Don't do the Latest Adobe CC Update Yet

[digitaldog]

So is it Adobe's fault or Apple's?

Adobe's. And it's been fixed (so hopefully all can move on). It ONLY affected customers of a single product, that's no excuse for this sloppiness. But I suppose one could suggest none of the Mac beta testers or Adobe Q&E testers had the product and missed this Adobe bug which has been fixed.

[rdonson]

It ONLY affected customers of a single product, that's no excuse for this sloppiness.

It affected BackBlaze users and we learned about it because they were immediately affected. We don't know what else might be affected.   This was a place few of us touch in our Mac file system but it's no guarantee that other apps didn't have info there.

[digitaldog]

We don't know what else might be affected.   This was a place few of us touch in our Mac file system but it's no guarantee that other apps didn't have info there.

Well if and when you find out what else was affected, let us know. Going to be somewhat difficult as that installer is now dead and gone. I don't know that there's an ounce of evidence anything else was affected. Again, the blame should fall onto Adobe, it was a bug. Not that Adobe has never produced bugs let alone other companies. Today, this entire discussion is kind of moot unless folks want to hash more criticism on Adobe which these days is so fashionable.

[David Eichler]

Hmmm. Adobe CC is still showing 3.5.0.206 as the update, not 209. Tried quitting and relaunching and still the same.

[digitaldog]

Hmmm. Adobe CC is still showing 3.5.0.206 as the update, not 209. Tried quitting and relaunching and still the same.

Log out then back in again or log out of your Adobe CC account then back in again.

[David Eichler]

Another question. What, if anything, do I lose by not updating the CC app? The release notes only seem to refer to bug fixes, not to other changes. Does not updating CC impair my ability to update the individual CC apps?

[digitaldog]

Another question. What, if anything, do I lose by not updating the CC app? The release notes only seem to refer to bug fixes, not to other changes. Does not updating CC impair my ability to update the individual CC apps?

You don't have to update. Each app should individually indicate if it needs to be updated so you can if you wish, update just those. But if you're worried about the update to Photoshop CC, what makes you think there are zero issues or will never be issues updating say InDesign?
Backup, have the ability to go back a version, just in case, you'll be fine. But stuff happens.

[David Eichler]

You don't have to update. Each app should individually indicate if it needs to be updated so you can if you wish, update just those. But if you're worried about the update to Photoshop CC, what makes you think there are zero issues or will never be issues updating say InDesign?
Backup, have the ability to go back a version, just in case, you'll be fine. But stuff happens.

Thanks. I realize that. I just tend to wait to do updates, in part for this very reason, but also if a particular update doesn't really do anything that I really need at the moment. Not really sure what the CC updates actually do, so how long can I wait to update these? With the individual CC apps, we know what the new features are.

[digitaldog]

Not really sure what the CC updates actually do, so how long can I wait to update these?

Adobe specifies what the updates provide. And yes, you can wait as long as you want! Just don't select Update.

[David Eichler]

Adobe specifies what the updates provide.

Oh. I see. With earlier updates there were functional improvements. With the last four updates, however, the only changes have been bug fixes. That doesn't seem too promising.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Installation of 3.5.0.209 failed. Error code 1003. "Get help" link says "uninstall and reinstall" the CC app. Tried running the CC uninstaller, the message is: "Couldn't uninstall CC for desktop. You still have CC apps installed on your computer that require it."

WTH!?

[rdonson]

Well if and when you find out what else was affected, let us know. Going to be somewhat difficult as that installer is now dead and gone. I don't know that there's an ounce of evidence anything else was affected.

Andrew, I have no interest in bashing Adobe or belaboring the issue.  I just want to point out that we're not completely out of the woods.  It may well be only BackBlaze users are affected but no one knows yet.  I don't look at the root directory on my Mac and you probably don't either. 

Upon sign in, a script activated by Creative Cloud deletes the contents in the alphabetically first folder in a Mac's root directory.


Updating the CC app won't bring back any files the old CC app deleted.  Most of us will simply find out the hard way if something other than BackBlaze was negatively impacted.  It may be unlikely but so was a meteorite wiping out the dinosaurs.  With luck a backup program might be able to restore lost files.

'nuff said

[digitaldog]

I just want to point out that we're not completely out of the woods.

I think we are. At least in terms of the older installer which did that nasty deletion of BackBlaze files. Could any future installer, Adobe's or anyone else's do something nasty like this? Of course. But in terms of this older, removed installer, it's a moot topic.
Lastly, anyone on a Mac running Time Machine could probably reconstruct the deleted file, or from a backup. Because again, crap happens!
Again, that's not an excuse for this Adobe bug. But it seems like time to move on; you can't download the buggy installer.


'nuff said'

[digitaldog]

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-access-hidden-files-to-restore-in-time-machine/
How to access hidden files to restore in Time Machine

[digitaldog]

According to the original article referenced here:


This caused a lot of our customers to freak out," Backblaze Marketing Manager Yev Pusin wrote in an e-mail. "The reason we saw a huge uptick from our customers is because Backblaze's .bzvol is higher up the alphabet. We tested it again by creating a hidden file with an '.a' name, and the files inside were removed as well.

I did access all invisible files on my Mac. Looked at root level sorting alphabetically I see .Adobe as the first! Kind of makes sense that Adobe's installer would try to delete it. Not sure why .bzvol was affected, it should fall below .Adobe. Anyway, using Time Machine, I went back well before this update of CC, still see .Adobe folder with two items. So I don't think I have anything to worry about (nor did I ever use Blackblaze). Anyway, one can backup such files from TM once they have ability to see the invisible files.

[Manoli]

And yes, you can wait as long as you want! Just don't select Update.

That may not be entirely accurate.

I've watched this debacle from a distance and 'unloaded' ACC as soon as the bug was reported. Just did a 'Get Info' on the ACC file to find that it was updated yesterday at 09:01 (how cute : Valentine's Day!) Version 3.5.1.209.

Now I've deliberately NOT launched ACC so it must have been either Lr or Ps that 'made a call home' and that upgrade was definitely a BTS update. Have Adobe found a new way to force upgrade known 'problematic' installers or is it a consequence of ticking Preferences > Always keep CC desktop up to date ?

[digitaldog]

That may not be entirely accurate.

Well CC has never updated anything without my permission. On the Mac. In fact I don't have the CC menu app running although I am still notified of an update. But, nothing updates unless I tell the app to do so. If anything, folks complain, justifiably so, that they don't get timely update notifications unless they log into and out of the CC app or restart.
AFAIK, there's no mechanism that forces an update. I've always had to give permission and further, you have to type in your password on Mac to install all apps!

[Manoli]

Well CC has never updated anything without my permission. On the Mac. In fact I don't have the CC menu app running although I am still notified of an update. But, nothing updates unless I tell the app to do so.

And that's exactly my setup and what happened to me, pre-bug update ( ACC notification and request permission).
So it's pretty surprising unless there was some BTS wizardry.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...Just did a 'Get Info' on the ACC file to find that it was updated yesterday at 09:01 ... Version 3.5.1.209...

Lucky you. I (deliberately) tried to update and the update failed (see post #30).

[digitaldog]

I've watched this debacle from a distance and 'unloaded' ACC as soon as the bug was reported. Just did a 'Get Info' on the ACC file to find that it was updated yesterday at 09:01 (how cute : Valentine's Day!) Version 3.5.1.209.

Date updated isn't necessarily date installed. It's possible you did get an update without your permission, especially if you've set your Mac to allow this but as I said, I've never had Adobe update anything without my permission and/or by entering my admin Password.