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Updaters "bottoming out"
#35876 09/04/15 07:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
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grelber Offline OP
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On several occasions when trying to check on updates I get error messages:
— With Adobe Acrobat Pro X and Reader XI the respective update checkers rapidly go to "not responding" and then deliver the message "error 1651" (which Adobe addresses with the non-solution of reinstalling the application).
— With Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.0.2.8 this pops up: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware: Error (2) in CAdwareScanner.LoadSignatures : Unable to download updated signatures.

The issue is likely not all that serious since none of the apps seem to have been updated recently.

But does anybody have a clue as to what's happening?

Re: Updaters "bottoming out"
grelber #35877 09/04/15 10:30 PM
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Given that Adobe has its own proprietary version checker as well as its own downloader/installer software, I would have to assume therefore any problem belongs to Adobe and not to you or Apple. FWIW I just manually forced Adobe Acrobat X to check for updates and it completed normally with no errors reported. I would suspect you are encountering a transient error in the Adobe update database. However, if the problem continues to recur I would suggest reinstalling Adobe Acrobat X from the install DVD or the downloaded install DVD image that I am sure you have kept safely stored — just in case.

In the case of MalwareBytes, like any good anti-malware detector it depends on "signature" files downloaded from the internet to keep up with the ever changing adware, and malware. Every time MalwareBytes is launched it automatically checks to be sure it has the latest version of the signature and if not it will download the new version before it will scan your system. The signature file version is not reflected in the software version number. In fact, there are two separate version checks in MalwareBytes, MalwareBytes > Check for updates which checks for application updates and Scanner > Update Signatures which manually runs the automatic signature file check. So your signature file may have been updated dozens even hundreds of times but the app version number would remain the same. The error message you reported indicates not that there was a problem with the software, rather it is notifying you that it could not download the updated signatures. There are any number of reasons for that to happen but there is nothing you or Apple can do about it.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Updaters "bottoming out"
joemikeb #35880 09/05/15 07:45 AM
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grelber Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
... FWIW I just manually forced Adobe Acrobat X to check for updates and it completed normally with no errors reported. I would suspect you are encountering a transient error in the Adobe update database. However, if the problem continues to recur I would suggest reinstalling Adobe Acrobat X from the install DVD or the downloaded install DVD image that I am sure you have kept safely stored — just in case.

As noted in my original query, I tried manually forcing updates in both Acrobat Pro X and Adobe Reader XI, on a number of occasions and with the same result.
Every time Adobe provides a significant update (usually quarterly), I download the full .dmg files and install afresh.
Mac's Activity Monitor advises, as noted, the "Not Responding" information. And after a minute or so of spinning beach ball the updater fails completely.

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
In the case of MalwareBytes, like any good anti-malware detector it depends on "signature" files downloaded from the internet to keep up with the ever changing adware, and malware. Every time MalwareBytes is launched it automatically checks to be sure it has the latest version of the signature and if not it will download the new version before it will scan your system. The signature file version is not reflected in the software version number. In fact, there are two separate version checks in MalwareBytes, MalwareBytes > Check for updates which checks for application updates and Scanner > Update Signatures which manually runs the automatic signature file check. So your signature file may have been updated dozens even hundreds of times but the app version number would remain the same. The error message you reported indicates not that there was a problem with the software, rather it is notifying you that it could not download the updated signatures. ...

I'm aware that the app version number doesn't change; I just mentioned the version I'm using for clarification. Since originally installing that version and downloading the initial set of signatures, the app consistently cannot update the signature files. Again, Activity Monitor comes up with "Not Responding".
I just uninstalled the app, then reinstalled it and got what I hope is a new set of signatures — which may be only partial, since the "Not Responding" advisory popped up.


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