UCheck v5.3.1 Incorrectly Recommends Update to HWiNFO Portable v7.73 BETA

[lmacri]

I am currently using the latest stable release of HWinFO Portable v7.72.5355 (released 05-Feb-2024; see release notes at https://www.hwinfo.com/version-history/) that I run from a removable USB stick.

As of 09-Mar-2024, the latest UCheck Free Portable v5.3.1.0 is incorrectly recommending I update to the HWinFO Portable v7.73.5380 BETA, which is the BETA version currently offered at https://www.hwinfo.com/download/.

Please see the attached image of my UCheck Updates tab and my full UCheck scan log for 09-Mar-2024.

Here is an excerpt from the latest scan log:

Code: [Select]


************************* Updates *************************
Hardware Info Program for x64 (HWiNFO64) (64-bit), version 7.72.5355.0
  [+] Available Version        : 7.73.5380.0
  [+] Size                     : 8873952
  [+] Wow6432                  : No
  [+] Portable                 : Yes
  [+] update_location          : E:\Portable\HWiNFO 7_72\HWiNFO64.exe
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v123.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24010.12-1.1.24020.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.9.314-1.0.2276 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8830.19890 * UCheck Free Portable v5.3.1.0 * HWiNFO Portable v7.72.5355

[dking02]

Addtionally, the change log for UCheck 5.3.1 is not posted as of 1800 PDT on  Sun 10 Mar 2024 - see attached screenshot.

[lmacri]

Addtionally, the change log for UCheck 5.3.1 is not posted as of 1800 PDT on  Sun 10 Mar 2024 - see attached screenshot.

Hi dking02:

A bit off-topic, but this must have been a temporary glitch on the Adlice website.  I'm fairly certain the latest v5.3.1.0 change log was posted at https://www.adlice.com/docs/ucheck/release-notes/changelog/ when I checked on 08-Mar-2024, and I just browsed there again and can still see that change log (see attached image).
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v123.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24010.12-1.1.24020.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.10.316-1.0.2286 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8830.19890 * UCheck Free Portable v5.3.1.0 * HWiNFO Portable v7.72.5355

[dking02]

Thanks for letting me know that the UCheck change log is actually visible. My problem with viewing the change log appears to have been due to some unusual behavior of an extension on my Chrome browser. I found that the problem was not present when using a different browser and that it went away in Chrome after switching to incognito mode and then returning back to normal mode.

P.S. The HWiNFO download page (hwinfo.com/download/) is quite clear that the v7.73 is a beta release (portable only) and that 7.72 is the current production release for both the installer and portable editions - screenshot attached. HWiNFO is a UCheck compatible program and the update to the installed edition could be used to identify an update to the portable edition without having to do it separately and introducing the possibility of a false (beta) detect and a delay due to waiting for community feedback.

[lmacri]

The good news is that the QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8830.19890 software I began testing in Nov 2023 has not recommended any BETA versions for my HWiNFO Portable app so far and is still detecting HWiNFO Portable v7.72 as the latest stable version (see the attached image I captured today).
__________________________

I should add that detection of BETA versions of HWiNFO were a problem with SUMo before it reached end of life as well, but the problem was quickly resolved as soon as the erroneous detection was reported in the SUMo forum. See my 29-Dec-2023 comments about erroneous detections with SUMo vs UCheck in post # 1307 on page 59 of the Wilders Security topic UCheck - Update your software in 2 clicks.

The installed version of HWiNFO is classified by UCheck as a fully supported "Compatible" app, which means that version updates are detected by automated bots that crawl the software developer's website.  However, HWiNFO Portable is classified as a "Community" app, which means that telemetry data collected from the wider UCheck community is used to determine when a newer version of HWiNFO Portable is the "prevalent" version being used.  It's always possible that there are an unusually high % of HWiNFO Portable users who test the BETA releases, which in turn causes UCheck's automated algorithm to incorrectly flag the BETA release as the "prevalent" for HWiNFO Portable.

Whatever the actual cause for these constant erroneous detections of HWiNFO Portable BETAs, if the algorithm used for "Community" apps to find the "prevalent" version can't be improved then there at least needs to be some sort of standard mechanism put in place so that a BETA detection can be corrected in a reasonable amount of time once it is reported to Adlice.
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Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4046 * Firefox v123.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24020.7-1.1.24020.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.10.316-1.0.2286 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8830.19890 * UCheck Free Portable 64-Bit 5.3.1.0 * HWiNFO Portable v7.72.5355

[lmacri]

I am currently using the latest stable release of HWinFO Portable v7.72.5355 (released 05-Feb-2024; see release notes at https://www.hwinfo.com/version-history/) that I run from a removable USB stick.

As of 09-Mar-2024, the latest UCheck Free Portable v5.3.1.0 is incorrectly recommending I update to the HWinFO Portable v7.73.5380 BETA, which is the BETA version currently offered at https://www.hwinfo.com/download/....

Never mind.  After waiting 3 weeks for Adlice to address this erroneous detection of BETA releases of HWiNFO Portable, the problem has corrected itself.

A new STABLE version of HWiNFO Portable v8.00.5400 was released on 27-Mar-2024 (see release notes at https://www.hwinfo.com/version-history/). I only noticed this because the v8.00 update was correctly detected today by QuickInstaller as shown in the attached image.
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Dell Inspiron 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4170 * Firefox v124.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24020.7-1.1.24020.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v4.6.11.320-1.0.2302 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8830.19890 * UCheck Free Portable 64-Bit v5.3.1.0 * HHWiNFO Portable v8.00.5400