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Cannot update firefox as non-admin user on windows XP.

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  • 5 masɔmasɔ sia le wosi
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Windows XP SP3, user without admin privileges. FF version 44. Update (firefox => About => restart to complete update") to version 45 fails,

the update.log contains PATCH DIRECTORY C:\Documents and Settings\nauczyciel\Ustawienia lokalne\Dane aplikacji\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates\0a INSTALLATION DIRECTORY C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox WORKING DIRECTORY C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox NS_main: callback app file open attempt 1 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 2 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 3 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 4 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 5 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 6 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 7 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 8 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 9 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 10 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file in use, failed to exclusively open executable file: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe

I run the procmon.exe (from sysinternals suite) while the updater.exe executed and I see exactly 10 events, the updater.exe is getting access denied (5) when trying to access the firefox.exe.

But I do have marked "[x] use background service to update fireox" in firefox settings and expected update to perform by mozilla maintenance service (SYSTEM user). THe procmon.exe properties on "access denied" to firefox.exe event show that the updater.exe is running as 'non-admin' user and not as SYSTEM user, which I would expect from update being executed by mozilla maintenance service.

So the question is, why is update security context 'non- admin' user and not SYSTEM  ?

Starting firefox as admin user works, the update completes successfully.

Windows XP SP3, user without admin privileges. FF version 44. Update (firefox => About => restart to complete update") to version 45 fails, the update.log contains PATCH DIRECTORY C:\Documents and Settings\nauczyciel\Ustawienia lokalne\Dane aplikacji\Mozilla\Firefox\Mozilla Firefox\updates\0a INSTALLATION DIRECTORY C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox WORKING DIRECTORY C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox NS_main: callback app file open attempt 1 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 2 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 3 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 4 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 5 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 6 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 7 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 8 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 9 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file open attempt 10 failed. File: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe. Last error: 5 NS_main: callback app file in use, failed to exclusively open executable file: C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe I run the procmon.exe (from sysinternals suite) while the updater.exe executed and I see exactly 10 events, the updater.exe is getting access denied (5) when trying to access the firefox.exe. But I do have marked "[x] use background service to update fireox" in firefox settings and expected update to perform by mozilla maintenance service (SYSTEM user). THe procmon.exe properties on "access denied" to firefox.exe event show that the updater.exe is running as 'non-admin' user and not as SYSTEM user, which I would expect from update being executed by mozilla maintenance service. So the question is, why is update security context 'non- admin' user and not SYSTEM ? Starting firefox as admin user works, the update completes successfully.

All Replies (7)

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Try to uninstall and reinstall the maintenance service. You can uninstall the maintenance service via the Windows control panel.

You can find the installer in the Firefox program folder.

  • maintenanceservice_installer.exe
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I did try reinstall, namly - uninstall firefox - uninstall maint service - install FF (which installed maint service)

to no avail, same symptoms.

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You did install the maintenance service as a normal user and not as administrator?

What you need to do if Firefox is not automatically updating anymore - gHacks Tech News:

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> You did install the maintenance service as a normal user and not as administrator?

when I reinstalled the firefox as described in my prev posts, I did that as admin user.

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First uninstall and install dependencies.

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> First uninstall and install dependencies.

pardon me, what dependencies ?

After reinstalling FF I verified that Mozilla Maintenance was installed and I could start the Maint service from non-admin user.