patch the json config files manually?

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Under C:\Program Files\Opera there's the launcher.exe program as well as two json config files:

installation_status.json
installer_prefs.json

Can I view and change the settings in the browser somehow or is it safe to patch them manually? There are certain properties that it would be useful to patch: _subfolder, path, data (twice), and version seem to govern which version is being run (installation_status.json). At least I find my current version no in those 5 properties. In installer_prefs.json my version no does not occur.

There has been a lot of discussion about how to prevent Opera from autoupdating. Here's a summary:

1. Deactivate Opera autoupdate task in task scheduler.
2. Rename or delete opera_autoupdate.exe in your current version.
3. Use --disable-update as option to launcher.exe .
4. Setting the environment var OPERA_AUTOUPDATE_DISABLED.

No 1 is an obvious must. But is no 2 necessary? That file name is listed in installation_status.json . Can I accomplish the same thing by changing that file name in that config file? To something that doesn't exist? I dare not experiment. I don't know if no 3 or no 4 alone is enough to prevent auto update.

Now, installer_prefs.json has a property autoupdate which in my file currently is set to true. That is clearly the factory setting. Maybe all one needs to do to prevent autoupdating is to change this value to false?

But if you can easily switch back to an old version it may not matter if Opera autoupdates. Patch those 5 occurrences of the version no in installation_status.json? Maybe it's even possible to override the version no with an option to launcher.exe?

I'd also like to point out that if you visit "about Opera" in the browser it will look for an update and download it if there is one. Thereafter you will be asked if you want to install it every time you start Opera. Very annoying. The solution is to delete everything in this folder:

C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Temp\CProgram FilesOpera\ready

Alternatively you can install and then switch back to the older version, if that works as above.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @Guest last edited by

@mustermeister Doing item 2 should be enough to prevent auto update.