(Resolved) How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

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Shadoefax
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(Resolved) How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by Shadoefax »

I've Googled this and found that many people have asked, but I've never read a solution that works.

I'm running Fx 56.0.2 and want to stay with that version. I don't want Quantum. Not now. Not ever. I develop extensions and need my 'legacy' addons to do my development. But Fx updates itself several times a day even though I have 'Never check for updates (not recommended)' selected and 'Use a background service to install updates' unchecked in Fx options.

I read somewhere that opening Help > About Firefox will trigger an update (even if I don't click the 'Check for update' button) so I don't go there. Doesn't matter - the update is forced upon me anyway. It usually happens when I click the 'Restart' icon on the toolbar, but can also happen when I first open the browser for the day.

I have several Fx profiles setup, and the options are set to not auto-update for each one.

Having to reinstall v56.0.2 several times a day is a waste of my time and severely interferes with my workflow.

Does anyone know of a solution that works?
Last edited by Shadoefax on December 22nd, 2017, 5:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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dfoulkes
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by dfoulkes »

Do you by chance have the Mozilla Maintenance svc. installed in your system? ... if so, uninstall it... it's been know to take control. Other than that...sounds like you've covered the other stuff. And if you do have it and uninstall it... make sure that in the future it doesn't get in there again.... keep the eyes open.
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TheVisitor
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by TheVisitor »

Also look here with File Explorer: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Mozilla\updates

Delete the entire folder with Firefox Closed. Its very likely the update is already on your system and it just keep reapplying it....
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Shadoefax
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by Shadoefax »

Hmm ... I did find that in Control Panel > Program and Features. Don't recall ever installing it. It's uninstalled now - I'll see how it works.

Thanks!
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by TheVisitor »

Shadoefax wrote:Hmm ... I did find that in Control Panel > Program and Features. Don't recall ever installing it. It's uninstalled now - I'll see how it works.

Thanks!
Its installed by Firefox, so if in the event you have to again 'fix' things by reinstalling the older version, you will once again have to remove it, or...
Do a custom install and uncheck the Install Maintenance Service
Last edited by TheVisitor on December 20th, 2017, 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mightyglydd
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by mightyglydd »

@Maybe related, in Add-ons, click the Cogwheel at the top and make sure 'Update Add-ons Automatically''s unchecked.
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therube
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by therube »

Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
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dfoulkes
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by dfoulkes »

Just a little more info about this Maint. thing. And I'm not sure if things have changed with version 57 stuff... and I don't remember which Firefox version release started this whole Maint. thing... but long ago it came in here with one of the updates... not an install... but an update. And even though I have set Firefox to not auto update ... it did after the Maint-included version... checked around here when that happened and was told to uninstall the Maint svc... since then I've never had any updates to Firefox that I didn't push for... for now I'm on ESR but I moved to that when all the S*** hit the fan with exts. not working, or will not work... if I updated further... just waiting for enough time to pass to where hopefully lots of my exts. will rise again.. or, something at least close to them...

Plus, and a many of us do, I always do profile backups before an update... and that is why I need to control those updates.
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by therube »

Starting here, Maintenance.
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by L.A.R. Grizzly »

I would also suggest that you delete the two maintenanceservice files in the FX program directory.

maintenanceservice.exe
maintenanceservice_installer.exe
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Shadoefax
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Re: How to keep Fx from updating to Quantum

Post by Shadoefax »

This seems like it should work, but I think I found a slightly less drastic solution.

First I cleared the contents then set the permissions of C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Local\Mozilla\updates to read-only for all users except Administrator. This way Firefox cannot write the updates so there is nothing to apply. I tested this by opening Help > About Firefox and clicking 'Check for updates'. No updates were downloaded. The only problem to this is that it may prevent updates to Thunderbird and SeaMonkey, but they get updated so rarely I don't think it will be an issue for me.

As for removing the Mozilla Maintenance Service, that is also a good idea since it will force the UAC prompt to display prior to applying any updates (should they somehow still get through). And at that point, you can cancel the update before it starts.
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