How to disable the unwanted self update?
Thereās no way to disable auto-updates in SQLBackupAndFTP. One can make a case that they would not want auto-updates because of the risk that a buggy update break their backup. And it is a valid point and in our long history we had our share of mistakes. However the same auto-update allowed us to fix these problems fast. We currently have staged update when it is first released to alpha-testers, then small number of new users, then larger and larger number while we monitor the errors and fix them promptly if anything is found. The soft works in close integration with services running on our website - it may upload logs to web log, monitor if server went down, checks license status - all of this require that client was up to date. Destination providers constantly change something. That is why we release updates usually several times a week. We understand the arguments against auto-update, but we think that the benefits currently outweigh the negatives.
ok then Iām going to give you one. every time the program (auto) updates I have to spend hours to make the program work again. Reed the last 2 comments please: After Update failure 11.1.13 to 11.1.15 program not starting service
Before the update all ok after the update crap. And this is every time after an update since the new 11.x version.
I need to remove the program, clean the register, reinstall the program and hope it will work again. Normally this is not the case, I have to repeat the same action multiple times and then for no apparent reason it works again (till the next update that is). So please make a checkbox to disable auto update. The logs are not helping. And this is the last time Iām doing this.
Oh, thatās not a workable solution of course - too much work for you. But instead of putting a bandage on it by disabling auto-updates, why donāt we fix the underlying problem of service not starting? I see in the thread youāve sent that our team made several attempts to fix the problem with service not starting. But since we can not replicate the problem on our servers it is like shooting in the dark. If you could you give our developers remote access to your server - weāll fix it. PM or email us please.
Thank you for your option. The program is working again (11.4.4), I donāt know when there is going to be a new update but when it stops working again after the next update I will give you a PM with teamviewer credintials.
Hi,
I also make a request for this features. Here a couple of reasons why(please take the time to seriously discuss this feature) :
Itās the third time my backup stop working properly because of an update. Example at the last update the framework 4.6 was needed by the tools wich was not installed on our servers. So the backup stop working. If I could choose when I want to update the tools that kind of problem would have never happen. It should be a really important features as you probably know almost no software makes update automatically especially those who are you used for enterprise purpose. Windows server never force update as it could affect the stability of the environnement.
If thereās no development on that feature i will have to find a more robust solution.
Thank you
Hi Veronique, exactly my thoughts
Hi Wicherp,
The support team respond to my request by email referring to that discussion saying that they discused the oportunity of adding that feature amd decided not to do it. Sorry but i dont call that a discussion.
It should be a priority. For all the reasons mentionned up above.
Hi Veronique,
You may have noticed that on Windows with every new version you have less and less control on auto-updates. There are good reasons software providers do that and I have explained our reasons in the previous post.
We see your arguments perfectly - who wants software that suddenly breaks? You have just 1 server. We have customers with several hundred servers. We are VERY motivated not to break their backups.
Framework change was a very big change that we handled as good as we could. We have such a tiered approach to updates that chances that our paying customers get any errors are very small. We receive automatic notification of errors from our beta-testers, then from trial users. A bug is often fixed in a new release before a beta-tester had a chance to realize that there is a bug in the previous release. The same auto-update that potentially can introduce the problem allows us to promptly fix it instead of having a handful of computers with bugs and no option to do anything. What if it is a security vulnerability? And weād be unable to fix that? We need auto-updates. Stability is more important to us than new features and I believe with our current procedures we are very stable.
In the next week or so we will introduce āServer down alertsā as a free addition to our Full-Service subscription. You already receive failed backup notifications. Now, if for some reason our service fails to start - you will be able to receive a notification about that as well. Just one more level of certainly that you backups work.
Yes, there are risks in auto-updates, but the risks on relying on software that was not updated in years in this dynamic world are greater. We do not completely rule out making auto-updates optional in the future, but the reasons on keeping it mandatory in our view currently outweigh the reasons for making it optional.
Hi Ruslan, I only have one server with SQL databases running and over 50 other kind of servers . On this one server are more than 80 databases. I told you earlier I donāt have the time check 1 server running your software every day. And There is not one server who updates (except AV) auto, not ONE program. Only SQLbackupandFTP! I think making one checkbox to disable auto update is not a lot of work and the we donāt spent more time on this issue.
Oh and BTW now I receive the ābackup succesā mail and when I login I see the red ! (backup fail)ā¦
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We did not have auto-updates from 2008 and only introduced it in 2017. It is actually not trivial and majority of companies would love to have it, but do not do it because it requires work. Adding checkbox is trivial, but we wonāt be doing it for reasons explained earlier. If you want an unsupported hack to stop updates - just delete wyupdate.wyc from installation folder or add an entry to hosts file to redirect request to api.sqlbak.com to localhost. Again, unsupported, so do at your own risk.
Please create a separate thread and provide more details on the issues with red flag if any.
But because the majority of companies want it the few who donāt have to be not 100% satisfied? And do a āhackā solution. Donāt get me wrong the program is very useful and I am using it for a few years now but it is frustrating me now to the point I donāt want to use it anymore. Not only for the hiccups but especially because the last discussion. I donāt need updates every few weeks, I only want my 90 databases back upped to a local network share. Nothing more nothing less. The last years it worked like a charm. I manually updated the system every few months at the moment I wanted and now you (not personally ) are making the decision for me. Usually at the most inconvenient moment thatās my point. Good bye.
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Im not really sure that the majority of the compannies want it. Did you make a survey about that features. I think that you probably assume that because not much people complaim about it and itās probably only because that majority did not encounter any problem with the automatic update.
The fact that we have only one server is not an argument. The data is really sensitive.
It should be our choice anyway.
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Hi Veronique,
In my case the most of the servers I maintain are on ships. Happily not running SQL. I have to maintain them remotely over dodgy Satellite connections. I donāt want to think about running Sqlbackup in this situation. Auto update which is not able to be disabled, in those cases will be killing. As every program will be. Wicher
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Hmm, I see how it can be a problem on ships with dodgy connections. We will review the options with the team one more time.
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@Veronique_Couturier, @wicherp your arguments were overwhelming and the team has agreed that you are right and despite complications that it adds to us we have to give users an option to disable auto-updates. Thank you for your persistence, we will release this option live in about 2 weeks.
Ok, nice!!!
I also would like to disable auto-updates, do you have an estimated date for the release?
Thanks
Still working on it because adding few more options in that release. ETA is between 1 and 2 weeks. Sorry for the delay.
Sorry for the delay, we had other matters that required attention. The disable auto-update feature is being rolled out today in version 11.6.0. It will take a few days to reach all users.
To disable auto-updates go to Help > Check for updatesā¦ and uncheck āAutomatically download and install updatesā
To manually update the app, press button Update now on the same form (only visible when your version is not the latest)
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