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upgrading firefox (Solved, THX)

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jppattison
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Joined: 2015-02-23 18:13

upgrading firefox (Solved, THX)

#1 Post by jppattison »

I keep getting messages every so often that my firefox browser is out of date.

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sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade firefox-esr
gave me this message:

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are you root?
so I switched to

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su
to get a root prompt. then I did

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sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade firefox-esr
again, and I got this

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Reading state information... Done
firefox-esr is already the newest version (52.6.0esr-1~deb9u1).
firefox-esr set to manually installed.
Calculating upgrade... Done
So I guess that Firefox ver.58 isn't available for Debian, and I'm forced to just have to keep getting the
Your Firefox Browser is Out of Date, Upgrade Your Firefox
.

Would it help to enable a 'testing' repo' for long enough to upgrade the Firefox to a newer version?
(I don't even know what version 'testing' is working on, that was just a dumb question I thought I'd ask ;>) )

Other than that I've gone thru above, is there a cure for this, or do I just put up with it?
Last edited by jppattison on 2018-02-15 23:56, edited 1 time in total.

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: upgrading firefox

#2 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

Debian stable is very good at keeping up-to-date with the latest release of Firefox but please note that the ESR version is used.

If you want the cutting-edge non-ESR version then install it locally instead using the tarball from Mozilla.

EDIT: that message should _not_ show if you are using the version from the Debian stable repositories, I think.

What is the output of

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which -a firefox
deadbang

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#3 Post by jppattison »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:Debian stable is very good at keeping up-to-date with the latest release of Firefox but please note that the ESR version is used.

If you want the cutting-edge non-ESR version then install it locally instead using the tarball from Mozilla.

EDIT: that message should _not_ show if you are using the version from the Debian stable repositories, I think.

What is the output of

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which -a firefox
apt-cache polict firefox-esr
This is from my /home as root -

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 which -a firefox apt-cache polict firefox-esr
/usr/bin/firefox
/usr/bin/apt-cache
/usr/bin/firefox-esr
If you want the cutting-edge non-ESR version then install it locally instead using the tarball from Mozilla.
I'm confused as to what you mean - "install it locally" - are you suggesting that I install it using apt-get install? Becuz if you are, I've tried that and this is what I get in response:

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Package firefox is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

E: Package 'firefox' has no installation candidate
And I don't see any Firefox in Debian Packages, even tho the search sends me to a bunch of security alerts ....

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: upgrading firefox

#4 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

jppattison wrote:I'm confused as to what you mean - "install it locally" - are you suggesting that I install it using apt-get install?
No, do not add any non-stable repositories, that is a very silly idea.

Please read https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian

Mozilla offer a direct download that can be unpacked in your home folder and run from there without need to use APT (or root) at all ;)
deadbang

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pawRoot
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Re: upgrading firefox

#5 Post by pawRoot »

You can use my shell script

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#!/usr/bin/env sh

### Latest Firefox 64bit en-US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# For other operating systems replace 'os=win' with:
#   Windows 64bit              os=win64
#   OS X                       os=osx
#   Linux x86_64               os=linux64
#   Linux i686                 os=linux

wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 https://download.mozilla.org/\?product\=firefox-latest\&os\=linux64\&lang\=en-US

tar xvf firefox.tar.bz2

sudo rsync -a firefox /opt/
sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox 200
sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox

rm firefox.tar.bz2
rm -rf firefox

sudo rm -f /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop
sudo touch /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

sudo sh -c "cat >> /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop" << 'EoT'
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox
Comment=Web Browser
GenericName=Web Browser
X-GNOME-FullName=Firefox
Exec=/opt/firefox/firefox %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=/opt/firefox/browser/icons/mozicon128.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox
StartupNotify=true
EoT

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Head_on_a_Stick
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Re: upgrading firefox

#6 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

pawRoot wrote:

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sudo rsync -a firefox /opt/
Why copy FF to /opt?

Doesn't that mean you have to run it as root to let it update itself? :shock:

I would copy the FF binary to ~/bin so it can update as my normal user.
deadbang

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Re: upgrading firefox

#7 Post by pawRoot »

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:
pawRoot wrote:

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sudo rsync -a firefox /opt/
Why copy FF to /opt?

Doesn't that mean you have to run it as root to let it update itself? :shock:

I would copy the FF binary to ~/bin so it can update as my normal user.
I don't know, this is what they said on Debian Wiki from what i remember, but he can always modify it easily anyway :D

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#8 Post by jppattison »

pawRoot wrote:You can use my shell script

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#!/usr/bin/env sh

### Latest Firefox 64bit en-US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# For other operating systems replace 'os=win' with:
#   Windows 64bit              os=win64
#   OS X                       os=osx
#   Linux x86_64               os=linux64
#   Linux i686                 os=linux

wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 https://download.mozilla.org/\?product\=firefox-latest\&os\=linux64\&lang\=en-US

tar xvf firefox.tar.bz2

sudo rsync -a firefox /opt/
sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox 200
sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser /opt/firefox/firefox

rm firefox.tar.bz2
rm -rf firefox

sudo rm -f /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop
sudo touch /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

sudo sh -c "cat >> /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop" << 'EoT'
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox
Comment=Web Browser
GenericName=Web Browser
X-GNOME-FullName=Firefox
Exec=/opt/firefox/firefox %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=/opt/firefox/browser/icons/mozicon128.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox
StartupNotify=true
EoT
Thanks a bunch pawRoot, now I get to go search the I-net to figger out how to use a shell script! :lol: :lol: :lol: :mrgreen:
Oh Well, learning something new is always a good thing!
THX

Wheelerof4te
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Re: upgrading firefox

#9 Post by Wheelerof4te »

https://wiki.debian.org/Firefox
If this is too much for you, you can always use Chromium.

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Re: upgrading firefox

#10 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

jppattison wrote:now I get to go search the I-net to figger out how to use a shell script
Running shell scripts that you do not understand (as root!) is an insanely stupid idea, please don't do that.
deadbang

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Re: upgrading firefox

#11 Post by pawRoot »

I have modified the script a bit, thanks HOAS for advice :)

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#!/usr/bin/env sh

### Latest Firefox 64bit en-US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

# For other operating systems replace 'os=win' with:
#   Windows 64bit              os=win64
#   OS X                       os=osx
#   Linux x86_64               os=linux64
#   Linux i686                 os=linux

mkdir -p ~/bin/

wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 https://download.mozilla.org/\?product\=firefox-latest\&os\=linux64\&lang\=en-US

tar xvf firefox.tar.bz2

sudo rsync -a firefox ~/bin/
sudo ln -s ~/bin/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-www-browser x-www-browser ~/bin/firefox/firefox 200
sudo update-alternatives --set x-www-browser ~/bin/firefox/firefox

rm firefox.tar.bz2
rm -rf firefox

sudo rm -f /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop
sudo touch /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

sudo sh -c "cat >> /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop" << 'EoT'
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox
Comment=Web Browser
GenericName=Web Browser
X-GNOME-FullName=Firefox
Exec=~/bin/firefox/firefox %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=~/bin/firefox/browser/icons/mozicon128.png
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
MimeType=text/html;text/xml;application/xhtml+xml;application/xml;application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml;application/rss+xml;application/rdf+xml;image/gif;image/jpeg;image/png;x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;
StartupWMClass=Firefox
StartupNotify=true
EoT
To run it, save it in file.sh, then

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chmod +x file.sh
./file.sh

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Re: upgrading firefox

#12 Post by stevepusser »

Well, there's also the MX repackaged version which basically does the same thing as the script, but with a bit more customization for MX. http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/pool/main/f/firefox/ Since it's a repackage, the mx15 and mx17 versions are the same thing, essentially.

But I suppose you also need to learn to install a .deb package?

Debian disables the ordinary update message in firefox-esr, but I suppose Mozilla has started using an end-around for that; maybe the notification system.
MX Linux packager and developer

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#13 Post by jppattison »

Wheelerof4te wrote:https://wiki.debian.org/Firefox
If this is too much for you, you can always use Chromium.
I think that's Google, who I don't care for (I use startpage instead), so if I used Chromium, I suppose I'd probably end up with Google. I was looking around for a browser, but Chrome, Chromium, Opera, and Firefox was the four best for Linux, according to one blogger. The first two I think are associated with Google, .... Opera, I tried a few years back and was unimpressed, so Firefox/Iceweasel would be the only choices AFAICS. I read somewhere that Iceweasel is now being deprecated, so there goes that!

No offense to pawRoot, but I'd probably be better off reading up on bash scripts before I attempt that. Thanks anyway, I'm going to copy and paste to a doc so that I can experiment with bash scripts on my 'testing box - Thanks.

I think I'll read up a little more and follow HOAS's advice on the Mozilla site. I've done a couple of .debs already and copied out some commands, so that's probably the best way for me to go ATM.

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#14 Post by jppattison »

I followed this tutorial which was very easy. I'm re-booting now to see how well it worked ;>)

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Re: upgrading firefox

#15 Post by pawRoot »

By following the tutorial you linked to you will have Firefox installed in /opt/ , as HOAS said you won't be able to update the browser in future probably.

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#16 Post by jppattison »

@ pawRoot - Yeah, I read that. I didn't know if I should change that /opt (which I can do now, I think, [ by using mv?]) ..... now that I know I've got Firefox 58 ;>). OTOH, should I use that command they gave for updating my new Firefox, or will that work?

Update Firefox
To update your Firefox execute:

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$ wget -O FirefoxSetup.tar.bz2 "https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest&os=linux64&lang=en-US"
# tar xjf FirefoxSetup.tar.bz2 -C /opt/firefox/
also, if I mv the new Firefox to ~/usr as HOAS mentioned would the command be:

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# mv /usr/lib/firefox-esr/firefox-esr /opt/firefox-esr/firefox-esr_orig
mv /opt/firefox/firefox/firefox /usr/lib/firefox/firefox/firefox
:?:
since esr was moved out of there?

Another question - wouldn't it be a good idea to remove Firefox-ESR before I do any moving to avoid any conflicts or other issues? A similar question was asked in the comments on that same tutorial - that it would somehow cause the new Firefox NOT to be able to update properly. I know that comment is older and was migrating from Firefox 55 to Firefox 56, but I don't need any problems.
rbrband • 4 months ago wrote:Don't we have to uninstall Debian's deprecated version of Firefox first? Otherwise, the work would be wiped by a glacially slow update, one day. I ended up without even an icon after I did that. I had to create a launcher, etc.--I had to start with the /opt/Firefox55 Firefox version I had previously set up in order to get to this info (and the Libre page) again: Even when the version 56 extract is installed, rebooting proves necessary. Before rebooting, Firefox indicated version 55, still. I noted that proved true before.... Thanks!
And then I could

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apt-get remove firefox-esr_orig
if it was a good idea to remove Firefox esr.
TIA, jppattison

Just saw this in the Debian wiki - would this be a better option than moving the files or not;

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sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/

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Re: upgrading firefox

#17 Post by pawRoot »

I believe you can just move the whole folder to home directory, but i am not 100% sure so wait for someone more experienced to confirm.

This is what i would try

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mkdir -p ~/bin/
sudo rsync -a /opt/firefox ~/bin/
sudo rm -rf /opt/firefox
and then just follow Debian wiki to create shortcut if you need one.
jppattison wrote: if it was a good idea to remove Firefox esr.
Depends, for example in Gnome if you remove Firefox ESR you will also delete all Gnome packages, so be careful.
jppattison wrote: Just saw this in the Debian wiki - would this be a better option than moving the files or not;

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sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/
I believe this would just create link, and the original would be still in /opt/ ?
Again, im not 100% sure.

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Re: upgrading firefox

#18 Post by sunrat »

All this script stuff is getting confusing. If you use a desktop environment, just download from Mozilla site and extract where you want it (~/bin sounds like a good place). Then enter the extracted directory and click on firefox.
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Those who have lost data
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Re: upgrading firefox

#19 Post by Head_on_a_Stick »

^ +1
deadbang

jppattison
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Re: upgrading firefox

#20 Post by jppattison »

sunrat wrote:All this script stuff is getting confusing. If you use a desktop environment, just download from Mozilla site and extract where you want it (~/bin sounds like a good place). Then enter the extracted directory and click on firefox.
I have d/l'ed it from Mozilla (as the wget command shows) and I am using FF-58 as I said in earlier post(s). I was just hoping that I could get an opinion from H-O-A-S as to whether I should move it to either /usr/bin or /usr/lib, and whether I should remove ff-esr or not, since H-O-A-S was the one asking if putting the FF file in /opt was a wise thing to do. I'm getting old - gimme a break!
I'm just trying to get this set up so that I don't have any troubles, and so that it will upgrade when I ask for it. Since I'm causing you too much confusion, I guess I'll just take my chances and try out pawRoot's suggestion, and then remove FF-esr completely. It's been several years since I have used Linux and the CLI, so that's why I ask so many questions - wiki's and manuals can only tell you so much - and - so little at the same time ..... people's experiences can tell you so much more. Thanks for your input, sorry if I have offended you.

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