Software Update

Firefox and Thunderbird are by default updated automatically to keep you secure. This article describes how configure and run Software Update as well as discusses problems that can occur during or after an update.

Checking for updates

Firefox and Thunderbird will periodically check for updates by themselves. If you want to force an update check, choose "Help -> Check for Updates...".

The update process

When an update is found, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the update. The application will need to restart to apply the update, but you can choose to restart later by pressing the Later button.

Possible update problems

• Updates reported when running newest version or "Software update failed" message when starting Firefox[1]
• Update succeeded, but Firefox or Thunderbird doesn't work after the update:
  • Can't connect to the Internet after updating
  • Browser will not start up
  • Gray bar below status bar
  • Scrollbar gone
• In Firefox and Thunderbird 1.5, the update download may get stuck at paused[2] or the download may fail with an error such as "AUS: Connection timed out"[3]. In such cases, you can reset Software Update:
  1. Close Firefox or Thunderbird and go to the installation directory
  2. Delete the files active-update.xml and updates.xml
  3. Delete the contents of the "updates" folder and its sub-folder (named "0")
  4. Start Firefox or Thunderbird and try to update again.

Configuring Software Update

Software Update options are under "Tools -> Options -> Advanced -> Update".

Update channels (Advanced)

Updates can be retrieved from a number of different update channels. This determines what kind of updates you will receive. The current update channels are:

• release: The release channel will provide stable release versions, including security updates (e.g. Firefox 1.5, 1.5.0.1, 1.5.1 etc. and their release candidates).
• beta: The beta channel lets you receive every beta, release candidate, and release version of the product (e.g. Firefox 1.5 beta 1, Firefox 1.5 RC 1, Firefox 1.5, etc.).
• nightly: The nightly channel allows you to update to every nightly test build that is produced. There are nightly channels for the trunk, and the Mozilla1.8 branch (leading to Firefox & Thunderbird 1.5).
• default: This channel is used when there is no channel information, for example if you build Firefox or Thunderbird yourself. There are no updates on this channel.

Please be aware that the nightly, and to a lesser extent beta, channel may install builds that have serious bugs. The application may be non-functional and/or result in your profile being corrupted. See Profile_backup for information to safeguard your data, and see the daily builds threads at the Mozillazine forums for the current status of the builds: Firefox, Thunderbird

The installer/zip/tar/dmg that you last used to install Firefox or Thunderbird determines what update channel you start on. It does this by installing the file channel-prefs.js into <install folder>\defaults\pref. To check which channel you are on, look in about:config at app.update.channel. Note that you cannot change channel using about:config. Instead, you can use the Update Channel Changer extension (go to Help -> Check for Updates -> Change Update Channel). Alternatively, you can edit the channel-prefs.js file with a text editor.

If you tried to change channel by editing channel-prefs.js and there is no app.update.channel pref in about:config, or it has not changed, then channel-prefs.js needs fixing. Either install the Update Channel Changer, or open <install dir>\defaults\pref\channel-prefs.js in a text editor like Notepad, making sure that it has two lines like this (for the nightly channel):

//@line 2 "/cygdrive/c/builds/tinderbox/Fx-Mozilla1.8/WINNT_5.2_Depend/mozilla/browser/app/profile/channel-prefs.js"
pref("app.update.channel", "nightly");

Only the // on the first line is important because it is a comment. If the value in about:config has still not changed, then right click and reset the preference - this removes the profile value that is masking the application one.

Update URLs (Advanced)

Early in the testing cycle of the new software update, testers were required to enter a special update url into the preference app.update.url. This is no longer the case and in fact now that preference is almost ignored. Only the setting from the file firefox.js (or thunderbird.js) in the installation directory is used. This is so the application always uses the same updates regardless of what user profile you are running with.