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Dont forget that if you manually update, Firefox destroys your update settings: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1576400 https://bugzilla.mozilla.o

Dont forget that if you manually update, Firefox destroys your update settings: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1576400 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1576400

thenewnewguy 7y ago
There's a flag mentioned in that issue you can pass to the installer to disable that behavior. Also, are there seriously people running FF with updates disabled? I personally see almost no scenario under which I'd ever not want to update.
- nvr219 7y ago
  I love updates so much I run Nightly!
- ydnaclementine 7y ago
  Perhaps they disable FF updates to let their package managers handle it? (I'm thinking in arch linux land for example) Not sure how that conflict is resolved
  - thenewnewguy 7y ago
    I'm not even sure if the linux version of FF has an auto-updater. And even if it does every distro I've ever used (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and currently Arch Linux) must disable it, because I've never had FF try to auto update on linux.
    - gpm 7y ago
      Automatic updates don't play nicely with package managers that install things as root, so it is disabled during the build process. It does exist though, and is enabled on Linux if you download firefox from https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new. OP in this thread seems to be using that installer with automatic updates, and then disabling it by hand, since when updating via a package manager you don't run into this issue.
    - yoasif_ 7y ago
      > I'm not even sure if the linux version of FF has an auto-updater. It does if you download it directly from Mozilla.
  - sp332 7y ago
    That's exactly what the "Distribution" directory is for. If the package manager is going to handle updates, it can disable FF's own built-in updater. But if you then download and run the vanilla installer from Mozilla directly, it will remove the distribution customizations, including switching back to the built-in updater.
gpm 7y ago
The normal way to manually trigger an update is help -> about firefox -> update... which doesn't appear to destroy any settings.
- svnpenn 7y ago
  You realize this isnt true anymore right? If you disable update via policy (which is the only way you can do it now that about:config method is removed), then going to "About Firefox" doesnt give you any options regarding updating. Check your facts.
  - 8bitsrule 7y ago
    ??? One of the prefs in 68.* esr is "Allow Firefox to 1)... 2)Check for updates but let you choose to install them " Maybe that's true only for non-ESR versions?
prophesi 7y ago
When you try to manually update via the installer, make sure to pass the /RemoveDistributionDir=false flag, then you're good to go. If you're a power user who understands the security implications of not having automatic updates, this shouldn't be too hard.
- deith 7y ago
  Or they could, you know, not destroy your settings when you update by hand.
  - prophesi 7y ago
    It's to be expected that running the installer will give you a fresh install of Firefox. You can still manually update by hitting "About Firefox" in your menu, which will keep your settings as-is.
    - deith 7y ago
      No it's not... Program files and settings are stored in two completely different folders... Even uninstalling a program shouldn't remove your settings unless it asks you first.
      - prophesi 7y ago
        Well, yes, it will keep your Firefox profile and its related settings. It's only the about:config settings that will be reset, which I think is a sane default.
    - svnpenn 7y ago
      You realize this isnt true anymore right? If you disable update via policy (which is the only way you can do it now that about:config method is removed), then going to "About Firefox" doesnt give you any options regarding updating. Check your facts.
      - prophesi 7y ago
TwoNineFive 7y ago
> "If you choose not to use [automatic updates], then you must accept that you are stepping into an edge case" WTF Molly Howell.

Dont forget that if you manually update, Firefox destroys your update settings: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1576400 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1576400

thenewnewguy 7y ago

There's a flag mentioned in that issue you can pass to the installer to disable that behavior. Also, are there seriously people running FF with updates disabled? I personally see almost no scenario under which I'd ever not want to update.

nvr219 7y ago
I love updates so much I run Nightly!
ydnaclementine 7y ago
Perhaps they disable FF updates to let their package managers handle it? (I'm thinking in arch linux land for example) Not sure how that conflict is resolved
- thenewnewguy 7y ago
  I'm not even sure if the linux version of FF has an auto-updater. And even if it does every distro I've ever used (Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and currently Arch Linux) must disable it, because I've never had FF try to auto update on linux.
  - gpm 7y ago
    Automatic updates don't play nicely with package managers that install things as root, so it is disabled during the build process. It does exist though, and is enabled on Linux if you download firefox from https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new. OP in this thread seems to be using that installer with automatic updates, and then disabling it by hand, since when updating via a package manager you don't run into this issue.
  - yoasif_ 7y ago
    > I'm not even sure if the linux version of FF has an auto-updater. It does if you download it directly from Mozilla.
- sp332 7y ago
  That's exactly what the "Distribution" directory is for. If the package manager is going to handle updates, it can disable FF's own built-in updater. But if you then download and run the vanilla installer from Mozilla directly, it will remove the distribution customizations, including switching back to the built-in updater.

gpm 7y ago

The normal way to manually trigger an update is help -> about firefox -> update... which doesn't appear to destroy any settings.

svnpenn 7y ago
You realize this isnt true anymore right? If you disable update via policy (which is the only way you can do it now that about:config method is removed), then going to "About Firefox" doesnt give you any options regarding updating. Check your facts.
- 8bitsrule 7y ago
  ??? One of the prefs in 68.* esr is "Allow Firefox to 1)... 2)Check for updates but let you choose to install them " Maybe that's true only for non-ESR versions?

prophesi 7y ago

When you try to manually update via the installer, make sure to pass the /RemoveDistributionDir=false flag, then you're good to go. If you're a power user who understands the security implications of not having automatic updates, this shouldn't be too hard.

deith 7y ago
Or they could, you know, not destroy your settings when you update by hand.
- prophesi 7y ago
  It's to be expected that running the installer will give you a fresh install of Firefox. You can still manually update by hitting "About Firefox" in your menu, which will keep your settings as-is.
  - deith 7y ago
    No it's not... Program files and settings are stored in two completely different folders... Even uninstalling a program shouldn't remove your settings unless it asks you first.
    - prophesi 7y ago
      Well, yes, it will keep your Firefox profile and its related settings. It's only the about:config settings that will be reset, which I think is a sane default.
  - svnpenn 7y ago
    You realize this isnt true anymore right? If you disable update via policy (which is the only way you can do it now that about:config method is removed), then going to "About Firefox" doesnt give you any options regarding updating. Check your facts.
    - prophesi 7y ago

TwoNineFive 7y ago

> "If you choose not to use [automatic updates], then you must accept that you are stepping into an edge case" WTF Molly Howell.