Messages

[1)]

There are three Patch My PC v5 updaters.

1) The first one is located at the below location and is used to check for updates and download third-party software updates.

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C:\Program Files\Patch My PC\Patch My PC Home Updater\updater.exe
2) The second one is located at the below location and is used to download updates for the actual Patch My PC application itself.  These updates come from https://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/PatchMyPC.exe – Cloudflare IP addresses 104.22.68.185, 104.22.69.185, 172.67.7.92.

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C:\Windows\SystemTemp\2d20c907e1aef7dca6db4aed69664c90\updater.exe
3) The third one is located at the below location.

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C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp\2d20c907e1aef7dca6db4aed69664c90\updater.exe

These second and third updaters use what looks like a 32-character MD5 hash in the file path to the updater executable.

Not having a fixed file path is problematic at this makes it impossible to create rules – for example adding a firewall exception to allow it to make outbound connections.  Therefore, is this 32-character hash going to remain constant – so that the updaters are always using an expected file path?  Or is it likely to randomly change?

[1)]

It's great that ExifTool has been added to Patch My PC Version 5.0.0.0.  However, it's not particularly useful in it's current form.

The issues are as follows:

1) Patch My PC just downloads a .zip file and doesn't unzip it.

2) The .zip file has the ExifTool version number in the file path. Version numbers in the path are a nuisance because the path to the ExifTool exe will change every single time it updates. It should be a fixed path that doesn't change – particularly as it's used as a command line tool.

3) The ExifTool executable has (-k) in the executable name 'exiftool(-k).exe', rather than the more conventional 'exiftool.exe' .

This is obviously not the fault of Patch My PC, it is due to the ExifTool developer doing things in a non user-friendly way.  However, it would be helpful if there was a way to improve this.

The ExifTool website does state to unzip it and rename 'exiftool(-k).exe' to 'exiftool.exe' for command line use.  See here (https://exiftool.org/):

"The Windows executable archives include Perl. Just download and un-zip the appropriate archive then double-click on "exiftool(-k).exe" to read the application documentation, drag-and-drop files and folders to view meta information, or rename to "exiftool.exe" for command-line use. Note that if you move the .exe to another folder, you must also move the "exiftool_files" folder to the same location."

The ExifTool homepage also links to a more conventional installer (self-installing versions of ExifTool) that would be much more useful for Patch My PC.  However, the ExifTool developer just links to these instead of supplying them himself:

"The Windows packages are based on work by Oliver Betz, and use his launcher. Oliver also provides self-installing versions of these executables. See this forum post if you have any problems/comments with these versions."

So, it could be possible for Patch My PC to resolve the issue by using these self-installing versions.  However, while these are linked to by the ExifTool developer from the official ExifTool homepage, as these installers are created and hosted by a third-party developer it could potentially open up the possibility of a xz Utils type of supply chain attack.

These self-installing versions of ExifTool put 'exiftool.exe' and the 'exiftool_files' folder in "C:\Program Files\ExifTool" (if installing for all users), which is really how it should be.  See the below screenshots.

Screenshot A (ExifTool installed by Patch My PC):


Screenshot B (ExifTool installed by self-installing version of ExifTool):


If Patch My PC does not want to use these self-installing versions due to them not being hosted on the official ExifTool website (which would be understandable, as they should come from the main developer himself), would there be a way to somehow replicate their behaviour instead of just downloading the .zip?

Yes, it now works fine.  Thanks!

[Screenshots:]

eM Client 10 was originally installed using the .msi installer from the eM Client website (not through the Microsoft Store).

The version of eM Client currently installed on the machine is 10.1.4393 and it resides at C:\Program Files (x86)\eM Client\MailClient.exe .

Patch My PC (5.0.0.1) correctly identifies that there's a newer version of eM Client (10.1.4411), however it does not detect that eM Client is installed on the machine.

Screenshots:




eM Client Release History:
https://www.emclient.com/release-history?os=win

PS:  I'm really liking the new v5 update.

Understandable.  Thanks.

[Release history here:]

The Patch My PC definitions don't include eM Client version 10 updates.

eM Client offer both free and paid licences, therefore Patch My PC can't just update all eM Client version 9 software to eM Client version 10 software, because those with paid licences may not necessarily have licences for version 10.

However, when eM Client has been updated from version 9 to version 10 manually, version 10 stops being automatically updated by Patch My PC, as it only seems to have definitions for version 9.

Patch My PC needs to include eM Client version 10 updates for those who have installed version 10.

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2024-05-09 eM Client 9.2.2258.0 (latest version of eM Client v9 and latest version offered by Patch My PC)
2024-07-18 eM Client 10.0.3266.0 (v10 released)
2024-08-05 eM Client 10.0.3447.0 (most recent v10 release)
Release history here:
https://www.emclient.com/release-history?os=win

[Screenshot:]

The latest version of Microsoft Visual Studio Code is currently version 1.88.1 (as of 2024-04-12):

https://code.visualstudio.com/updates

However, PatchMyPC is showing that 1.88.1 is out of date and is trying to install 1.88.2 – which doesn't exist.

Screenshot:


Log File:

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12/04/2024 14:17:43 - Cannot get portable App path from the registry.
12/04/2024 14:17:43 - Patch My PC Started
12/04/2024 14:17:43 - Checking connection to patchmypc.com
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Verified connection to patchmypc.com. Status Code: 200
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Getting latest definitions from patchmypc.com
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Definition load completed in: 0.19 seconds
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Patch My PC version 4.5.0.4 is running. The latest is 4.5.0.4
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Performing scan of installed applications
12/04/2024 14:17:44 - Scan completed in: 0.48 seconds
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Patch My PC 4.5.0.4 | Definitions: 11-April-2024 | 12/04/2024 14:17:56

12/04/2024 14:17:56 - OS: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro x64

12/04/2024 14:17:56 - 1 App(s) to install or update...
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Download URL: https://vscode.download.prss.microsoft.com/dbazure/download/stable/e170252f762678dec6ca2cc69aba1570769a5d39/VSCodeSetup-x64-1.88.1.exe
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Download Path: C:\PatchMyPCUpdates\Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64).exe
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Download size: 94.88 MB
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Download Starting for: https://vscode.download.prss.microsoft.com/dbazure/download/stable/e170252f762678dec6ca2cc69aba1570769a5d39/VSCodeSetup-x64-1.88.1.exe
12/04/2024 14:17:56 - Downloading:  Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64) (94.88 MB)
12/04/2024 14:18:37 - Total download time in seconds: 41.20
12/04/2024 14:18:37 - Install Command: /VERYSILENT /NOCLOSEAPPLICATIONS /NORESTARTAPPLICATIONS /SP- /NORESTART /MERGETASKS=!runcode
12/04/2024 14:18:37 -  Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64) Downloaded Successfully

12/04/2024 14:18:37 -  Silently install Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64)
12/04/2024 14:19:02 -  Install Successful for Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64)
12/04/2024 14:19:03 - Deleted file: C:\PatchMyPCUpdates\Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64).exe
12/04/2024 14:19:03 -  Shortcut for Visual Studio Code 1.88.2 (x64) not found


The Patch My PC application is making requests over plain HTTP (Port 80).

Some of them are expected, for example TLS certificate revocation checking to http://ocsp.digicert.com/, which is normal.

However, some of them are requests to Patch My PC's own host over plain HTTP (Port 80).  While Cloudflare returns a "301 Moved Permanently" response and it gets upgraded to a HTTPS (Port 443) TLS 1.2 connection, is there a reason why Patch My PC does not request HTTPS in the first place?

Example requests over HTTP:

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http://patchmypc.com/freeupdater/definitions/definitions.xml

http://patchmypc.com/redirect.htm?V=4.5.0.4&OS=Win10&SILENT=0

http://patchmypc.net/redirected.htm?source=app

[Steps to Reproduce:]

When updating LibreOffice, LibreOffice does not close despite the setting "Auto Close Apps Before Update" being enabled.

Steps to Reproduce:

1) Install an older version of LibreOffice (LibreOffice_7.6.4_Win_x86-64.msi).

2) Open LibreOffice Writer and deliberately leave it open.

3) Open Patch My PC.

4) Go to Options.

5) Enable the setting "Auto Close Apps Before Update".

6) Close and reopen Patch My PC.

7) Click "Perform 1 Update" button to update LibreOffice to the latest version (LibreOffice 24.2 x64).

8) Patch My PC does not close the currently open LibreOffice process before updating it.


Screenshot:



Logfile:

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2/23/2024 8:49:44 PM - 1 App(s) to install or update...
2/23/2024 8:49:44 PM - Automatically killing process soffice.exe for LibreOffice 24.2 (x64) installation
2/23/2024 8:49:44 PM -  Automatically killing process soffice.exe for installing LibreOffice 24.2 (x64)
2/23/2024 8:49:45 PM - Download URL: https://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable/24.2.0/win/x86_64/LibreOffice_24.2.0_Win_x86-64.msi
2/23/2024 8:49:45 PM - Download Path: C:\PatchMyPCUpdates\LibreOffice 24.2 (x64).msi
2/23/2024 8:49:45 PM - Download size: 346.67 MB
2/23/2024 8:49:45 PM - Download Starting for: https://download.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/stable/24.2.0/win/x86_64/LibreOffice_24.2.0_Win_x86-64.msi
2/23/2024 8:49:45 PM - Downloading:  LibreOffice 24.2 (x64) (346.67 MB)
2/23/2024 8:51:08 PM - Total download time in seconds: 83.70
2/23/2024 8:51:08 PM - Install Command: /qn REBOOT=ReallySuppress
2/23/2024 8:51:08 PM -  LibreOffice 24.2 (x64) Downloaded Successfully

2/23/2024 8:51:08 PM -  Silently install LibreOffice 24.2 (x64)
2/23/2024 8:54:16 PM -  Install Successful for LibreOffice 24.2 (x64) & Restart Needed
2/23/2024 8:54:16 PM - Deleted file: C:\PatchMyPCUpdates\LibreOffice 24.2 (x64).msi
2/23/2024 8:54:17 PM - Checking portable App path in: C:\Users\WDAGUtilityAccount\Desktop\PortableApps
2/23/2024 8:54:17 PM -
Patch My PC Update Complete 2/23/2024 8:54:17 PM

[Steps to Reproduce:]

When the setting "Delete Desktop Shortcuts for Apps" is enabled, when Patch My PC is restarted the setting "Auto Close Apps Before Update" also shows as enabled.

Steps to Reproduce:

1) Open Patch My PC.

2) Go to Options.

3) Enable the setting "Delete Desktop Shortcuts for Apps".

4) Close and reopen Patch My PC.

5) Go to Options.

6) The setting "Auto Close Apps Before Update" shows as enabled, even though it was not enabled.

Screenshot: