Chrome fails checking for updates with error 'Update server not available error 3' on v11.0.696.71

09
2013-08
  • detj

    I don't know which of my action exactly caused this to happen but, I'm struggling with this behavior of Chrome for quite a few months now. Did a lot of search on this error, scrolled through many forum posts on the Chrome blog, tried their solutions but...in vain. It just won't update!

    So..I

    • Tried re-installing Chrome
    • Tried uninstalling and then reinstalling Chrome
    • Not using any portable version or nightly..its as retail as it gets
    • Don't have multiple user accounts on my Windows 7, just a single user and that's me!

    What I suspect?

    • Some issues with Google Updater (picked this up from the forums)
    • I use anti-frustration software Soluto, to delay some of my startup programs..I think this might be causing problems
    • But, I'm not delaying or pausing Google Updater (Why would I??)

    Please help me to get back those sweet days when I would hit update and Chrome would update itself happily!

    Thanks

    • Answers
  • bwall

    Error 3 is a failure to communicate with Google Update. There are two known reasons for this:

    You're running Vista/ 7 and you have configured Google Chrome to always run as administrator.

    This is a known issue with the Google Chrome auto-updating mechanism and can be avoided by simply running Google Chrome as a normal user. Additionally, keep in mind that for security reasons we recommend that you don't elevate the privilege of Google Chrome to administrator.

    Google Update isn't registered properly.

    To fix this, verify that GoogleUpdate.exe exists in the location specified in the Windows Registry Editor.

    The instructions below involve viewing your registry. If you're uncomfortable or unfamiliar with this, you may want to consult your local computer guru before following these steps.

    1. Go to the Start menu > Run.
    2. Enter regedit.
    3. Click OK. The Registry Editor should appear.

    4. In the tree view on the left, navigate to the following directory:

      HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{2F0E2680-9FF5-43C0-B76E-114A56E93598}\LocalServer32

    5. The "Default" value should correspond to the location of your GoogleUpdate.exe or GoogleUpdateOnDemand.exe file. Verify that GoogleUpdate.exe exists at the given path.

      • If GoogleUpdate.exe doesn't exist in this location, try uninstalling and reinstalling Google Chrome.
      • If GoogleUpdate.exe or GoogleUpdateOnDemand.exe exists at a different location, right-click the 'Default' value and select Modify. Enter the correct file path and make sure you use double-quotation marks, e.g. "C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe(or GoogleUpdateOnDemand.exe)"

    Another thing you can try is to install the beta or dev versions of Chrome. That may very well clean up whatever is causing your problem.

    Click here for links to the different Chrome "channels", where you can get the beta and dev installers


    • Related Question

    mac - Chrome and O3d not updating
  • cobbal

    Update: Chrome and o3d are now at latest versions, not sure if they are updating properly though, and can't really check until next release.

    Whenever chrome or o3d try to update themselves on my system (MBP, Mac OS 10.5.7) it fails, I assume this is a permissions error as I set up my account to be a sudoer, but not an administrator.

    I have tried to update manually (Chrome > About > Update Now) it downloads and mounts the disk image of the update, but then unmounts it and displays the message "Self update failed."

    Any ideas on how to figure out what's going wrong?

    Edit:

    I tried the update both on a real admin account and an entirely unprivileged account, both with the same results.

    permissions (by ls -le) are

    drwxrwxr-x@  3 acobb  admin   102 Jun 12 21:00 Google Chrome.app

    console spits out a lot:

    7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:50.561 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xa076c720] [lvl=2] -[KSAgentApp setupLoggerOutput] Agent settings: <KSAgentSettings:0x128bc0 bundleID=com.google.Keystone.Agent lastCheck=2009-07-16 21:52:59 -0600 checkInterval=18000.000000 uiDisplayInterval=604800.000000 sleepInterval=1800.000000 jitterInterval=900 maxRunInterval=0.000000 isConsoleUser=1 ticketStorePath=/Users/acobb/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/TicketStore/Keystone.ticketstore runMode=4 daemonBootstrapName=com.google.Keystone.Daemon logEverything=0 logBufferSize=2048 alwaysPromptForUpdates=0 productIDToUpdate=com.google.Chrome lastRun=2009-07-16 21:52:53 -0600 lastUIDisplayed=2009-06-26 18:47:58 -0600 lastCheck=2009-07-16 21:52:59 -0600 alwaysShowStatusItem=0 userGUID={D92DFBBA-D345-43A9-8AE1-8A9F6C6363CE} updateCheckTag=(null) printResults=YES userInitiated=YES handlingCrash=NO> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:51.903 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine updateProductWithProductID:] No ticket for product with Product ID com.google.Keystone 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:51.904 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processingStarted:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=4 current=(null)> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:51.904 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processor:startingAction:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=3 current=KSCheckAction>, action=<KSCheckAction: 0x156f70> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:51.905 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSCheckAction performAction] filteredTickets = <CFArray 0x1580d0 [0xa03911a0]>{type = immutable, count = 1, values = ( 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  0 : <KSTicket:0x155240 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  productID=com.google.Chrome 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  version=3.0.189.0 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  xc=<KSPathExistenceChecker:0x13d830 path=/Applications/Google Chrome.app> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  url=https://tools.google.com/service/update2 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  creationDate=2009-06-08 16:40:49 -0600 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] > 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] )} 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.505 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSOmahaServer updateInfosForResponse:data:] Attributes from XMLNode <updatecheck DisplayVersion="3.0.192.0" codebase="http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg" hash="lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg=" needsadmin="false" size="12140537" status="ok"></updatecheck> = { 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     DisplayVersion = "3.0.192.0"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     codebase = "http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     hash = "lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg="; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     needsadmin = false; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     size = 12140537; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     status = ok; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] } 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.507 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processor:finishedAction:successfully:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=3 current=KSCheckAction>, action=<KSCheckAction: 0x156f70>, wasOK=1 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.507 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processor:startingAction:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=2 current=KSPrefetchAction>, action=<KSPrefetchAction: 0x157500> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.507 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSPrefetchAction performAction] prefetches=( 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         { 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         DisplayVersion = "3.0.192.0"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodeHash = "lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg="; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodeSize = 12140537; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodeSize = 12140537; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodebaseURL = http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerDisplayVersion = "3.0.192.0"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerProductID = "com.google.Chrome"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         needsadmin = false; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         status = ok; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     } 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] ) 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.638 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSDownloadAction performAction] Short circuiting download of http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg, path=/Users/acobb/Library/Caches/com.google.UpdateEngine.Framework.501/Downloads/com.google.Chrome.dmg, size=12140537, hash=lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg= 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.638 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processor:finishedAction:successfully:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=2 current=KSPrefetchAction>, action=<KSPrefetchAction: 0x157500>, wasOK=1 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.638 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSUpdateEngine processor:startingAction:] processor=<KSActionProcessor:0x150700 isProcessing=1 actions=1 current=KSSilentUpdateAction>, action=<KSSilentUpdateAction: 0x157600> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.639 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSMultiUpdateAction performAction] filteredUpdates=( 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         { 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         DisplayVersion = "3.0.192.0"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodeHash = "lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg="; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodeSize = 12140537; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerCodebaseURL = http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerDisplayVersion = "3.0.192.0"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kServerProductID = "com.google.Chrome"; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         kTicket = <KSTicket:0x1c60a0 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  productID=com.google.Chrome 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  version=3.0.189.0 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  xc=<KSPathExistenceChecker:0x1bdfc0 path=/Applications/Google Chrome.app> 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  url=https://tools.google.com/service/update2 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]  creationDate=2009-06-08 16:40:49 -0600 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] >; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         needsadmin = false; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]         status = ok; 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669]     } 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] ) 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:52.739 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=2] -[KSDownloadAction performAction] Short circuiting download of http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg, path=/Users/acobb/Library/Caches/com.google.UpdateEngine.Framework.501/Downloads/com.google.Chrome.dmg, size=12140537, hash=lQ28L1yRtI56Z4iH/2sd81m+LCg= 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:55.039 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=3] -[KSInstallAction performAction] Return code 4 from an install script. output1: (null), output2: , output3: (null) 
7/16/09 9:58:55 PM [0x0-0x1316315].com.google.Chrome[90669] 2009-07-16 21:58:55.043 GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent[92673/0xb00a1000] [lvl=3] -[KSAgentApp(KeystoneDelegate) engine:finished:wasSuccess:wantsReboot:] Finished with com.google.Chrome : success 0, should reboot 0

    • Related Answers
  • Chealion

    What version of Chrome do you have now?

    In the console it doesn't explicitly say why it aborts the download of http://dl.google.com/chrome/mac/GoogleChrome-3.0.192.0.dmg other than an install script fails. You could try manually downloading the update as a workaround but it sounds like the Google Update Engine is broken on your computer. You can try a re-install of o3d, or remove the Google Update Engine to force it to re-install.

    To do this you run: sudo /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/GoogleSoftwareUpdate.bundle/Contents/Resources/GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent.app/Contents/Resources/install.py --uninstall from the command line.

  • jtbandes

    First thing to do is check Console, in /Applications/Utilities. Chrome may have logged a message about the problem. Also, you could try setting your account as admin and updating to see if that works.

    Edit: you should also check the permissions on the /Applications folder, and on Chrome itself, using Get Info in Finder (⌘I).

    Edit2: well, the only thing I can get out of that is the "Return code 4 from an install script". I'm not sure which install script that would be, though you might try poking through some application packages and the internets.