UCheck - Update your software in 2 clicks

Hi Tigzy:

I tried the UCheck Portable BETA v4.11.0.0 today and find it's even more confusing and inaccurate than the stable v4.10.2.0. Aside from the confusing U / C/ I / P/ M / E / O filter buttons on the Installed tab (which I gather will be improved in an upcoming BETA) I have other concerns, including:

• Unsupported apps with no highlight that are listed on the Installed tab as patched (Outdated = No) that are out-of-date (e.g., like my current Intel Driver & Support Assist v23.3.25.6; the "Latest" column is blank but a newer v23.4.39.9 was released over week ago and is correctly detect by SUMo). See red highlight in image below.

• Community apps highlighted in grey that are listed on the Installed tab as patched (Outdated = No) when the Latest column shows that an update is available (e.g., like the Intel Management Engine Component and Intel Serial IO programs) and updates are listed on the Updates tab. See yellow highlight in image below.

• Some Community apps like Macrium Reflect Free only list the version number to one decimal place (e.g., v8.0 instead of my current v8.0.7279). How would UCheck know if I had an outdated version like v8.0.6392?. Is this a workaround to distinguish between Macrium Reflect Free.v8.0.x and the paid edition of Macrium Reflect Home v8.1.x)? See green highlight in image below.

• Colour coding of "Community Applications" on the Installed tab as grey without any explanation of difference between a "Community" app and a "Supported" or "Unsupported" app. Hopefully this will eventually be added to the documentation at https://adlice.com/docs/ucheck/ ; I cannot find any documentation at that site that even explains what a purple highlight ("Supported" app) means on the Installed tab and had to watch a 12-minute YouTube video just to figure this out.

• I haven't checked but suspect that most of the 7 updates recommended on the Updates tab for my "Community" apps are not compatible with my hardware (e.g., like the Epson Scan 2 v2.3.1 software that is not recommended by the Epson Software Updater for my Epson printer) and might even cause issues if installed - especially for updates for programs like the Intel Chipset Device Software update recommended by UCheck.

I don't need or want a software updater program that can uninstall programs (this can be easily done from Control Panel | Programs | Programs and Features). All I want is a software updater program like SUMo that presents a list of programs (installed and portable) that accurately tells me if that software is updated or out-of-date. I don't even need a software updater program that can download and install available updates for me, although I know that some users might like this feature - I don't allow SUMo to install updates and simply use SUMo to alert me when my software is out-of-date, and then download the update directly from the software developers site.

To avoid confusion, I would strongly advised that you remove all Unsupported apps from your list of Installed software and only list Supported, Community and Portable apps. Adding those Unsupported apps might boost your count of installed programs so it appears that you are checking more apps than competitors like the free Patch My PC (interface shown below) but if you aren't actually checking those Unsupported apps to see if an update is available then it defeats the primary purpose of your UCheck app and is just going to confuse users.



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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v118.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Patch My PC Portable v4.5.0.4 * SUMo Free Potable v5.17.10.542 * UCheck Free Portable BETA v4.11.0

 

IMO All the driver-related software will be excluded, at least for now.

 

All of that has changed already, please see conversation above

 

No because there's also features related to these software, like "Modify", "Uninstall". Installed list is here to show ALL software installed on the machine.
If you don't want to have them listed, you can uncheck "Unsupported" in the filters (upcoming BETA)

 

New BETA: https://download.adlice.com/UCheck/Beta/UCheck64.exe
- Fixes for the Installed tabs filters
- Started refactoring the Updates tab

 

These were typically automatically "filtered out" by SUMo for this reason.

 

Hi Tigzy:

I tried the latest Beta (still shown as v14.11.0.0 in the interface) and I don't understand the logic being used for the filters on the Installed tab. As far as I can see, there are only three general categories of apps you can filter at the moment - Installed / supported apps (purple), Portable / supported apps (red) and every thing else [which includes Unsupported, Community (grey) and Microsoft].

If I disable Unsupported I only see Installed / supported (purple) and Portable / supported (red) but no Community (grey) apps.



If I disable Installed / supported (purple) and Portable / supported (red) the entire list is empty [i.e., no Unsupported , Community (grey) or Microsoft apps].



If I disable Installed / supported (purple), Portable / supported (red), and Community (grey) but leave Microsoft enabled the entire list is empty ...



... even though I have multiple Microsoft apps installed.


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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v118.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Patch My PC Portable v4.5.0.4 * SUMo Free Potable v5.17.10.542 * UCheck Free Portable BETA v4.11.0.0

 

Exactly my opinion.
I use SUMo to get informed about new updates and then download and install them manually (because here I can check, if the update is valid).
I would never allow any software-updater to path my apps.
And when I want to install apps, then I also do this manually.

@Tigzy: This is just in information, how I work, not any criticism for UCheck.

 

+1
This is also the way I do it. No criticism intended.

 

@Tigzy

I really like the new beta dropdown filter list. It is easier to understand than the buttons and the selections seems to stick from session to session (so far anyway). Well done!

Thank you for the tip about the tooltips for the rows which show what the different colors mean. I should have figured that out.

What are the rows with no highlighting (white background)? There is no tooltip for these rows?

A couple of comments on the new beta.

For Google Drive it shows my version as 81.0.5.0 and the latest as 3.57.4256.0809 which doesn't make any sense. Why does it also show No for outdated?
For Malwarebyters it shows my version as 4.6.3.282 and latest as 4.6.3. Why doesn't latest show the 4th node?
For Roboform it shows my version as 9-5-2-2 and latest as 9.5.2. Why doesn't it show the 4th node?

Please do filter out all the drivers. That or add a filter option for drivers.

Thanks for all the hard work.

Bill

 

One more comment.

On the updates tab I was able to exclude a bunch of programs. However, when I select Killer Ethernet Performance Driver Suite UWD [64 bits] and use Exclude Software, I get confirmation that the exclusion was added successfully, but the program does not disappear from the list.

Also, there is no way to see what updates were excluded or to un-exlude them.

Even though I've excluded 10 items on the updates list, the icon still shows a 12.


Bill

 

Don't get me wrong, this is a feature that has been here for years. Removing it would be regression for all existing users.

 

Well, that's one way to do it, but historical users NEED this feature. They want to have updates automatically installed, OR at least a way to install them in one click.
If you don't need to use it, fine, don't use it

 

They are "Unsupported". I'll modify the filter to exclude Community programs as well

 

Because that's how we get the version from our bots. The important thing here is that the comparison worked, and it didn't show as "outdated".

 

Did you download the new Beta from link ? That should be here.

 

"Settings", "Exclusions". Or you can see them in "Installed" tab, with [E] and use right click to manage exclusion

 

@Tigzy
Hello - a few things to point out coming from Sumo

Couple of features to implement to help sumo refugees
1) Some detections use paths, and dont bother checking the actual .exe file. I have a prompt to update
C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\uTorrent
but the utorrent.exe doesnt exist there. sumo would check the actual .exe and get the version. no .exe, no prompt
2) example, cheat engine 7.4 is listed, and that directory doesnt even exist.
C:\Program Files\Cheat Engine 7.4 is the "location" but only
C:\Program Files\Cheat Engine 7.5 exists
3) Nord VPN is out of date, sumo suggests
NordVPN (64 bits) NordVPN 7.13.3.0 Update available (7.14.3.0) C:\Program Files\NordVPN\7.13.3.0\NordVPNApp.exe
7.14.3.0
ucheck suggests 7.14. the download URLs for nordVPN have the dotted quad as in:
https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/windows/NordVPN/7.14.3.0/NordVPNInstall.exe
4) tightvnc doesnt list a location to open, but its here:
C:\Program Files\TightVNC
5) MPC BE lists this location:
C:\Program Files\MPC-BE x64
and says its out of date 1.6.6 vs 1.6.9
however, the exe is 1.6.9.0.
6) HxD Hex Editor is listed at 1.7.7.0, but its not in the indicated location (no .exe there) and the 64 bit version is installed and is up to date (2.5.0.0)
7) PowerISO .exe is 8.6.0.0 but it is listed as version 8.3 and in need of an update.

Would it help ucheck to upload the current list of SUMO software update list from this computer?

- thanks

 

+1 also. Agree @Tigzy, no need to use it - please don't get overwhelmed by criticisms and suggestions!
Supporting your progress all the way to help us 'SUMo refugees' (I like that!)

 

IMHO app detection and proper update information is the most important now.
It helps more to have proper update information, than auto-patching any app.

 

Hi Bill H:

Even knowing the Malwarebytes product version to the last node does not always tell you if Malwarebytes is actually up-to-date since Malwarebytes updates have two separate components - the main product version (a.k.a. scan engine) and the component package that includes updated detection rules for Web / Malware / Exploit / Ransomware Protection - and those two components can be updated separately.

For example, the Malwarebytes update released on 22-Sep-2023 was for product version v4.6.3.282 with component package v1.0.2151 (see release notes <here> for v4.6.3.282-1.0.2151) while the next update released 26-Sept-2023 did not change the product version but updated the component package to 1.0.2158 (see the release notes <here> for v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 ). Knowing you have Malwarebytes v4.6.3.282 would not tell you if you received the important hotfix in the current component package v1.0.2158.

I doubt there is any way for software updater programs to detect when a Malwarebytes component package is updated if the main product version remains unchanged like the example described above. I am currently following H4V0C's thread Malwarebytes 4.6 that is pinned at the top of the Malwarebytes for Windows Support Forum so that I always receive an automatic email notification whenever those v4.6.x release notes are updated. Just note that when Malwarebytes v4.7.x (or v5.0.x, is still in beta) is eventually released H4V0C will pin a new thread at the top of that forum and you will have to follow that new thread to continue receiving email notifications.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.3448 * Firefox v118.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.23080.2006-1.1.23080.2005 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.3.282-1.0.2158 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7279 * Patch My PC Portable v4.5.0.4 * SUMo Free Potable v5.17.10.542 * UCheck Free Portable BETA v4.11.0.0

 

New BETA: https://download.adlice.com/UCheck/Beta/UCheck64.exe
- Various fixes for the Installed tabs filters
- Filters for Updates tab

Now I'm going to start working on the server side, add new hard exclusions and start ordering data we have so far.

 

When will you start working on portable support?

 

Are this visible filters or do you filter out some apps?


At the MailWasher Pro website (https://www.firetrust.com/products/mailwasher-pro) version 7.12.173 is current.
I know from Nick (the founder of Firetrust, that I have personal contact for many years now) that they give out new versions so some users for testing purpose, but these new versions are not yet public.
So 7.12.181 is not public yet.

In MailWasher Pro there is an easter egg hidden!
Does anybody found it?
It is related to me!

 

For MailWasher Pro SUMo offers version 7.12.182, UCheck offers 7.12.181.