Altium updates?

[bluenote]

A warm hello to everyone. I'm new to EEVblog - just joined today.
If there are topic groups under Altium, please let me know and I'll redirect this enquiry to that group.

BACKGROUND:

I have a very old version of Altium Designer - AD10. It's worked fine for me for since I bought AD8 back in 2008 (or so).
When my subscription expired - I was on AD10 release 15.

A few weeks ago, AD10 misbehaved badly. Three seconds of work, followed by 60 seconds of freezing.
In the end I had to reinstall from CD (after uninstalling Altium using the standard Win10 uninstall method)

All works fine, except I get this warning ...

"You are not running the latest version that is installed on your computer:
You are running 10.391.22084
The latest version build is 10.818.23272"

As far as I understand these two builds are also known as Release 1 and Release 15.

Clearly my AD10 knows of the 10.818.23272 build, but I have no idea how to "install" this update.
I have a distant memory that Altium gave me access to a "special" download site for this version.


QUESTION:

Does anyone know how to access 10.818.23272 update?
with no subscription, Altium won't/can't help me (I've asked).

or

Does anyone know how I can remove this warning message that pops up and flashes?


Your help would be gratefully received.

Regards,
Bluenote

[thm_w]

Don't know where to download 818 patch, maybe someone else can help.

But I would block Altium from communicating in and out in your Windows firewall regardless, and this will likely help.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/all/how-do-i-block-a-program-in-a-firewall/ff53f7b0-8814-435b-8677-af81cae5cc1f
You'll block the ADxxx.exe

[bluenote]

Hi thw_w,

Thanks for your input.
But this didn't had any positive outcome.
I suspect that there is a buried file somewhere on my system from the previous installation.
And this tells the main program of the 10.818 release

Background:

I use Bitdefender - but did as you suggest and blocked AltiumDownloadManager.exe
I also ensured that my application was "signed out"
But the reminder dialog box still appeared.

So I set a rule that DXP.exe was blocked through the firewall.
And denied dxpsecurityservice.exe but the reminder dialog box still appears.
And I also had an error message that portal2.altium.com connect failed.
This even though I remained signed out.

[thm_w]

Yeah DXP.exe would be the one.
That is odd, maybe cached the update somewhere as you say.

This might be the special download process, to select specific builds: https://techdocs.altium.com/display/ALEG/Installing+Altium+Designer+with+the+Altium+Platform+Installer
But it requires a login.

[bluenote]

Hi thm_w,

The link you gave me was helpful. It opened up a new avenue of investigation.
But I still have the warning message and I'm still on 10.391.22084 version.

The link points you to use AltiumInstaller.exe
I couldn't find his on the internet (without a support login), but it was on my original Altium CDROM.

Under C:\ProgramData\Altium\Altium Repository\3FDFCB14C16F9A367ADF5138ABB60104\Altium Designer 10\Builds on my PC was a list of 26 folders of releases 22033 through to 27009, including release 23272. This release folder is some 598MB (most others were only 3MB to 6MB). So I was hopeful this could be my way of getting release 23272 reinstalled. There is also a folder with related Public_nnnnnnnn.Release files.

BUT (there's always a but ...),
AltiumInstaller.exe wouldn't let me select anything but the 10.391.22084 release
I guess being the installer on the CDROM, it defaults to the only version on the CDROM. Namely  10.391.22084

Any idea how I might proceed?

[Doctorandus_P]

It's just one of the tricks companies use in an attempt to extort more money from their customers.

Crippling other wise working software with nag screens for newer versions they don't need in the hope they cough up the money just to get rid of the nag screens.

[Gerhard_dk4xp]

I keep my AD on a virtual Windows machine. VMware player is enough.
You can cut internet access with a simple mouse click. CTL-C / CTL-v
works across the boundary between the Linux host and the Windows guest,
so if you WANT to follow a link, it is a matter of a second. A Windows host
probably works, too.
It has the added benefit  that it's me who controls when WIN10 updates
or reboots.
Install freshly from the CD to the isolated virtual WIN machine. It will not
know about future releases. If you have something that works, copy the VM
in switched-off state to an external hard disk. It is just a 100G directory with
a dozen files in it. There is a lot of space on a 5TB disk.
When AD acts up, just drop it and get a fresh copy.  I have all my local
designs and libs on the D: drive that is mapped to /d under Linux. That is
essential if you want to be able to drop C: at will.

Gerhard

[PlainName]

There is a lot of space on a 5TB disk

10TB, since it would be really REALLY painful to lose 5TB of stuff you need a backup of it all.

When people say storage is cheap and all that, they neglect to consider how they're going to back up all that oodles of cheap stuff. In reality you wouldn't want to back up 5TB to the same 5TB disk every time (writing over your only backup isn't a good idea) so now you're looking at two spare 5TB drives...

[Gerhard_dk4xp]

Of the really important things, I have a copy in a friend's cellar, abt. 700 miles
away; and I have a copy of his stuff. That might be even Putin-proof.
On the other hand, I'm only < 20 miles away from Ramstein airbase.

[PlainName]

If the shit really hits the fan, you won't be caring about anything afterwards

[Kean]

The fact you have a local Altium Repository folder is good, and I just think you need to run the right installer.
Long time since I touched AD10... but PM sent.