Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Whenever we build out new products and features at Google, we try to ensure that we provide users with two key components: transparency and control. About a month ago we released the Google Update source code to give users and developers transparency into Google's update mechanism. Today we hope to fulfill this second component by providing advanced users the ability to control the installation and updating of Google products via Google Update. Thanks to automatic updates, most users should already have this version of Google Update.
The update policy is controlled via Windows Group Policy, allowing network administrators to apply policies to all computers on their domain and power users with administrative privileges to set the policy on individual machines. We provide an Administrative Template file that allows selection of policies using standard graphical user interfaces such as Group Policy Editor.
The new Group Policy support allows an administrator to specify which Google applications can be installed and how they should be updated. You can select from one of three update options: automatically, manually, or not at all. Administrators can also control how frequently Google Update checks for software updates.
Mac users have similar controls over Google Software Update. Mac users are able to change how often update checks occur or disable update checks all together. See the Managing updates in Google Software Update Help Center article for details.
We work hard to keep our users safe and secure when using our applications, and we believe that making sure users have the latest software available using automatic updates is a key component of that. However, we realize that there are situations where automatic updates may not be desirable so we wanted to provide the ability to control updates when necessary.
To get started, take a look at the Google Update for Enterprise documentation.
9 comments:
I installed Chrome to Program Files using Google Pack, and am trying to go manual-updates-only, but editing the registry as instructed doesn't seem to be working for me. I've tried setting AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes to 0, as well as setting DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue to 1 (or 0) as this other blog suggests. But no matter what I try, GoogleUpdate.exe still launches when I log into my Windows account. Anyone else having better luck?
It sure would be nice if you would explain how to set this stuff for us Windows Home users. The help documentation is missing what the AppId value should be for each application.
It would also be nice if you had a safer method for us than playing with Regedit.
Thank you David for the information you provided on the most recent changes to Google Update (Keystone), which allow Mac users to either extend the time between automatic checks and updates or shut it down altogether.
Sadly it still does not allow for the one thing we have been demanding since Google slipped this onto our machines, manual updates so we can manually control when the software downloads updates to only those times when we are connected to a suitable network with available bandwidth (especially important for laptops!).
Again thank you, but there is more work to be done before many of us can allow Keystone to run on our machines again.
Tomas - University Place, WA
These policies control whether and how Google Update checks for updates but do not prevent Google Update from running. These two issues are independent of one another, and we are thinking about ways to help address concerns about the running process. For now, GoogleUpdate.exe continues to run and provide other services, including those for manual updates.
Although Group Policy Editor writes DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue, this value is not used by Google Update so you do not need to set it. Google Update only recognizes AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes and the other values documented in Registry Settings
If your goal is to manually update Chrome, you can delete these values and set Update{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96} to 2. This will ensure that you still get updates for other Google applications you may install, especially those that do not have a user interface for manual updates. The names of registry values for other applications can be found in the ADM file available from the Google Update for Enterprise documentation.
Hmmmmmm... Any comment, David, on the need for mobile users to control when Google Update checks/updates Google aps to prevent massive charges for overages? (Both Windows and OS X.)
This was one of the original problems complained of, and is still unaddressed.
I have no objection to keeping Google apps updated to the latest version, but I (and others) really need to be able to control when this is done.
If this is done while on a limited bandwidth, high expense mobile wireless (cellular, WiFi, satellite) connection, the disruption and potential cost to the user are unacceptable.
PLEASE understand that a way is needed for mobile users to limit updates until the machine is again on an appropriate network connection.
This means a simple way to manually tell the updater "now is the time to check and update" is needed, and that the updater MUST NOT attempt updates at other times.
Thank you fro your time and attention.
Tom
Both Google Update (Windows) and Google Software Update (Mac) support disabling update checks. You can also configure Google Update to check for updates (minimal bandwidth) but not download updates for some or all applications. These features can be used to prevent updates from occurring while on an inappropriate network connection.
Google Software Update (Mac) allows you to manually update all applications at once.
Google Update (Windows) allows individual applications to request updates using the IGoogleUpdate::Update() COM API - this is how the About Google Chrome dialog checks for updates. While there is currently no way to manually update all applications at once, someone could implement such a tool using this API. The Omaha code includes an example use of the API. Developing such a tool would be a good way to dip one's toes into Omaha development.
Another option is to change the Group Policy to allow updates and let Google Update check for and apply updates at the next scheduled time. If you want to accelerate the process, you can delete LastChecked from Software\Google\Update in HKEY_CURRENT_USER and/or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and start the Scheduled Task(s).
David, you wrote: "You can also configure Google Update to check for updates (minimal bandwidth) but not download updates for some or all applications."
The "Google Software Update" application has no face or controls visible. (And why is the application hidden in one of these obscure folders insted of in the Applications folder?
* /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/
or
* ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/
I can find no hint of how a Mac user (non-developer, non-programmer) is supposed to be able to allow Google Software Updater to check for updates on ALL Google apps and simply notify that there are updates available.
I also do not see a clear way to then allow selected updates (or not) if any updates are found available.
PLEASE do not suggest that I get into proprietary code development (Omaha or whatever) just to be able to control Google apps - to me a computer is a tool to use, not a job in and of itself. I'm not a computer programmer/developer and have absolutely no desire to be one.
So, where are all these seemingly magical controls you refer to located on the Google software on my Mac?
Why can't this be controlled with a couple of simple choices in the Options? Instead of having to create and remember where to update Group Policies?
Most other programs allow me to choose when I want to make updates. Besides others' valid points about Update kicking off while connected on an expensive mobile link, my experience has been that Update seems always to activate at the most inconvenient time for me--while I'm in the middle of some operation where all other applications should be shut down.
It would be very easy to give users the choice... "Chrome Update to v 2.x.x.x available. Install now or later?"
Chrome is a good browser, and right now, I need to have a second non-IE browser on my machine. However, the job with that requirement ends in seven weeks, and Firefox 3.5 is about to be released (with its version of "incognito mode"), and I may just remove Chrome to get rid of the uncontrollable updates.
I've also installed Chrome to Program Files using Google Pack, and am trying to go manual-updates-only - however we want to be able to create our own customized SWD packages for distribution to our corporate users. Where can be obtain the 'multiple user' version of chrome updates, & second question is it a requirement to use a google installer to apply these updates ? Any special switches required ?
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