Disable automatic software update

This topic seems to have been lost without any further comment. Let me also chime in - when downgrading to an older version to avoid new bugs, it's extremely annoying not to be able to stop these incessant update attempts. I can't think of another program this incessant and rude about updates.

Furthermore, the update process is by far the most wretched I've seen for any program. It takes massive amounts of CPU and yet takes forever to download these tiny "objects" and program updates. Rather than download each miniscule object and apply it one by one, batch everything needed into a single archive and transfer it that over the network (negligible CPU usage and much faster), and then do whatever processing necessary locally all at once (loading them into a local database or what-have-you). Version updates also wipe out the account settings from the client, so I have to keep those on hand at all times. It's all almost enough to get me back to the "IBM standard" version, just because it doesn't suffer from this insanity - which just proves there IS a way to block the program from requesting updates.

So in a nutshell:

• It makes downgrading for troubleshooting impossible
• The performance is terrible
• The time to apply an update is worse
• It fails to properly preserve user settings

Based on this update system going for years untouched, I doubt it's going to be fixed due to a forum post. But sadly I can't do anything more than that.

Thanks much for your post. I can't believe we are the only two with this issue. I bet there are more users but perhaps they don't perceive it as much as a major annoyance. However, fact is that there are major flaws in this product. Something that AT&T have to fix.

I know this is only a forum and unlikely to trigger any effort on AT&T's end. I contacted AT&T customer service twice by phone. After shrugging shoulders and throwing my request around like a hot potato between different staff members, someone recommended to completely uninstall the software, thoroughly clean the registry etc and install version 7. Then try again and let us know how it went... Let me rephrase this "Try again and let us know". I beg your pardon ?? Since when does the customer have to do your work?

Until this is not solved I will keep recommending AT&T's competitors to our clients. This is ludicrous.

Hello, I have been having this problem also and it "eats" my DUN time. The 800# says it is a "corrupted" dialer and to update the dialer. When I tell them It happens with the v7 dialer on the WiFi side too, they say I should create a manual dialer.

I think I may have found what files they are calling. One is NetUpdates.exe from my Win Processor running list. I am going to try to stop running that exe and see if the problem goes away. If it works. I will post the results.

FYI...

After I made my post I "searched" UpDates and see there are apx. 80 other posts about updates. Mixed in with how to work with the various client versions are some posts about slowing of LAN and other problems. One post says it only impacts the download side. Some of the posts go back to 2009.

Here are a couple of the topics
http://attnetclient.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1093&p=3687&hilit=updates#p3687

Lady Wired,

What version of the client are you using? Are you using a dial up connection (you mentioned it eating up your DUN time)? Or cellular? Is the update also taking a lot of your CPU time? Or just using up too much of your available connection?

Robert

Hello Robert,

1. What version of the client are you using?
DUN
Dialer 4.27

WiFi
McDonald - B&N (WayPort.net seems to be the IP from ipconfig)

AT&T Global Network Client version 7.7.1.3006 English (Internet)
AT&T firewall version 7.7.0.3008
Lightweight endpoint security version 2.5.19.1
Access-point list version 2010/08/05
Microsoft Windows version Vista 6.00.6001 Service Pack 1 Home Basic Edition

Hardware
Acer AO751h Netbook w/2g 250hd
Atheros AR5007EG wireles Network Adapter
Realtek RTL8102/8103 Family PCI-E FE NIC
Conexant USB 2 56K Modem
VirginMobile broad band (Novatel Wireless - MC760)

2. Are you using a dial up connection (you mentioned it eating up your DUN time)?
I am in a "dead spot," so I must use DUN, which is limited to a slow connection. I am on an 1957 exchange. It makes no difference this happens at the McDonald B&N WiFi too.

The UpDate program is "OverRiding" the "Prime" function in operation!!!! The priorty for UpDating is way way over blown to the need of the user!!!!

3. Or cellular?
Not even a consideration given what happens on a land line and at the WiFi It also happens on the Broadband USB , which does eat my minutes.

4. Is the update also taking a lot of your CPU time?
Does not show drain on Task Manager or Smart Ram - uses apx. 50%

5. Or just using up too much of your available connection?
Happens on both DUN & WiFi. It happens on any of the Columbus OH DUN numbers. On the WiFi it can happen in Del, Maryland, Michigan. The Wifi uses wayport.net It is what the UpDater is doing. Occurs on any machine with the WiFi Client on the machine!!! And if it sees it is connected to the net. I suspect it is stiffing for an open port/connection even if the Client is not running As was the case this morning.

I realize some things must be "idot proofed" but for some of us, who are novices in more limited ways, not having the ablity to turn off the update, and have some of the more "advanced features" controlable in an MyPHPadmin style format including a reset to default, would save a lot on those "clean" reinstalls

I apology for the wordy... I never know if I have left out a key element of information which would make it clear what is happening.

SHull

Details.....
I am using an "UnSupported" early version of the IBM/ATT since it does not scream or complain about the 28.8 on a good day, with an older basic box and OS. I can get the text up and down. It Works!!!!

When I try to use this netbook, I have to fight the UpDate downloads, because I must have ver 6.9 or above to use the WiFi. This seems to be controled from the server side, because there seems to be no way to turn the updates off. It is over riding my side and my operations even when they are running.

This morning, I wanted to download the "current phone lists" for the old dialer (going to be a roadshow and want the phone numbers). I use the dialer because I didn't want to FTP in and search the directory files. In 29 minutes, I still did not have those 3phone/6basic text/ascii files down because the ATT server side was trying to send 8/10 files (the number of times I had to click the system tray update icon to cancel). When ever I see my mail or my URL load slow, I look for the UpDate because it will be trying to send (control the process). The detail window/msg file has said it has updated/run as many as 15 actions when on the WiFi side. I have to keep clicking the sysTray to get it to stop and give me the postpone option, which I take to 24 hours. But I know I "Will" have the same problem the next time I use the client.

If I use a current client (ver , this verison of Basic OS gets very unstable and I end up doing a "clean" install.

I do not try to call "tech support" because they will only say it is a "corrupted" dialer (sticking to their limited script) and want me to install a manual dialer which then puts me on the "public" side of the WiFi. I don't want to tell them... It is not corrupted, it is what the server is controling with no regard for the needs or resources on the user side, from my limited view.

obrion wrote:What version of the client are you using? Are you using a dial up connection (you mentioned it eating up your DUN time)? Or cellular? Is the update also taking a lot of your CPU time? Or just using up too much of your available connection?

Robert,
Here's the thing, updates are only necessary if something is broken. There's no need to update a working piece of software to every single revision, and even if there were a need, there's no reason why it should be forced to be done automatically. I'm running the AGNC on a system on which I have full administrative privileges. I manage my own software updates. I don't need an automatic tool to interrupt me whenever it decides that I need an update. I currently am running 7.7.1.3006, it works, and all is well as I have found a workaround for disabling the auto-updater. But I would like to know, is there a newer version which gives a user option for disabling automatic updates?


@ all others
If you are wondering how I disabled the automatic updates, read on, but know that 1) you need administrative privileges to do this and 2) you do this at your own risk. Read this post in full and understand what I have done before attempting it. Also note that I am running the client under Windows Vista 64.

At first I was hoping to find a way in Windows to blacklist a task, not just at startup, but completely. Unfortunately I found no such mechanism. My second thought was to use the same tactic that I have used in fixing spyware-infested computers: kill the associated processes, rename the corresponding executable files (so it can't find them), and then remove all associated registry entries (so Windows doesn't know they exist). Unfortunately the AGNC is rather tenacious and will actually repair itself the next time you run it, replacing the executables and rebuilding the registry (seriously AT&T, was that necessary???)

So here's what I finally did. Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\AT&T Global Network Client.
Find NetUpdates.exe, right click, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and click edit. Uncheck 'Read & execute' permissions for the user groups SYSETM, Administrators, and Users (and anything else that exists there). Click OK to apply and exit.
Now find NetSystemTray.exe and do the same (to remove the annoying and now useless system tray icon.

What I have accomplished in doing this is effectively telling Windows that no user of the system has permission to run that file, therefore it will never run again. The unfortunate side effect is that you cannot modify, overwrite, or delete these files now. Well, that's not entirely true, you could use the Windows recovery disk to get rid of them if you really needed to, but for practical purposes those two files are now stuck there and untouchable. You must weigh this disadvantage against the benefit of not having the update manager pop up incessantly. Your call.

I tried an automatic update earlier this week to version 8.4, but it unfortunately broke the netclient. Uninstalling and installing the older version fixed the issue, but you end up with an hour of reboots and software installs that you're not prepared for...

(as a side note - why is the installation asking for a Fastpath code shortly after a reboot, when the desktop is not yet accessible? I have my fastpath codes in a file, others might have them in an e-mail, but I don't know people that have them in writing... Filling in a fastpath code after the installation is completed is not possible as far as I know)

In addition, I confirm the earlier reported aspects of automatic updates: they take very long to download only a few megabytes and use a lot of processor capacity. There might be a technical explanation, but as an end-user I don't see it...

Concerning the following, no guarantees but the following worked for me (YMMV). If you aren't 100% comfortable with the following and with supporting your own system and being responsible for same then don't do it. This blocked the involuntary download and upgrade for me.

Blocking automatic updates of AT&T Global Network Client (AGNC)
1. In Services Control Panel, start IPSEC Services.
Follow a-e only if get following error
"Could not start the IPSEC Services on the Local Computer. Error 10048 Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted."
a. In a command window, run "netstat -p UDP -n -a -o | findstr 500" to get PID of process competing for the IPSEC port

In this instance the PID of interest is 3496.
b. Use Task Manager to find what process (having PID=3496 in my case) is using port 500.
c. In Task Manager on the Processes tab (may need to go to View->Select Columns to display PID)
can sort on PID by clicking column header/label.

which is my AGNC client
d. Disconnect in the AGNC vpn.
e. Restart "IPSEC Services" in the Services Control Panel.

2. Open "Local Security Editor" [%SystemRoot%\system32\secpol.msc /s]
3. Select branch "IP Security Policies on Local Computer" and right-click selecting "Create IP Security Policy..."
i. "Welcome..." --> click Next
ii. Name=agnc,
Description="Block automatic updates of AGNC"
click Next
iii. Uncheck "Activate the default response rule." then click Next
iv. click Finish to begin editing properties of new local security policy agnc.
v. Leave "Use Add Wizard" checked and click Add to create a new rule.
vi. "Welcome..." -> click Next
vii. Confirm "This rule does not specify a tunnel" then click Next
viii. Confirm "All network connections" then click Next
ix. Confirm "Active Directory default..." then click Next
x. Ignore Kerberos warning then click Next
xi. Click Add (filter list)
xii. Name=AGNC_client_updates, Description=
Leave "Use Add Wizard" checked
xiii. Click Add to create a new filter.
xiv. "Welcome..." -> click Next
xv. Source=My IP address then click Next
xvi. Destination=A specific IP address => 165.87.194.246 then click Next
xvii. Protocol Type=TCP then click Next
xviii.From any port, to this port 20 then click Next
xix. Check "Edit properties" then click Finish.
xx. Uncheck Mirrored then click OK
Repeat steps xiii through xx for destination port 21.
xxi. Click OK to complete filters.
xxii. Select filter list AGNC_client_updates then click Next
xxiii. Select Filter Action=Block then click Next
xxiv. Click finish to complete this security rule
xxv. Check rule [AGNC_client_updates => Block] then click Apply
4. Select new rule agnc
5. Right-click on rule agnc and select Assign