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How to stop auto-updates in vcer. 80.0.1 for Ubuntu Linux.

  • 4 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 199 views
  • Last reply by user1646328

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I have googled this issue and came across many posts on this subject of which many didn't relate to this version. Of those that seemed to apply, I have tried and set the about:config switches that supposedly has to do with Firefox auto updating and still, every couple of days or so when I try to load a new web page, I get the annoying have to reload Firefox first message. I have to quit Firefox, restart it and then wait for all the tabs that I had open to reload. Why doesn't this version obey it's built in switches?

I have googled this issue and came across many posts on this subject of which many didn't relate to this version. Of those that seemed to apply, I have tried and set the about:config switches that supposedly has to do with Firefox auto updating and still, every couple of days or so when I try to load a new web page, I get the annoying have to reload Firefox first message. I have to quit Firefox, restart it and then wait for all the tabs that I had open to reload. Why doesn't this version obey it's built in switches?

Chosen solution

You are using Firefox from the Ubuntu repositories. With this version Ubuntu controls the updates and you can't disable this in Firefox (update settings are likely grayed).

You can install Firefox from the Mozilla server to have more control.

You can find the full version of the current Firefox release (80.0.1) in all languages and all operating systems here:

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How do you completely turn off update checks in Firefox v64? You can use a policies.json file to disable updates for all users. https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md or https://winaero.com/blog/disable-updates-firefox-63-above/

You can use a policies.json file in the distribution folder in the Firefox installation folder instead as also listed in the article, so no need to use GPO keys in the Windows Registry. • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-policiesjson

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Those URLs don't help. I can't find any policies.json file anywhere in my file system. To reiterate, this is Ubuntu 18.04LTS on Linux, not Windows.

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Chosen Solution

You are using Firefox from the Ubuntu repositories. With this version Ubuntu controls the updates and you can't disable this in Firefox (update settings are likely grayed).

You can install Firefox from the Mozilla server to have more control.

You can find the full version of the current Firefox release (80.0.1) in all languages and all operating systems here:

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Thanks. That explains why all the controls that I need are missing. I will blow away the repository installation and install from the mozilla website. I think that this might eliminate the other issues that I have with Firefox also. I just finally got rid of a 3rd party audio driver being opened by Firefox and and just left open and open another instance over and over again, slowly nibbling up memory. Now I find another one of these audio processes being opened by Firefox and left hanging. This one though doesn't make any sense. It's called AudioCallbackDriver. What is calling who back?

Modified by user1646328