Hi,
Portable Firefox with user.js does not save update setting "Check for updates but let you choose to install them" when browser is restarted.
New: Kanri (Oct 9, '24), Platform 29.5.3 (Jun 27, '24)
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Mozilla deprecated this setting in the context of portable browsers IIRC. The setting in user.js will not be honored. It's only per Firefox install now. You can disable updates with a policies.json in the App\Firefox\distribution or App\Firefox64\distribution folder.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
There is no "app.update.auto" in user.js. Without user.js, the browser saves its update setting through settings.
Mozilla-GUID folder in ProgramData does not move update-config.json in ProgramData\Mozilla-GUID\updates\FirefoxPortable, so the "Check for updates but let you choose to install them" setting is not restored.
Everything works if you initially move update-config.json in ProgramData\Mozilla-GUID\updates\FirefoxPortable before starting Firefox Portable.
I've confirmed this is due to a change in Firefox's update handling. The fix for that didn't fully fix the issue for handling movement and preservation of the update json.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
So how does this affect the rest of us who are getting auto-update jammed down our throats? We're supposed to update using John's Portable Apps updater. I've cancelled the auto-update twice, and tried to reset it for nought. What will happen if it auto-updates from Mozilla? Also, will this be happening to FF ESR as I also run the portable version of that. Thanks.
This is fixed in Firefox Portable 101.0. It will be fixed in the other channels as they are released as well. There's a switch in the launcher code to handle both old update format (ESR) and new (all other channels) and its set appropriately for all of them.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Thanks, John. Updated this morning. I also read the other thread and see there's no "danger" if Mozilla were to update it. I'd just need to run your portable updater to update everything. I appreciate all your work!
A note of appreciation to you John, for looking into this and fixing it.