No Flash Updates By Default?

Continuing the discussion from Software Updater vs. Synaptic:

This is an observation while watching how a recent batch of updates progresses in Software Updater. I’m sure all settings are default (in particular, repositories).

Only after enabling multiverse (which wasn’t by default from install) did I get the recent Flash Security update in both Synaptic and Software Updater.

So Flash seems to be installed by default but not updated by default? Is this a good situation? Anything defective with my observation?

Just my 2 cents. I realize this may be a Ubuntu thing, of course.

EDIT: I’m sure Flash was installed because of checking off the proprietary option during install. If this wanted to be fixed, I’m sure this setting is the place.

Hi again :slight_smile:
My findings are different. I loaded the extra codecs from the welcome center and still flashplugin-installer is not yet installed. Maybe verify the install.

Code:
apt-cache policy flashplugin-installer

1 Like

Also check in Synaptic if all the "pepper" packages are there and you might consider using Google Chrome (64 bit only) or Chromium browsers!:

Hiya again! :wink:

This is a VM so I’m going back to the condition before touching repos. There is no flash-installer update now…

bill@UM1604-VM:~$ sudo apt-cache policy flashplugin-installer
flashplugin-installer:
Installed: 11.2.202.616ubuntu1
Candidate: 11.2.202.616ubuntu1
Version table:
*** 11.2.202.616ubuntu1 100
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Now, I’ll add multiverse and refresh. I did this through Synaptic. The update now appears in Synaptic and here is the result:

bill@UM1604-VM:~$ sudo apt-cache policy flashplugin-installer
flashplugin-installer:
Installed: 11.2.202.616ubuntu1
Candidate: 11.2.202.621ubuntu0.16.04.1
Version table:
11.2.202.621ubuntu0.16.04.1 500
500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages
500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security/multiverse amd64 Packages
*** 11.2.202.616ubuntu1 500
500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/multiverse amd64 Packages
100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

I’m not exactly sure all this is saying but it picked up the difference. I don’t have a snapshot back at install time to see it then, unfortunately.

Hi @wolfman. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. This really isn’t for my system but more an observation that made me say… “WHOA! That’s not good!”

@anon42388993: I’ve been looking at Synaptic history and double checking things. Synaptic history has zero match for “flash” and I use synaptic for everything. The only “apt” in bash history is installing synaptic itself on day 1, so nothing there. No “deb” in bash history either.

EDIT: I forget the install options exact wording but recall I checked the proprietary and update options. I remember being impressed with updating-during-install because it actually looked like it worked.

1 Like

I did build this 16o4 install from the server edition iso, so maybe my install is different from default. Now I’m going to have to download the mate iso and see for myself :slight_smile:

@anon42388993 I installed this VM specifically to test putting /home and /var on their own partitions, saving SSD writing when I do my main box install. I can’t think of anything in that process that would affect this but I’ll mention it anyway. My goal was also to have a reference default install.

Half of me wants you to find this big hole, too, the other half would like the hole to not exist. Obviously, it could be something I did… but what? :confounded:

Ok Bill

You are correct, the flashplugin will be loaded at time of system install when you check the restricted extras box. I had forgotten that it was necessary to add this to my install when not using the mate live dvd.
Also fully updated. Could your problem be “phased updates”?

I don’t think so. It’s clearly a security update and appears in both Synaptic and Software Updater at the same time. The appearance is tied directly to enabling multiverse.

The basic problem is Flash gets installed but multiverse isn’t enabled, right? Did you confirm multiverse is not enabled? That’s the only update path AFAIK.

It IS enabled on mine.

Multiverse show up in your sources ok?

Code:
inxi -r

It’s there but not enabled:

bill@UM1604-VM:~$ inxi -r
Repos: Active apt sources in file: /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-backports main restricted universe
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu xenial partner
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security universe

Now THAT is a difference and a key to the issue. No multiverse no restricted updates. I can’t imagine any way I would have disabled it. Not impossible, of course.

EDIT: The above shows it’s NOT there, of course, since it’s the VM back before I enabled it. Once enabled these lines change:

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial main restricted multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-updates main restricted multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ xenial-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-security main restricted multiverse

@anon42388993 Well, I also reinstalled from the exact ISO I used and even manually partitioned /home and /var similar to the other VM.

Multiverse is enabled.

Conclusion…

  1. Most likely, I must have disabled it somehow, even though I don’t know how that happened. I wasn’t really doing anything that would get into changing repos.

  2. I updated during install and the repos are in a different state. Shouldn’t do anything. Unlikely.

  3. Sompin’ else. Unlikely.

I guess there’s no issue now, if there ever was. Sorry for the false alarm. Of course it’s gonna bug me. :confused:

Easy enough to reinstall a VM, so a good fix. Don’t forget to check your solution. Later :slight_smile: