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[Fixed] Platform's Updater/App Store experiencing download errors on Windows XP

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covo
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[Fixed] Platform's Updater/App Store experiencing download errors on Windows XP

(for example) these applications were to be downloaded: https://i.imgur.com/GXIJ831.png
but every request gives an error: https://i.imgur.com/XQkh8Kj.png
- for a long time, certainly for a few weeks.
standard download via www is possible.
So, what's going on...?

John T. Haller
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Platform Version

What platform version as you using? Can you download the affected files within Internet Explorer? Please note that I am explicitly asking about Internet Explorer as it also uses the shared Windows networking components the updater/app store users. It doesn't matter if you can download in Chrome/Firefox/etc.

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covo
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@John T. Haller

wind. XP, ie8, you're probably on the right track: I can't download any files within ie8.

btw:
I do not use ie8 at all, because I can not use it. For example:
cnn.com - ie8 is too old for this www,
bbc.com - I see something there Smile
portableapps.com - NOTHING

so we have: xp and ie 8 are the reasons for the impossibility of download (?)
but: the problem is that this error was not ... half a year ago, hm.

John T. Haller
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https issue

It's an issue with Windows XP being unable to make https connections to websites with newer encryption schemes (ones that are fully secure). This is why, in your list, you're unable to download apps from both our own download servers (freeware like AIMP) and from SourceForge (open source like FileZilla). SourceForge switched to https for their website and download redirector a while back though their actual mirrors are http. We similarly switched our main site and download redirectors a while back. That's why you're able to download the updater database but can't download apps since it's still served as http temporarily.

You don't need to worry about whether IE can view the websites and render them, just whether it can for example download this file: AIMPPortable_4.50.2058.paf.exe

I was under the impression that a fully up to date copy of Windows XP SP3 with IE8 and all available updates in Windows Update applied was still compatible. Have you applied all update via Windows Update?

I'm double checking my virtual machines. In a quick test now, I am able to download with the platform when the POSReady hack has been applied and all additional updates applied but not on a vanilla version. I'll investigate further.

UPDATE: It seems even a Windows XP SP3 machine with IE8, latest Windows Media Player, .NET 3.5, and all required and optional Windows XP-specific patches (excluding Search 4.0 and the like) can no longer connect to us or SourceForge via https. If the POSReady patch is applied and all updates applied, it will connect.

UPDATE2: I may be mistaken. Will look anew tomorrow.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

John T. Haller
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Partial Fix

I've converted the PortableApps.com redirects back to http within the updater database for now. So, you should be able to download all the freeware that we host directly (AIMP, etc). The SourceForge-hosted files will sometimes succeed and sometimes fail based on whether or not specific paths are https or not. So, in theory, if you try a few times you should be able to get the downloads to finish. I'm working on a fix for XP in general so that https downloads will work regardless of the OS components as well.

UPDATE: The PortableApps.com website's cipher suite has also been updated to ensure compatibility with IE8 running on Windows XP so folks can get access to the software in a pinch.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

covo
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH

@John
"Something" seems to me that you have repaired Smile THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
btw:
of course I know about the posready, I'm going there. And maybe in the case of posready I'll be back here ...

John T. Haller
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Glad to hear

Glad to hear it's working again. I'm going to see about SourceForge's issues at some point, too.

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covo
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@John

Unfortunately, the problem has become valid, has appeared again...

John T. Haller
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Separate Issue

If you're having issues download from SourceForge via the platform's app store/updater, this is a separate issue going on: https://portableapps.com/node/57794

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covo
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ocean of words

ocean of words Smile

covo
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@John

(of course still valid: I have xpsp3 and after your previous patch (this topic, above) it was ok)
now:
I have read the topic that you have suggested and I have the conclusion that the solution does not really exist....
btw:
modded PortableAppsUpdater.exe is not working for me.

John T. Haller
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POSReady

Sorry, I forgot you're on Windows XP SP3. The only complete solution for Windows XP SP3 is to apply the POSReady patch so that Windows XP gets patches from the last 4 years. HTTPS has changed a lot in the last 4 years (Windows XP hit end of life on April 4, 2014) and XP SP3 itself can no longer securely connect to the internet. SourceForge's mirrors will vary in available cipher suite. While our own download server will work with Windows XP SP3, others may not. So, as mentioned above, some SourceForge mirrors may work while others will not.

Note that POSReady is not supported and the ability to receive additional updates could begin failing at any time. It's not supported by Microsoft, but then again, neither is Windows XP.

At some point in the future we're going to have another downloading option that doesn't use Windows components, but there is no clear ETA on when that will be available.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

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