Sansa Updater is idiotic (please excuse my language)

[dfkt]

Who in their right mind designs an updater application that runs ALL THE TIME as a background process? It hogs memory, clutters up the system tray, and is totally useless.

SanDisk, not all users are as dumb as you would believe them to be. There's nothing wrong with an .exe you start manually to update the firmware, then be done with it. The way it's done now is plain and simple moronic.

FWIW, I installed and uninstalled that horrible piece of garbage twice already to get the newest firmware for my Clip. What an unnecessary hassle...

[jeffrok]

A LOT of users need things to be VERY easy.. I don't blame Sandisk for making things as easy as possible. As a tech support person myself, there are some very "interesting" computer users out there.

[dfkt]

This is not "easy", this is an insult to anyone's intelligence.

To even manage the update procedure you have to a) know what a firmware is, b) know that you can update it, c) know what your firmware version is, d) know where to get that app from Sandisk's website, e) install the app.

There is absolutely no need to make the app run in the background all the time, hogging memory and cluttering up your system tray. If you know about the possibility to upgrade a firmware you're quite apt to execute a program file on your own.

They sure could make such an app for complete laymen who don't know anything - but please don't insult people who actually know their way around computers with this piece of garbage. Release another version of the app, one that actually does not interfere with how I use my computer.

[amkaos]

this is the current bin file to load to root .. no need to install updater
http://www.actaeonlf.com/sandisk/Clip01.01.17.zip

[dfkt]

Thanks, where did that file originate from? Someone intercepted the uplink to the Sandisk server while the Sansa Updater connected?

I'd welcome if future firmwares were released that way.

I made a sticky thread: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=22669
Thanks Amkaos!

[PromisedPlanet]

dfkt, I think you may have the wrong version of the Updater, which is perfectly understandable given the way Sandisk has made it hard to find the Updater on the website, made different versions available on different web pages, etc.

Anyway, I entered another post yesterday in which I mentioned that the Updater service was pointing to an executable (SansaSvr.exe) which didn't exist. Someone suggested I uninstall and reinstall it. I didn't think this would help as I would just be downloading the installer from the same place as before ( http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1376 ), but it did ... the service now points to SansaDispatch.exe.

What's more, the system tray icon goes away now when I unplug my Clip. Looking at Task Manager, the Clip detecting software is SansaDispatch.exe, which of course is always resident but not using CPU and only taking 2MB of memory. The process which runs while the Clip is actually plugged in is SansaUpdater.exe, but the process stops when the Clip is unplugged.

[dfkt]

I don't think I have a wrong version - I updated to FW x.17 just fine.

Yeah, I meant SansaDispatch.exe - it annoys the hell out of me seeing a useless background process hogging memory. 2MB is 2MB too much, seeing as the Updater is used once every two weeks or so (and probably a lot less when firmware development slows down or ceases entirely).

Thank god someone intercepted the firmware and put it online... see the sticky thread.

[amkaos]

Originally Posted by PromisedPlanet

dfkt, I think you may have the wrong version of the Updater, which is perfectly understandable given the way Sandisk has made it hard to find the Updater on the website, made different versions available on different web pages, etc.

Anyway, I entered another post yesterday in which I mentioned that the Updater service was pointing to an executable (SansaSvr.exe) which didn't exist. Someone suggested I uninstall and reinstall it. I didn't think this would help as I would just be downloading the installer from the same place as before ( http://www.sandisk.com/Retail/Default.aspx?CatID=1376 ), but it did ... the service now points to SansaDispatch.exe.

What's more, the system tray icon goes away now when I unplug my Clip. Looking at Task Manager, the Clip detecting software is SansaDispatch.exe, which of course is always resident but not using CPU and only taking 2MB of memory. The process which runs while the Clip is actually plugged in is SansaUpdater.exe, but the process stops when the Clip is unplugged.

completely , thoroughly, totally, unneeded.. it is a clutter process that loads on startup -- who wants that? no one thats who. plug in clip, process runs--who wants that? no one, thats who. no good reason for this..installation is presumptuous

[pannayar]

I agree totally with dfkt, the sansa auto firmware updater is one piece of software that I cannot digest at all -- ok if you want that to help totally computer illiterate people, dont make it the ONLY way to update the firmware.

And that junk does not work when my internet connection has a proxy (when I am at work).