The answer to "why is firefox continually updating itself" is that you don't have updates completely disabled. You're missing one of the two preferences.

Hello nicrayner, use the next code in a user.js file in your profile :

// turn off application updates: user_pref("app.update.enabled", false);

http://kb.mozillazine.org/User.js_file

thanks

Not only do I have both of the preferences set, I also deleted the key leading to the update location in about:config

both preferences set and the update location deleted in about:config. It should not be necessary to download addons to maintain basic features like a stop button and a refresh button.

I still come back to the question, why is firefox updating itself, despite being set not to. Done it five times on two different laptops now, it just seems like a virus type behaviour to me.

I have given that a try, and hope it will work. I have never had this problem with firefox before, it has always worked well for me. v29 is such a cretinous downgrade of a very good program, I can only assume that the people who thought it up must be working for microsoft, and somehow got their emails accepted into mozilla. I can't see any other eason why they would remove essential features as part of an "update", what next, stop it looking at webpages at all.

came across this from infoworld, it explains what is happening with my computers updating

Mozilla plans a two-pronged approach to the problem. For users still running 2010's Firefox 3.6 (or versions even earlier), the company will suppress the usual add-on compatibility check, which may spook users into declining.

For those running Firefox 11 or later, Mozilla will deploy an "add-on hotfix," a feature that lets the firm push silent changes to the browser rather than distribute a full update.

In turn, the add-on hotfix pushed to Firefox 11 and later will trigger an update process to migrate the browser to the newest available. That process is still under discussion, according to a Bugzilla entry. Bugzilla is the Firefox bug- and change-tracking database.

Currently, Mozilla is considering two ways to drag Firefox users to the newest browser. One would silently download the latter in the background, then upon the next Firefox launch, display only the generic Windows UAC (User Account Control) prompt. If the user clicks "Yes" -- the almost-automatic reflex of most Windows users -- the new version will open rather than the old.

Clicking "No" on the UAC prompt will instead open Firefox as usual, then download the new version in the background while the user browses. Eventually, a tab will open asking the user whether they want to run the new Firefox. Clicking "Not now" at that point simply postpones the inevitable, as Firefox will continue nagging the user once each week.

If the process works out for Windows users, Mozilla will try the same with those running Firefox on OS X.

The second under-consideration process would be similar, but would ditch the silent-download-display-the-UAC-prompt part. Instead, the new Firefox would either download in the background, then ask whether the user wants to run the latest, or give them the choice, then begin the download.

According to a Bugzilla entry by Jennifer Morrow, a user experience designer at Mozilla, the first method -- silent download, show only the UAC prompt -- was, "The 'ideal' state in which the next version of Firefox is downloaded silently, in the background, without any interaction from the user."

Not surprisingly, considering the push-back Mozilla's gotten from some users unhappy with the user interface (UI) overhaul that debuted in Firefox 29 late last month, some who penned entries on the developers discussion thread questioned the old-to-new effort.

"I know there are a bunch of people staying on [Firefox] 28 because of Australis," wrote Mike Hommey on the thread, referring to Mozilla's name for the new UI. "That's a big problem."

frankly a complete bloody disgrace

You really should provide a link to articles that you are referencing, rather than do a copy & paste of some of all of the contents of an article that is published under copyright.

nic - Please check your PM here.

still bloody disgraceful that this software updates itself with no regard to the user preferences. It makes a joke of their supposed commitment to caring about users and our privacy.

Have installed PaleMoon, and set it to be default browser. Been using firefox for 6 or 7 years, or maybe even longer, not any more. When companies start to ignore the preferences of their users about things like updates, it is time to go. In addition to all the cretinous design disasters in v29, removing buttons etc.

Nicrayner, I think your missing the point.

"still bloody disgraceful that this software updates itself with no regard to the user preferences. It makes a joke of their supposed commitment to caring about users and our privacy."

Personally i would be happy if Firefox simply uninstalled itself for those who refuse to use a current version. Anything to get the Millions/Billions of unsecured obsolete browsers off the Web. But leaving those using it alone would make a real joke of Mozilla's commitment to security and privacy

When users start putting their preferences for a blue strip or a red button above security they really do deserve the eventual attack by malware, but unfortunately they also make the neighborhood more insecure

What is pale moon? Really? well based on my reading from the web site it is Firefox ESR, given both are at Version 24. And just how far from Firefox can it be when the when site assures you it is as secure as FIrefox, legally they would have difficulties if they moved more than a little and retained such a claim.

And the team. There are 5 contributors on github to Pale Moon. So when it gets to ESR next I think it will have some issues with maintaining it's currency and therefore it's security.

nicrayner

There are at least two separate points here.

1. Firefox28 will initiate an upgrade if you click on Help-> About Firefox.
2. A project to catch users inadvertently stuck on older versions.

The first point is a fault or regression. Personally I find it mildly irritating, but can understand it is going to be very annoying to people who are deliberatively staying on an old version of Firefox. Feel free to install and use whatever software you wish. Now I do not want to stray too far into the off topic subject of Browser choice and comparison but must point out for the benefit of other readers of the thread

• Use of outdated Firefox is strongly advised against see
  Install an older version of Firefox
  (That does include the links for downloads of the installers for the older versions)
• Once security holes are fixed and the fixes made public the bad guys are more likely to find and exploit them. At least glance at https://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox.html

This old article may be helpful if need to stop an upgrade

• Updates reported when running newest version_delete-update-configuration-files

The second point - is a project intended to help I do not know the finer details of this but the intention is to help users that have got stuck inadvertently on older and insecure unsupported versions of Firefox. I think Mozilla and this site should have provided more information about this. (I will have a quick look later and see if I can find any other useful links)

I can understand wanting to control when Firefox updates. To disable the automatic update feature:

Turn off automatic updates in your Firefox options, Advanced Panel, Update tab (ref.) but ALSO uncheck the option, "Use a background service to install updates" to disable the Mozilla Maintenance Service. That way, you are always presented with the Windows User Account Control (UAC) dialog before Firefox is updated.

Details here: What is the Mozilla Maintenance Service? See also: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/disable-silent-updates-in-firefox/

Nic, the project you are talking about isn't the issue here, it isn't even live yet. Also, users who disable or turn off updates won't get that fix anyway.

However, using an outdated version of Firefox is not wise. If you have problems with 29 we'd love to help you customize it so it looks and feels like 28 (or whatever you want)

How to make the new Firefox look like the old Firefox

nic,

Have you checked your Inbox, top of the forum page when you are logged in here, for the Personal Message that I sent on Saturday 06-07?

nicrayner, I don't know what article you're referring to. There are no plans to force updates on those who have intentionally disabled automatic updates. Something else is causing your problem.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9248411/Mozilla_plans_semi_silent_updates_to_tug_laggards_onto_the_newest_Firefox

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=994882#c1

The Mods should educate themselves a little more about the plans of FF to force this unwanted version on people who are happy using an older version.

Toenail, please get your facts straight. That hotfix is not going to users who have turned off updates, or set them to manual, only to users who have automatic updates turned on but for some reason it isn't working. Please stop spreading uneducated FUD. thank you.

Toenail89, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. On page 2 of the article you linked to, it says:

"We will continue to respect the user update preference: If the user has updates completely disabled in preferences, we will not prompt for updates at all," Smedberg said. "If manual-apply is chosen, we will nag but not force-install the update."

To nicrayner, In your June 8 2014 post you wrote,

Have installed PaleMoon, and set it to be default browser. Been using firefox for 6 or 7 years, or maybe even longer, not any more. When companies start to ignore the preferences of their users about things like updates, it is time to go. In addition to all the cretinous design disasters in v29, removing buttons etc.

You never replied to my June 8, 2014 response on how to disable automatic updates, or to any of the other replies others have posted. Can we assume that you no longer need help with Firefox and close this thread?

To other users who are having similar issues: If you are unable to set Firefox to disable automatic updates after reading thorough this thread and the links I posted in my June 8, 2014 response, you should start a new thread by asking a new question. See Mozilla Support rules and guidelines: For support requests, do not re-use existing threads started by others, even if they are seemingly on the same subject. Ask a new question instead.

Alice,

I exchanged PM's with nicrayner between 6/7 and 6/10, he told me that he uninstalled the Maintenance Service. He is using PaleMoon for most everything, and only using Firefox for banking and similar because of the Firefox extensions that his security suite installed for Firefox.

It is safe to assume he is finished with this thread, therefore I'll lock it.