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Firefox update not for the mom and pop user
Users looking to apply the latest security upgrade of the open source Firefox browser have an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.
They are advised to manually uninstall the software before they can get the new security features. There is no simple patch for them to apply.
In terms of ease of use, Microsoft's Internet Explorer outshines Firefox – for now at least.
February 25, 2005 at 09:35 PM | Permalink
Comments
Where is this advice given? I just install the new (updated)version on the top of the old version, as I have always done. I am not aware of any issues or problems from doing this.
Posted-by: Jules | 27 Feb 2005 22:36:59
There is no need at all to uninstall a previous version of Firefox. Setup asks to close open windows of firefox, existing configuration, bookmarks, etc. will be kept...
Just as expected !!
Posted-by: Frits van Dee | 28 Feb 2005 07:31:17
The mozilla foundation have always recommended that you uninstall a previous version before installing an update. If you haven't, that is why you'll have reference to more than one version in your Add/Remove Programs list.
See here:
http://www.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla1.1/#install
As for this being an "unpleasant surprise", it is hardly difficult to uninstall a program - even for the "mom and pop user" (all your settings remain intact, as they are stored in a different location).
Posted-by: Somebody | 28 Feb 2005 10:54:33
all well and good for the single vision and the self absorbed. How about advice for those who have NOT yet been unfortunate enough to have installed Firefox and who do not " ...have reference to more than one version in your Add/Remove Programs list." And for those with two tits, what actually IS the harm in having these multiple references. The nerdy and the knowledgeable are such hard work sometimes.....
Posted-by: Jona Adali - Mortty | 28 Feb 2005 21:09:40
PS - and how about a little USEFUL date on where exatly one may find these useful security - now we have spent time celebrating the downsides....
Posted-by: Jona Adali - Mortty | 28 Feb 2005 21:13:42
Just where *one* would expect to find it:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
LG :)
Posted-by: LG | 28 Feb 2005 22:20:49
I downloaded this latest update now can not understand what all the fuss is about.
Have just checked to make sure 1.01 is installed and it is.Where is the problem or did this arise from "you know who"
Alan J.
Posted-by: Alan J Cornrlius | 28 Feb 2005 23:26:49
HAs anybody here actually checked this out? Not knowing any better, I downloaded version 101 a few nights ago and just ran the program. Firefox is running perfectly. The bookmarks, passwords and cookies are all still in place, and I have seen no problem whatsoever.
Posted-by: John Bailey | 1 Mar 2005 00:39:43
At least Firefox can be uninstalled easily if you were daft enough to want to.
Ever tried uninstalling Internet Explorer and actually been able to get rid of every last bit of it??
Posted-by: Bnos | 1 Mar 2005 20:00:49
Before you all start bitching about this post, maybe you should ask some ppl that actually have HAD problems. I am not a n00b, by any means. However, Firefox 1.01 did NOT update as excepted. A couple of entries in Add/Remove doesn't really bother me, and there was no message recommending an uninstall first, hence I didn't. It did appear the update worked flawlessly. However, firefox WILL NOT load now, it just gives the error "The program must close to allow installation to complete. Please restart", even if firefox is started in safe-mode. Firefox will not uninstall now either, the registry sections are all screwed up, and no re-installing didn't work either. So now it's down to a COMPLETE manual uninstallation. Which anyone who has ever had to complete one knows how extremely difficult that can be sometimes. It's either that or complete OS re-installation. Now doesn't that sound almost as crappy as IE???
Posted-by: basixs | 2 Mar 2005 17:28:05
I use Firefox and have done for some time, ever since its early 0.x test editions.
I have to say that I have NEVER had ANY problems - If you do install over the top then yes, you can have multiple entries in your Add/Remove list, but this shouldn't really be a problem - and the advanced user can always remove the unwanted entry from the registry.
From my experience, and from the posts in this thread, I woudl say that to experience a problem from this action is far from the norm, and from that I can only conclude that those who do experience a problem are either doing something horrible wrong, or have a corrupt download or original installation.
Posted-by: andipbecker | 3 Mar 2005 16:09:47
"If you do install over the top then yes, you can have multiple entries in your Add/Remove list, but this shouldn't really be a problem - and the advanced user can always remove the unwanted entry from the registry."
Let me translate: If you're getting gas (or petrol as the English prefer to say) for you car, it's OK for you to have to open the hood of your car and manually turn of the fuel pump before you fill up?? And this is acceptable why?
Why do computer users have to worry about installing an application on top of the other? What can't the Mozilla foundation publish a patch that will fix the entire problem, and get rid of the need to install the software all over again?
Hence my point: NOT FOR THE MOM AND POP USER.
Posted-by: SV Sleuth | 4 Mar 2005 01:22:12
On my home machines, I tried the automatic update (i.e. the little red circle with uparrow). It failed, on two machines (both running Win2K). It gets to the page where it lists the updates available (just one) and you tell it to proceed and it just hangs.
I eventually discovered that by disabling Norton and logging in as Administrator, it worked smoothly, no problems.
Now I'm at work and cannot upgrade here at all. I get the same hang, but I have no control over corporate firewalls and do not have the Administrator account password on my own machine (my own login has admin priviliges, though, so maybe that's not the issue).
IMHO the Firefox web pages are at fault for offering no clear place to go for upgrade (vs initial install), no relevant troubleshooting help, no warning that you have to disable Norton or login as administrator or whatever they require, and above all no clear way to download an executable to a temp directory in one step, and then run it locally in a second step. This is the universal fallback and should never be omitted.
bd
Posted-by: BadDaddy | 7 Mar 2005 15:53:53
Update to my problem. Yes, there was a problem with the install. Yes it was a REGISTRY problem. Firefox put some VERY strange user rights on my registry, so strange that the installation program couldn't remove or even access them. The only thing I can think of thats different from your typical user, is that I am on a very secure domain. Luckily I am the admin, so I was able to bypass the rights (which wasn't easy) and removed all offending registry sections. I am posting this info in hopes that it will help someone else.
Posted-by: basixs | 7 Mar 2005 17:07:08
Your personal experiences mean very little to me, when it's MY problem. I don't care how easy the upgrade has been for you, when MY copy won't work.
My install didn't complete, and it complained about user priveledges. When I cancelled setup (the only option) it didn't seamlessly rollback to the previous version. Instead, I'm stuck with "The program must close to allow installation to complete. Please restart"
BUT IT'S NEVER GOING TO COMPLETE!
This upgrade wasn't sufficently tested, from my point of view.
And, we'll never agree because we're all just posting anecdotal evidence. SO, what was the actual success rate for the upgrade? How many users upgraded seemlessly? If you can't give me this kind of DATA, you've got NOTHING but opinions.
And we all know what opinions are like, so go stick your finger in it.
Posted-by: Jason Bell | 8 Mar 2005 04:17:14
I have the problem, mentioned previously by SV Sleuth, that
after clicking the red exclamation point, proceeding through a menu, the update program runs endlessly with no apparent progress. I've been halfheartedly hunting for solutions.
Posted-by: Avi | 18 Mar 2005 19:06:33
Spanish
