"components":{"assistant":"C:\\Program Files\\Opera developer\\assistant"}

in it.

I removed all the stuff manually and will see what the next update does.

burnout426

burnout426 Volunteer

There's also opera://flags/#new-component-update-mechanism, which is now enabled by default for Opera Developer. I would think it was just for things on the opera://components page, but maybe since the assistant is considered a component, it gets fetched and installed too now. Not sure though.