troubles with Pixinsight update and installation scripts

[Osty]

Hi,

I learned from a colleague that there are two different kinds of "updates". The simple one is a new version update (the current latest version is 1.8.9-1). To do this, you need to download the latest version from the "software distribution" page on the PI web site and then run the downloaded installer. Previously it was necessary to uninstall the old version first, but this is no longer necessary.
The second kind of update is announced as an update. When you run the PI program, it will show if there are any updates available, and you can then request to download them. You can also do this by selecting "check for updates" in the resource menu. When the updates have finished loading, you must close PI. You will then be asked if you want to run the update tool; if you agree, the updates will be installed and the PI will restart.

However, despite following the correct procedure, I am still left with 16 unprocessed updates. My colleague and I have tried various methods via personal correspondence in Pixinsight to help install the 16 unprocessed updates, but to no avail, with the same failure.

I have tried the "second" correct way of updating over and over again and before that I tried the same way but I have the same problems, the 16th update is still present.

So I don't know where the problem is, all I know is that at the same time I have another problem installing EZ Processing suite, it never fails to install even though all the installation methods are correct. I checked.
A friend of mine who works as a programmer also uses Pixinsight, he tried installing this script on my computer and also doesn't know where the error could be. He was unable to install it.

More confusion:
My photometric calibration script used to work, then later my brother built me a new computer and after reinstalling Pixinsight, my photometric calibration only worked the first or second time I ran it, then not anymore.

Later I read that new methods were created to update and refresh Photometric Calibration: the ImageSolver script should run first and then Photometric Calibration, but even when I did that, Photometric Calibration still doesn't work or doesn't work properly.

So to summarize, I currently have three problems getting Pixinsight to work properly:

1. Updating Pixinsight
2. The EZ Processing suite script
3. The photometric calibration script

This is a right way to upgrade Pixinsight though still I have no installation upgrades unfortunately:

• you have accepted the updates (inside PixInsight)
• the updates have been downloaded, and PI has notified that the updates are ready to install, but not until you exit PI.
• you have closed PI, and get a prompt "do you want to run the PI installer now?" (with the option to restart after the install, which I assume that you tick).
• you click to accept, and the installer tries to run, but is stopped by the Windows protection.
• you then get the Windows "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" prompt.
• you say "yes", and the installer runs (with a lot of installs, it may take some time). During this period you must not run PixInsight.
• After the installs have completed PI should restart automatically.
• When PI restarts it displays a notification like this: notification

all points are correct! But !last two steps! are not going to happen.!
=

After the installs have completed PI should restart automatically.
When PI restarts it displays a notification like this: notification
"If these last two steps don't happen, then what does happen?" - !nothing will happen!

I've tried reinstalling Pixinsight, turned off defender firewall and other antivirus during installation and while trying to properly install Pixinsight updates and again to no avail, same issues.
I'm getting really desperate.
Does anyone know how to help me?

Thank you so much for anymore answer or help

Kind Regards

Ondřej Reichmann
Czech Republic

 

[tom886]

I suspect that the UAC (User Account Control) is responsible for your troubles. UAC is independent from Windows Defender.
I personally switch off (disable) UAC. You could try that.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Juan Conejero]

Never do that! UAC is essential to keep a minimally secured Windows system—Windows has enough security issues without your help.

There cannot be problems with UAC on a healthy Windows installation. Of course, the PixInsight core executable and all standard modules are digitally signed with our corporate EV code signing certificates (currently provided by DigiCert), so there cannot be any problems with UAC during application and update installations on Windows.

 

[tom886]

Sorry Juan, the UAC should not even kick in when installing an update to an existing certified program.
When it kicks in for the Pixinsight Updater, then there is probably something wrong with the certificate chain on the users computer.
My suggestion may cause confusion, but it won't hurt to turn it off for a test and see whether this caused the problem.
It is up to the user to turn it on again.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Osty]

I was wondering if the Windows update from version 22h1 to 22h2 might also play a role. Windows does these updates once a year. Would resetting the Pixinsight app to factory settings help?
if so, how do I reset the factory settings in Pixinsight? I've never done it.

 

[fredvanner]

I'm not sure that the OP's description indicates this sort of problem. His problem is with running the PixInsightUpdater.exe executable. All of his process, through accepting and downloading updates (with confirmation that the download is complete), exiting PI and agreeing to run the updater, and accepting the Windows "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" prompt, runs exactly as it does on my system. However, on his system the downloaded updates don't get installed by the updater process.
Where exactly does the updater get the information about the downloads from? Is it written to the .ini file, or is there some other intermediate file that the updater uses to locate the downloaded updates? I suspect some subtle (possibly Windows permissions) issue preventing access to this data.

 

[fredvanner]

OK, I think I've answered my own question : on my system the information about the downloaded updates is in:

C:/Users/<username>/AppData/Local/Temp/PixInsight64-update/contents/updates.xri

and the downloaded updates are in this folder.
One of the first things the updater does is remove the "updates.xri" file, but the updated files remain in this folder, togeter with a copy of the update log.
So perhaps the OP can check this folder after a "failed update", and see what files are there, and what their date / time of creation is.

 

[Osty]

Hey, Fred,

hmm interestingly, I can't find that address on the C drive under the USers folder at all! I have everything related to Pixinsight on my C drive but under the Program files folder and even in that folder I can't find the same or at least a similar address on the system as yours.

 

[fredvanner]

You have to enable the "view hidden files" option in Windows File Explorer:

... you then need to restart FileExplorer.

 

[Osty]

..

 

[fredvanner]

You are looking for a path like this (with your username in place of "Default"). You will not see AppData unless you enable hidden items.

Note: this is not in the ">Program Files>PixInsight>" path.

 

[Osty]

I'm going the way you describe but there's nothing in the Temp folder.

 

[Osty]

.

 

[Osty]

.

 

[fredvanner]

Yes, but I did say:

(with your username in place of "Default")

 

[fredvanner]

The OP has confirmed that the downloaded updates have been correctly written to the temp folder identified in post #7. The OP has confirmed that they accepted the Windows warning "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", following which the PixInsightUpdater.exe process should run. One of the first things this process does is to read and remove the "updates.xri" file; however, the OP has confirmed that this file is still in the temp directory - suggesting that the updater has failed (or been blocked) after the Windows warning has been accepted.
Since the OP can access the updates folder, I can't see that this can be an access permissions problem.
I could imagine an over-enthusiastic AV quarantining the updates, but not blocking access to them.
Any ideas, anyone?

 

[fredvanner]

... is it possible that the non-latin character (ř) in the user's name (and thus in the path to the temp file) could be causing a problem?

 

[fredvanner]

... is it possible that the non-latin character (ř) in the user's name (and thus in the path to the temp file) could be causing a problem?

Experiments suggest that this may be the problem - but what is the solution? I know from experience that trying to change a user account name in Windows is painful - and in any case it is not really satisfactory that PixInsight can't work properly for a person with a non-roman character in their (Windows) user name. Is there any workround for this?

 

[fredvanner]

... if this is the problem, it would mean that PixInsight successfully downloaded files to this folder, but could not later access the folder to perform the updates. I guess that for the dowload Windows probably provided access to the current user's folders without explicitly specifying the user name, whereas the update requires the explicit file path.

 

[tom886]

OK, I think I've answered my own question : on my system the information about the downloaded updates is in:

and the downloaded updates are in this folder.
One of the first things the updater does is remove the "updates.xri" file, but the updated files remain in this folder, togeter with a copy of the update log.
So perhaps the OP can check this folder after a "failed update", and see what files are there, and what their date / time of creation is.

It's possible that this differs between Windows 10 and Windows 11.
On both of my PC's the updates.xri is located in the "%ProgramFiles%\Pixinsight" folder.
The updates for scripts are downloaded to "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\PixInsight64-update"