Bug #17159

Tor Browser displays an "Update Failed" pop-up

Added by intrigeri 2019-10-17 08:12:20 . Updated 2019-12-03 10:44:42 .

Status:
Confirmed
Priority:
Elevated
Assignee:
Category:
Target version:
Start date:
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Research
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Browser
Deliverable for:

Description

On the branch for Feature #16356, after Tor Browser was running for a while (maybe 15 minutes), a pop-up appeared:

  • title: “Software Update”
  • heading: “Update Failed”
  • text: “Tor Browser is unable to determine if there is an update available. Please make sure that you have the latest version of Tor Browser from:” (and nothing after that)

Related: commit:0c7881cff8f2d6542efdd7870e0281397546c3bd, commit:e43247dd2558dd391342855796e18c3186a43807.

Subtasks

Related issues

Related to Tails - Bug #17114: Adjust Tor Browser updates settings for 9.0 Resolved
Related to Tails - Feature #17130: Unsafe Browser based on Tor Browser 9.0a7 makes connections to the Internet which are not user initiated Resolved
Related to Tails - Feature #16356: Upgrade to Tor Browser 9.0 (based on Firefox 68) Resolved 2019-01-14
Related to Tails - Feature #7284: Document how we disable Torbutton's update checking Confirmed 2014-05-26
Has duplicate Tails - Bug #17291: "Update failed" notification from Tor Browser Duplicate
Blocks Tails - Feature #16209: Core work: Foundations Team Confirmed

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-17 08:12:36

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-17 08:12:42

  • related to Bug #17114: Adjust Tor Browser updates settings for 9.0 added

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-17 08:12:49

  • related to Feature #17130: Unsafe Browser based on Tor Browser 9.0a7 makes connections to the Internet which are not user initiated added

#4 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-17 14:01:15

Note that we have a bunch of update-related prefs — some introduced recently (see description), some older:

// Disable the Tor Browser's automatic update checking
pref("app.update.auto", false);
pref("app.update.disabledForTesting", true);
pref("app.update.doorhanger", false);
pref("app.update.url", "https://127.0.0.1/dev/null");

// Tails-specific Torbutton preferences
pref("extensions.torbutton.lastUpdateCheck", "9999999999.999");

// These must be set to the same value to prevent Torbutton from
// flashing its upgrade notification.
pref("extensions.torbutton.lastBrowserVersion", "Tails");
pref("torbrowser.version", "Tails");

I suspect that some of them are obsolete (and might even cause trouble, who knows).

#5 Updated by anonym 2019-10-18 08:48:27

  • Assignee set to anonym

#6 Updated by anonym 2019-10-18 13:49:13

  • Assignee deleted (anonym)

#7 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-19 11:52:19

  • Target version changed from Tails_4.0 to Tails_4.1
  • Parent task deleted (Feature #16356)
  • Type of work changed from Research to Wait

anonym could not reproduce. Let’s see if users see this in 4.0 final.

#8 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-19 11:52:35

  • related to Feature #16356: Upgrade to Tor Browser 9.0 (based on Firefox 68) added

#9 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-19 13:09:19

  • Assignee set to Help Desk

Hi goupille, emmapeel,
and @numbat,

I’ve seen this problem only once, we can’t reproduce it anymore, and I don’t see how we can fix it in time for 4.0, so: please let us know if users experience this problem in 4.0.
Ideally we would have: a quick heads-up once this happens, and a couple weeks later, aggregated data.
Thanks in advance!

#10 Updated by Anonymous 2019-10-25 16:14:20

@intrigeri

This just happened to me

#11 Updated by emmapeel 2019-10-28 08:48:47

It happened to me! I confirm.

#12 Updated by goupille 2019-10-29 08:37:40

it just happened to me as well :

Bug report: 179de6fb340756062692ac5c23a97e5b

#13 Updated by intrigeri 2019-10-31 11:25:19

  • Assignee deleted (Help Desk)
  • Priority changed from High to Elevated
  • Type of work changed from Wait to Research

intrigeri wrote:
> I’ve seen this problem only once, we can’t reproduce it anymore, and I don’t see how we can fix it in time for 4.0, so: please let us know if users experience this problem in 4.0.
> Ideally we would have: a quick heads-up once this happens,

This happened ⇒ making this a Research task for the FT.

> and a couple weeks later, aggregated data.

This will help us prioritize this.

#14 Updated by intrigeri 2019-11-09 13:57:41

Hi goupille, emmapeel,
and @numbat,

could you please tell us how many reports of this problem you’ve received, on top of the 3 ones I see on this ticket? Thanks in advance!

#15 Updated by intrigeri 2019-11-30 07:37:41

  • Target version deleted (Tails_4.1)

Hi goupille, emmapeel,
and @numbat,

> could you please tell us how many reports of this problem you’ve received, on top of the 3 ones I see on this ticket? Thanks in advance!

Ping?

#16 Updated by sajolida 2019-12-03 10:44:42

To me too!

#17 Updated by sajolida 2019-12-03 10:45:34

  • has duplicate Bug #17291: "Update failed" notification from Tor Browser added

#18 Updated by intrigeri 2020-02-28 07:57:42

  • related to Feature #7284: Document how we disable Torbutton's update checking added