For regular users, having a silent application that constantly updates the browser is a good thing. There's no annoying interface that interrupts you to ask your permission before updating the application and you no longer have to manually check for updates. Unfortunately, Google Chrome's automatic updater is not a great feature if you have limited bandwidth or in an enterprise environment, since you can't customize it.
Now you can use the Group Policy Editor from Windows or add some Registry keys to customize Google Update.
Google Update for Enterprise explains how you can import an administrative template in the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) and change the auto-update check period or even disable the auto-updater.
You can configure separate policies for different Google applications, allow only manual updates and even prevent the applications from installing on your computer.
If your operating doesn't include a policy editor (Windows XP Home, Windows Vista Home), edit the Registry directly. Just create the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Updateand add two DWORD values:
AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes - auto-update check interval (for example: 1440 to check for updates once a day)
DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue - 1, if you want to disable the auto-updater; 0, if you want to enable it.
"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,"
says David Dorwin, from the Google Update Team.
Labels: Google Update
said on May 15, 2009 6:25 PM PDT:
I would love to not have the Googleupdate.exe software in my process-es list...but there is no such thing as "googleupdate.adm" :(
can't anyone just create some .reg file for the registry edit??
Seems like this post is the companion piece to your post from earlier this week that Chrome was the most effective at staying up-to-date (e.g. for security updates): http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2009/05/google-chrome-most-effective-updater.html
So by default the update takes place, but admins can override that policy if they really want to.
Ephilei said on May 15, 2009 8:14 PM PDT:
Good . . but . . . OS X? Linux?
said on May 15, 2009 8:27 PM PDT:
Background update processes are annoying and inefficient (I cringe at thought of every program on my computer running a separate update task -- all with their own memory leaks and security risks). With msconfig, you can disable GoogleUpdate.exe from loading, and use the task scheduler to disable the on-idle update.
Microsoft should have a package manager with repositories, like most Linux distros have had for years. Windows Update already works for MS Office and drivers, so why don't they allow software developers to register their own repositories? Then I could have one simple screen that lists and describes available updates, allowing me to selectively apply them.
I have been thinking of giving my views on Google Updater for a long time:
The first thing is that this is the only piece of code created by Google which doesn't adhere to the norms of Google's Software Principles (http://www.google.co.in/intl/en/corporate/software_principles.html)
There is no upfront disclosure, not simple to remove, has a bad behaviour and snoops every second. The technique provided in this post is cumbersome and difficult for many people. This contradicts googles philosophy of simple removal.
Google Chrome is a highly sophisticated, pretty useful and simple to use BADWARE by Google.
I hope Google starts respecting peoples options (like they always use to)
said on May 16, 2009 3:30 AM PDT:
The registry change doesn't seem to be working for me; No matter what values I try for the two keys, GoogleUpdate.exe still launches when I log into my Windows account. Anyone else having better luck?
@Anonymous:
Maybe it's a good idea to delete the GoogleUpdate entry from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run . Google's documentation doesn't explain if the Registry entry prevents Google Update from running or just from checking for updates.
gravi_t said on May 16, 2009 4:42 AM PDT:
Very useful, thanks!
Hunnter said on May 16, 2009 11:46 AM PDT:
They should have an actual option for auto-updater running.
It should be accessible from every auto-updater enabled program.
As you mentioned, some people could be on a bandwidth limited line. (especially now with all these portable internet adapters, those things have crazy low limits)
When i suddenly see my downstreams value rocket up, it rings alarm bells.
Sometimes that terrible Windows Live Messenger is the culprit.
I'm getting to the point of blacklisting every Microsoft related site if it continues that crap. (or a specific URL if i can be bothered finding out whenever it does it again)
Weird, I neither have the Policies > Google entry nor I can open Group Policy Editor.
Steve said on May 19, 2009 10:53 AM PDT:
I have gpedit.msc, but it doesn't mention Google at all. Can we get some screenshots from an XP box?
said on May 20, 2009 1:14 AM PDT:
in the DWORD settings, do i choose hexadecimal or decimal for the value i put in?
said on June 2, 2009 8:38 AM PDT:
@Anonymous said on May 20, 2009 1:14 AM PDT:
Good question, the overview isn't too specific. I'm thinking it's Decimal though....but who knows, I'll see how this runs :)
At the Google Repository comment.....actually, Google sorta _has_ one...it's called the Google Updater....but back to your point....it seems Google Chrome doesn't even USE the Google Updater - they created their own evil, "Google Update" which simply runs in the background 24/7....lol.
Which is kinda odd, ya know, it is Google, you'd think they would "tie it all together" somewhere/somehow...as of current, the "Google Pack" seems to be only a method of them getting royalties from Real (Player), Adobe (Acrobat), Spyware Doctor, , and Sun Microsystems, Skype, Mozilla Corp (Firefox with Google Toolbar extension), Norton Security Scan, and a couple other Google products.
But yea, why not "tie it all together" and use the same engine/executable that Google Pack uses?
Doesn't really make sense....the only thing I can think of, is from reading news releases, it appears that each "campus" does different projects....so, they figure oh, our campus didn't make the Google Pack, so we can't use it for our application (Google Chrome)? I don't know ;) Just speculation. I wish they would use the same engine, it would make updating a lot easier.
_Shorty said on June 5, 2009 2:21 AM PDT:
Running a process 24/7 in order to do PERIODIC update checks is ridiculous. And being able to disable that app isn't the answer. An app designed to periodically update a main app should be run periodically, and exit after the check. It shouldn't run 24/7 and do periodic checks and sit there directly and indirectly wasting memory and CPU. An updater app is fine. Run it periodically via the task scheduler. That's what the freakin' task scheduler is for. Freakin' google. You can suck it.
iozzi said on June 5, 2009 7:50 AM PDT:
Many programs have this functionality built into the UI. In Firefox it's under Tools/Options/Advanced/Updates.
Google's "response" to this issue is pathetic at best. Just admit it was a poor choice, make the check box and move on. Telling users that you know what is best for them and they don't need control of their own system is asinine.
Maybe it was a poor choice for me to assume that Google wasn't just another evil, uncaring corporate entity. I won't make that mistake again.
said on June 17, 2009 12:31 PM PDT:
Running XP professional, I could not find anything on Google in gpedit.msc, but discover that there is a scheduled task called "GoogleUpdateTaskUser", it is set by default to activate when the system is idle for 10 mins, customization is possible. This is fine for me, however Google should have explained it in support page.
I was confused, think others may be like me, when reading http://www.google.com/support/pack/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=53402 which explains how to uninstall "googleupdater.exe", it is not googleupdate.exe which is running in my system. And, I found no support page about googleupdate.exe! p.s. the difference is updater and update after google, a bit tricky!
David said on July 29, 2009 7:43 AM PDT:
Is this still true since the switch from the background process to the scheduled tasks? I've set the policy to daily and disabled Google Update's hourly check process (because it doesn't disable itself). Does the interval policy still work or is it just going to re-add the hourly task in spite of all that just like the misbehaved updater it's always been in the past?
said on August 27, 2009 12:24 AM PDT:
This needs to be protested more publicly. This is capable of stealing bandwidth without permission, at very inconvenient times.
David said on September 24, 2009 11:28 AM PDT:
This workaround no longer works with the latest Google Update. It uses several different methods to bring itself back. So once again it's malware in my book.
said on December 5, 2009 3:53 AM PDT:
Google is one step away from malware.
said on December 10, 2009 4:10 AM PDT:
And on Mac?
said on January 23, 2010 6:57 AM PDT:
For Windows, use Autoruns for Windows (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx), it gives so very good control over what will at system startup.
David said on February 1, 2010 9:31 AM PDT:
Reenabled itself yet again, running in the background doing absolutely nothing 24/7. Which manager do we need to send kindly worded letters of frustration to get the wheels turning again?
@David:
To quote from another David (a Google employee):
"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."
