Updater causing repeated downloads

[jafa]

Hi,

We have just released a new software release built with AI 6.4.1.

The upgrade from the old version works - it will ask the user if they want to download the update.

Once the user has upgraded there is a problem... the user has the current version (ie no update needed), however each night the updater:
1) downloads the AIU file three times.
2) downloads the installer exe once (without asking the user).

No dialog is shown to the user and the downloaded installer exe does not seem to be saved to the hard drive.
The access logs and bandwidth logs show a full download of the installer exe.
Sorting the access logs by IP address clearly shows the installer exe download being repeating every 24 hours.
Running "updater /checknow" results in three AIU downloads and one installer download without asking the user.

We have many thousands of customer PCs repeating a large download every night. At the current rate our monthly bandwidth bill will be over 1TB from this one file.

We ran a test doing another update (non public test server). The updater downloads the installer exe three times - twice when the updater runs and once again when the user clicked OK to download.

Nick

[Cosmin]

Hi,

I'm not sure why you are encountering this behavior. Can you please send us the INI file installed with the Updater and the Updates Configuration file to support at advancedinstaller dot com so we can investigate them? Also, can you please provide an URL from where we can download the package with the problem?

Regards,
Cosmin

[jafa]

Email sent.

[Cosmin]

Hi,

We investigated the test case you provided and we found the following:
- indeed the AIU file is downloaded three times; this happens because when the Updater checks for updates, it queries the server
- it doesn't download any other files, even if updates are available (we checked with multiple sniffers)

Can you please specify the argument you are using to launch the Updater? If you are using the "/silentall" parameter, note that the Updater will automatically download the updates only once.

If you don't want this behavior, you can use the Updater in the 6.3 version of Advanced Installer. I attached the 6.3 files to this post, you can extract them in the Advanced Installer installation folder.

Regards,
Cosmin

[jafa]

- indeed the AIU file is downloaded three times; this happens because when the Updater checks for updates, it queries the server

This is a minor, but once ought to be enough
It adds load to our server and distorts the server stats.

- it doesn't download any other files, even if updates are available (we checked with multiple sniffers)
Can you please specify the argument you are using to launch the Updater? If you are using the "/silentall" parameter, note that the Updater will automatically download the updates only once.

We are testing which the /checknow option.
For users the installer sets up a scheduled task with the /silent option.
It consistently downloads the installer without asking when we test with the /checknow option (with the current version already installed).

If you don't want this behavior, you can use the Updater in the 6.3 version of Advanced Installer. I attached the 6.3 files to this post, you can extract them in the Advanced Installer installation folder.

The update has gone out to thousands of our customers. Releasing another update so soon would not make a good impression.
I also just found out it has been released to CD (5k units).

We would rather wait for a long term solution and include it with our next release cycle (late August).
We have disabled the AIU file on the server and can manage the problem while the updater is being fixed.

Nick

[jafa]

Hi,

The updater you provided in your last post works - it downloads the AIU file once and doesn't download the EXE unless an upgrade is available and the user approves.

If an new 6.4.x release will be available in the next few weeks we will wait for the release.
If not, I will investigate how to use this older updater with 6.4.1.

Nick

[Cosmin]

Hi Nick,

Although we are unable to make the Updater download the update every time a check is performed, we are currently working on an improvement for the Updater which will avoid this behavior. The improvement will be included in the 6.5 version which is scheduled for the middle of August. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Regards,
Cosmin