What is Firefox Setup Stub 38.0.exe? Says my ver. 37.0.2 needs it
I checked to determine if my plug-ins were up to date and a msg. appeared saying that I was not running the latest version of Firefox. I am running version 37.0.2, and do not know what this Firefox Setup Stub 38.0.exe is, nor why I should need it.
Soluzione scelta
My FF updated on May 14th to version 38.0.1 too. There was no further reference to the "stub installer". I consider it solved, as apparently it was a one-time occurrence.
Thank you to all who posted replies to this question.
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It's a stub installer -- a small executable that will initiate, then download and initiate the full installer file for v38.0. At present, I would advise against upgrading, as I've found the new v38.0 to crash repeatedly since installation (I used the full installer downloaded through FileHippo) this morning.
Personally, I HATE stub installers by any vendor (particularly Adobe or Google) as there is frequently other 'stuff' bundled along with the installation that I'd rather not have or even bother to download in the first place -- am more than somewhat disappointed that Mozilla is trying to push out that newest version in this manner.
Mozilla has been using Stub installers for over a year now, they help make sure installs fail less and provide a more robust experience.
However, the Firefox 38 update has been pulled due to a crash, there will be a Firefox 38.0.1 in a day or two that you can update to. Use the Firefox internal updater to install it, Update Firefox to the latest release
You can also check if there is an update for the graphics display driver as yours seem to be rather old.
Sorry -- I don't (and won't) use stub installers, but download any app's full installer from a known and trusted source to a flash drive in order to implement it on multiple computers for which it's relevant and retain an archive (old style, I know).
Tyler had responded to a separate thread I started about v38.0 exhibiting a lot of frequent crashes after installation, so I know of the bug and am awaiting the v38.0.1 release with anticipation & hopes the crashing symptom will have been fully resolved.
As to the graphics matter, my video card itself on this desktop is several years old but the Nvidia drivers for it are the most current version available, so I presume that was a response to Boudica's original query if she submitted system information with it. Always good advice to keep hardware drivers up-to-date.
jhvance said
It's a stub installer -- a small executable that will initiate, then download and initiate the full installer file for v38.0. At present, I would advise against upgrading, as I've found the new v38.0 to crash repeatedly since installation (I used the full installer downloaded through FileHippo) this morning. Personally, I HATE stub installers by any vendor (particularly Adobe or Google) as there is frequently other 'stuff' bundled along with the installation that I'd rather not have or even bother to download in the first place -- am more than somewhat disappointed that Mozilla is trying to push out that newest version in this manner.
Mozilla still provides the full setup and is easy to find. They just decided to make the stub installer (existed since Firefox 18.0) be the default for the green download button for Windows users.
If you look below in green box on www.mozilla.org where it says Systems & Languages link www.mozilla.org/firefox/all there is the full setup.
Unlike some companies, Mozilla never bundles other things with the stub or full setup for Windows nor for Mac OSX or Linux versions. So if you are downloading from mozilla.org then you know you are only getting Firefox.
No need to get Firefox 38.o full setup from any random unofficial download sites.
There is such a wealth of information I must study it to even become familiar with some of it. Thank you all!!
Cor-el: I have Intel insofar as I know and have had no problems, even though there is one update I have not installed that came with MS updates. It is listed as "optional", however 90.7 MB.. Thank you for your recommendation. You are so knowledgeable about EVERYTHING!!
jhvance and James :
I have never heard of this "Stub" being installed before, and from what I am reading I think I would prefer NOT to have it. Question is "how can I avoid it being installed?" which apparently it as been at some point in time. Thank you both for the information you posted.
The stub is only used if you are installing Firefox for the first time. You should be using the internal Firefox updater to install new versions of Firefox. Update Firefox to the latest release
And no, the stub isn't bad. It's just a more streamlined way to download Firefox on new machines. Don't listen to what jhvance said, listen to what the people with thousands of posts on this forum instead.
Tyler Downer said
The stub is only used if you are installing Firefox for the first time. You should be using the internal Firefox updater to install new versions of Firefox. Update Firefox to the latest release And no, the stub isn't bad. It's just a more streamlined way to download Firefox on new machines. Don't listen to what jhvance said, listen to what the people with thousands of posts on this forum instead.
Tyler, stub installers which may be from completely trustworthy vendors might not be so problematic, but that method has long been used by some vendors or miscreants (who may be masquerading as a trusted vendor) to deliver malware/scamware/bloatware of various types. I've been working with computer hardware & software since mainframes in the early 1970s, and simply have a strong preference toward less blind trust and more certain informational awareness regarding choice of what gets installed by anyone's app on the array of PCs which I manage.
Downloading software from mozilla.org (the only place you should be downloading Firefox from) does not carry that risk, and there is no need to spread FUD on these forums about it.
jhvance said
Tyler, stub installers which may be from completely trustworthy vendors might not be so problematic, but that method has long been used by some vendors or miscreants (who may be masquerading as a trusted vendor) to deliver malware/scamware/bloatware of various types.
Just because sites like download .com aka Cnet does this in bundling stuff with otherwise clean software, this does not mean Mozilla currently does or ever will with stub or full setup for Windows.
Many third-party download sites that has Firefox use the full setup anyways.
As said get it from *.mozilla.org it will always be clean as in just Firefox.
I agree you are misleading people in thinking the stub installer for Firefox from mozilla.org is potentially not safe when there is no reason to.
Modificato da James il
By the way the Firefox 38.0.1 is now out and have seen reports that users are getting updates to 38.0.1.
Soluzione scelta
My FF updated on May 14th to version 38.0.1 too. There was no further reference to the "stub installer". I consider it solved, as apparently it was a one-time occurrence.
Thank you to all who posted replies to this question.
You only get the Stub installer if you are on Windows and downloading from green download box on www.mozilla.org (which is clean and only installs Firefox) and not if you go to www.mozilla.org/firefox/all page as it has full setup for Windows.
The update in Firefox does not use a stub installer but a .mar patch files since Firefox is not just for Windows but for Mac OSX and Linux also.
Mozilla for future is looking at a proposal of a different stub installer for Windows in which it will then download either 32-bit or 64-bit Firefox depending on your OS. If say you have 64-bit Windows 7 or 8 then you get Win64. This of course will only happen after Win64 is available for Releases.
Modificato da James il
James, here is what occurred with this "stub" problem.
I clicked on the "About Firefox" as I normally do when checking to determine if FF was up to date, and this is when the pop-up reference to the Stub 38 appeared. I did not download anything. I was not downloading from any green box. I have had FF for many, many years and this is the first time I have ever encountered such a situation. I closed that immediately.
Subsequent to that incident and reading all of the comments I waited and checked again, which is when Firefox updated itself as it had always done in the past to the latest version.
I can no longer see any "option" to select how I wish to get the new updates. Has this been changed as well, or am I overlooking something? My option for updating was "automatic", now I cannot locate a reference to make a selection, so I'm "lost" again.
I am encountering problems with Firefox now that I have never had previously, and difficulty in obtaining information to address these issues.
Thank you for the information you provided.
James, I did locate the option for selecting the preference for updating Firefox in the "Advanced" Options. The "new look" is a little different in the "Options".
My apology for overlooking it. Thank you once again! :)