313317 - Installer Builds Aren't Updating channel-prefs.js

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Toolkit :: Application Update, defect)

Description

[Scott MacGregor]

It took me a while to figure out why some of my installations weren't getting
updates anymore. I finally figured out why.

1) Use the installer to install beta 1 or beta 2.
2) Note that the update channel is "beta" in channel-prefs.js
3) Now move to a branch nightly build by downloading say today's 10/21 build.
Run the installer, installing on top of your beta installation.

After the installer runs, note that the channel-prefs.js file in the application
directory still says "beta" and not "nightly".

You are now running a branch nightly build which will never update to the next
nightly. I'm not sure why the installer is failing to update this file like it
does the rest of the pref files.

Comment 1

[Scott MacGregor]

This could be a problem for users who installed the beta, then the night 1.5 is
released, they download the installer because they are so excited they don't
want to wait for the software update. Now they'll end up with a 1.5 final build
with the wrong channel (beta instead of release).

Comment 2

[Scott MacGregor]

Hmm this seems to have been fixed between 10/18 and 10/21.

If I download a 10/18 installer build, the channel is left as beta.

If I download a 10/21 installer build, the channel gets reset to nightly like it
should.

I'll see what changed that may have fixed this. removing the blocker nomination. 

Comment 3

[Nick Thomas [:nthomas] (UTC+12)]

Looks like the .mozconfig changed on the tinderbox between 10/18 and 10/19
nightlies.

Comment 4

[Darin Fisher]

Please note, FWIW, that the MAR files do not (or should not) contain
channel-prefs.js because 1) a MAR file could be used on multiple channels, and
2) the channel should be a property of the original installation.

I realize that this is not what you were talking about, but I just wanted to
highlight it in case anyone else reading this bug sees that we do not include
channel-prefs.js in the MAR files ;-)

Comment 5

[Ria Klaassen (not reading all bugmail)]

(In reply to comment #0)

> You are now running a branch nightly build which will never update to the next
> nightly. 

I have never seen that the updater made any difference between beta and nightly.
When you change the channel from nightly to beta and click Help > Check for
Updates, it updates it to a nightly. After a restart you still see:
app.update.channel beta.

Comment 6

[Darin Fisher]

> I have never seen that the updater made any difference between beta and nightly.

You can only change the channel by hand-editing the value in channel-prefs.js. 
Attempting to modify the value by using about:config won't work.

Comment 7

[Ben Turner (not reading bugmail, use the needinfo flag!)]

Any ideas on how to resolve this? Or should we just assume that anyone using the beta/nightly builds are smart enough to manually change their channel-prefs.js file if they switch?

Comment 8

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Per comment #2 this bug as originally reported is now wfm.