Rogue Opera 29 Auto Update
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59er last edited by
Since 29 does not work on my XP box, I blocked opera. exe 29.0.1795.47, Opera auto-update, and Opera Installer 29.0.1795.47 at the program settings of my firewall (OA Free). For Firewall settings I blocked oaui.exe and opera.exe 29.0.
(Non-firewall step) For good measure I renamed the installation_status.xml file in the Windows Opera program file. Not sure which did the trick but holding steady with Opera 28.
My previously renamed auto update files re-spawned in the Opera 28 file as before, but with the above steps this time 29 did not load. -
suntana last edited by
I can't do any of that Firewall stuff, 59er. I only have the Windows XP Firewall. And that one only has 1 instance of Opera there in the exceptions. If I delete that, Opera won't work.
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blackbird71 last edited byI don't know, blackbird. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing the reason for this rogue auto updating behavior is because of some flawed belief that they're looking out for the users' best interest in the computer security area. ...
I agree... that's why I said earlier there certainly are sound and solid reasons why developers would want their products updated by most users as soon as possible, once they release a newer version. And I have no problem with a product that arrives with a default setting to auto-update itself. PROVIDED that there is a readily accessible and effective setting in that same software for a user to block further updating should he deem that necessary on his system. My own guess is that chromium inherently is designed for auto updating, and expending developmental effort at Opera for adding a feature to the UI to block it is simply not very high on their list of things needing done - if it's on the list at all. However, this is one issue I believe which needs continuing user feedback to elevate its significance until an easy and effective user update-block setting is incorporated.
I have two friends who are both on limited income and both use dial-up service at home, much as you do. They have old laptop systems, and don't update any software until they can take the systems to a friend's home or commercial hotspot where wifi is available to do their software updating. If auto-updating can't be readily blocked, there's no way they want to tie up their phone line for the very long periods required by such a forced auto-update. So I've advised both of them to not install New Opera for that specific reason. In my own case, I have software that, when running, absolutely can't be interrupted or crashed by software auto-updating whenever it jolly well feels like it... which is particularly a very real situation if two separate programs decide to update themselves at the same time (which I've had happen). It's simply not a reasonable design principle to make software that autonomously consumes system resources, network connections, and perhaps the primary attention of the OS. The computer owner/operator is supposed be in charge of what his system does and when, if he so elects... and the settings should be immediately accessible within the software on his system.
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bill-g last edited by
I know this is just another try to block autoupdate but it's easy and might work.
Create a zero-byte text file named "opera_autoupdate.exe", confirm the change extension varning and make the file write protected. Then replace the original "opera_autoupdate.exe" with this write-protected zero-byte file.
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bill-g last edited by
"operaautoupdate.exe" should be "opera(underscore)autoupdate.exe" in the previous message. underscore made the text slanted (italic) for some reason.
"opera_autoupdate.exe" "opera_autoupdate.exe" "opera_autoupdate.exe" <-- very weird
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jackscolon last edited by
Yeah, I'm "the only one disturbed by this." These fa99ots don't give a damn what you think, they don't care about their user's personal preferences, they only care about copying chrome.
FEEL MY HATE.
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tadolson last edited by
I've wanted to have an option to block or allow automatic updates because I'va had updates go bad in Firefox and was forced to download an installer to downgrade to fix the issue.I update Firefox by downloading an installer for each new version instead of just updating.
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uedaniel last edited by
My problem with auto-update feature started with my firewall.
As implemented, updates create a new folder with a version number, so I've to authorize manually every time it changes. Without folder exceptions, my current firewall / antivirus will detect executable changes and require new authorization anyway, that and the fact I try to avoid possibly unwanted changes / errors, leads me to both block and disable the auto-update.
Also, I don't know how Windows deals with it, specially WinSxS wich has a tendency to grow and grow...
Unfortunately, the option to disable it is hidden as a command line parameter. Would be nicer to leave such a control explicit on the advanced configurations.
In my opinion, a program that updates all the time is premature, either bloating or degrading or needs a more clearly defined target - Or all of those, wich is bad because Opera is great. The fact the makers wan't to push updates (by hiding the opt-out) concerns me.
Just to add my two bits.
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blackbird71 last edited by
...
Unfortunately, the option to disable it is hidden as a command line parameter. Would be nicer to leave such a control explicit on the advanced configurations. ...More than 'unfortunate', it's a disaster waiting to happen. Because the first time you invoke the browser apart from the shortcut (eg: click a link in an eMail), Opera will open directly without consulting the command niceties you added to some shortcut somehere, and any pending auto-update will suddenly be thrust upon you. There simply isn't any "clean" workaround short of an update-blocking control built right into the browser itself. Everything else suffers from some techno-"gotcha" bypass path that can suddenly appear and bite you in a painful part of your anatomy - usually at the worst possible time or in the worst possible way. FULL accessible controls for a piece of software should reside in the software itself, not require remedial tampering with all manner of file names or system/security settings. It's called "sound software design".
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59er last edited by
There's a flag, opera://flags, thats in Opera 30 that I didn't notice in 28: 'Ping autoupdate server' Pings the autoupdate server on first shutdown. Default: enabled.
From the description might this be a way to disable auto update? I did a light search of the Developer browser blog, but didn't find much other than it was new for 30. I've disabled it to see what happens.
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blackbird71 last edited by
The problem, like with so many work-arounds, is that even if it were to work to block subsequent updates, there are no guarantees that some other mechanism couldn't over-ride it to force an update or that it might even be reset by something else. What is needed is a clear, simple user auto-updating option in the browser controls to allow, notify-and-block, or block-without-notifying. You know... like every other piece of software on the planet except certain Chrome-derivative web browsers.
