Fixed location of opera.exe and opera_autoupdate.exe

[stealth789]

stealth789 last edited by

Hi,

on every update of opera I have to update my settings due to changed location of Opera's executable files:
"opera.exe" and "opera_autoupdate.exe".

Problem is that on every update location of directory name is changed according to version to something like: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Opera<Version_Number>". Then after every update, as Opera is located in new directory, my firewall (Comodo) asks for allowing connection for this files.

Please consider to make location of these files fixed. Thank you.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Unfortunately what you describe is standard for Chromium based browsers, Google Chrome does exactly the same.

[stealth789]

stealth789 last edited by

Unfortunately what you describe is standard for Chromium based browsers, Google Chrome does exactly the same.

Sure, I know it's "inherited" behaviour by Chromium. But as in many things, it doesn't mean, this has to be, or can't be changed. It's possible to use fixed location. Same way like Chromium Updater does.

[cecilchesser]

cecilchesser last edited by

I just installed Opera v22. During installation, I told it to use the F:\apps\Opera directory where v12 was. I avoid installing anything on the C drive. I expected it to wipe out v12, but both versions work now. The only difference is they changed Opera.exe to Launcher.exe. So I will have to change my shortcut link. My Vipre firewall has not complained at all.

[sgunhouse]

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer last edited by

There is an opera.exe in the version-numbered folder, but the launcher takes care of that. I'm not sure why the OP is launching opere.exe directly, but you see what problems that causes ,..

[stealth789]

stealth789 last edited by

I just installed Opera v22. During installation, I told it to use the F:\apps\Opera directory where v12 was. I avoid installing anything on the C drive. I expected it to wipe out v12, but both versions work now. The only difference is they changed Opera.exe to Launcher.exe. So I will have to change my shortcut link. My Vipre firewall has not complained at all.

It's question of firewall settings. In Comodo there's also default setting, so for standard users it will recognize Opera as "trusted" application (based on certificate), so no allowing is needed. But I use custom rules for every application. So if any "new" application needs access any host/port there's need to ask for permission. Basically any non-defined connection asks for permission - implicitly denied. So if Opera change it's executable path, it's new request asking for for access to internet.

[stealth789]

stealth789 last edited by

There is an opera.exe in the version-numbered folder, but the launcher takes care of that. I'm not sure why the OP is launching opere.exe directly, but you see what problems that causes ,..

Sure there's launcher in non-versioned directory C:\Program Files (x86)\Opera\launcher.exe. But it starts process opera.exe. And firewall works with active process and its connections. So basically still rule asks for connection for opera.exe, not for launcher.exe.

• In mentioned Chromium Updater, there's fixed location for process that uses connections C:\Program Files (x86)\Chromium\Application\chrome.exe.
• Opera uses versioned directory C:\Program Files (x86)\Opera\22.0.1471.50\opera.exe (Version 22.0.1471.50 vary). And this is causing problem.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Ah, I see. The problem is that with Google Chrome the executable file in the program's root folder is actually chrome.exe, whereas Opera uses launcher.exe in the root folder which points to opera.exe in the current version's sub-folder.
It doesn't cause any problem with my Windows firewall, in fact the chromium version of Opera isn't even listed as an application there, only Opera 12.17 is.

[hans-petter]

hans-petter last edited by

I'm a bit confused regarding the launcher versus the opera.exe. When I launch the browser using the shortcut to the opera.exe the browser looks like it did before. When I click the launcher icon I get a different look. This might be a different skin except for the fact that I get the prompt asking whether I want to use Opera as my standard browser when I switch between direct launch versus indirect launch. Thus, when I've confirmed that Opera (opera.exe) is my standard browser I get the same question again if I start up Opera by clicking the launcher shortcut and vice versa.

[hans-petter]

hans-petter last edited by

Adding two my post above--I do indeed have two browsers. The latest Opera update put a new opera.exe in a subfolder. Thus, it didn't overwrite my previous opera.exe. This makes the update a bit messy. I won't do a fresh install and lose my preferences and my bookmarks.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Adding two my post above--I do indeed have two browsers.

NuOpera and Ole Opera are indeed two different browsers. They're connected only a bit.

I get it you're just a bit confused, maybe the browsers' icons are similar/look the same, no idea.
If so, you might just consider both/either change the tags' names to become distinctive and/or change one of the icons a slight bit. Also, you could put them in different places: say, one of them is on your desktop, the other's in your Quick Launch menu or whatever it is in your Windows version.

Is that it?

[hans-petter]

hans-petter last edited by

I can certainly delete the shortcut to the v12.17 opera.exe and keep the "28" shortcut only. I'm just saying that this update is the first one that leaves a redundant opera.exe behind as a fully operational alternative. I guess I could delete the old opera.exe to clean up the opera program folder but I don't know whether there are more redundant files and subfolders. Since the "28" installer doesn't clean it up it might be better to make a new installation and then import bookmarks / preferences from my v12.17.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

I started using opera from version 27 and it made me forced automatic update to 28. So after each update of Opera its standard behaviour that my history pages are gone and I have to login to webpages again?

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

I wouldn't advise on deleting the old browser's files, although it's up to you.
Re-installing the new one is interesting. Only don't forget to make the old one the default browser in order for the new one to inherit stuff.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

You don't understand me. I don't want delete old browser's files. I want to stay logged in on webpages and have history of visited pages after update to new version. But it seems that it is not possible.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by

I want to stay logged in on webpages and have history of visited pages after update to new version. But it seems that it is not possible.

This is how it works since ever. If your data is not being remembered after a update then probably there is something wrong with your installation or it's being deleted somehow.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

The files might've got corrupted or moved.
Or your previous and current installations don't fall under the same user rights. The former one might've been under the common share, now it might be under a certain Windows account, or like that... You make sure where they are.