Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Discussion of bugs in Mozilla Firefox
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Asperamanca
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Joined: March 18th, 2005, 1:04 pm

Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by Asperamanca »

Adobe has released a new version of flash (26.0.0.126). On my Firefox 54 (Win7x64), I have version 25.0 of flash.
When I go to "Tools->Add-ons", then to "Plugins" and choose "Check for updates" on the drop-down menu of the "Gear" button in the top middle of the page, I receive the notification "No updates found".

You may say that in this case, the update is very recent. However, I have, so far, never observed an update notification for Flash, no matter how outdated it was.

It's really a security risk.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by DanRaisch »

It's been known for some time that the plug-in check does not provide fully accurate results.
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James
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by James »

The https://www.mozilla.org/plugincheck/ page is manually updated.

Plugins like well Flash Player is not actually installed into Firefox like Extensions and complete Themes are so there is only Activate/Deactivate options and no Remove or update options. To see where Plugins Firefox is making use of is located on your system type about:plugins in the Location (address) bar.

The Flash Player updates itself or you manually update as Firefox does not update Flash Player Plugin.
Asperamanca
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by Asperamanca »

What confuses me here is that Firefox seems to check for updates, and finds none. It is not really obvious whether it checks only extensions, or only plugins, or only some extensions and some plugins. From a simple end-user perspective "well, I did check for updates, but there were none".

Add to this the fact that Flash is still pretty often installed, needs security updates pretty often, and (at least on any computer I ever touched) the automatic updater never really worked.

Suggestions:
If you check for updates only for extensions (not for plugins), why not disable the "Check for updates" menu entry while on the plugin tab? Alternatively, relay the user to the website you mentioned. I dimly remember that in the far past, the Add-On page did have that link somewhere, but it got dropped a while back.
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LIMPET235
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by LIMPET235 »

Hi,
I do not rely on that "Update" page for the reasons stated.
Much prefer to check manually, every so often.

I'd suggest you try the direct method.
Go to, > http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/141/tn_14157.html
& D/L the un-installer.
Go to, > http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/ ... ndows.html
& scroll down to "Still having problems?" & D/L both versions, (If needed), of Flash for your system.
Close all browsers & apps that use Flash.

Run the un-installer. You can reboot the M/C, if you want.
Then run both installers.

Flash check site > http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/155/tn_15507.html
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(Always choose the "Custom" Install.)
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therube
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by therube »

Latest https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html still references to Flash 26.0.0.126 (though the current release is .131).

This, https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/re ... notes.html, June 16 (which presumably correlates to .131) speaks of a "bug", not a security related issue.
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James
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Re: Addons -> Check for updates incomplete

Post by James »

The best place to check your Flash Player version and what is current is at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/about/
Asperamanca wrote:Suggestions:
If you check for updates only for extensions (not for plugins), why not disable the "Check for updates" menu entry while on the plugin tab? Alternatively, relay the user to the website you mentioned. I dimly remember that in the far past, the Add-On page did have that link somewhere, but it got dropped a while back.
Any checking for Plugins updates is at https://www.mozilla.org/plugincheck/ as Firefox has never checked for actual updates to Plugins like Flash Player, Java, Quicktime, Adobe Reader and then install them over the years whether on Windows, Mac OSX, or Linux.

Problem is the plugincheck is manually updated and was not perfect for any Plugins that had different versions for different OS's in past. Now that Flash Player is the only Plugin allowed to run in Firefox since Fx 53.0 the Plugincheck page is not really needed anymore when you can check up to date places like Adobe's own about page.

To see that the Flash Player Plugin is not actually installed in Firefox type about:plugins in the Location (address) bar.

Also mozillaZine is not Mozilla so making suggestions in random threads does little here.
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