Over the years since Tor Browser began using automatic updates, the requirements of updating changed a few times. These changes were implemented by migrating to a new update location. These were watershed updates.
|| Ticket || Path || Release ||
|| #19316 || update_3 || 6.5.2 ||
|| #26050 || update_3 || 8.0a10 ||
| Ticket | Path | Release |
|--------|------|---------|
| #19316 | update_3 | 6.5.2 |
| #26050 | update_3 | 8.0a10 |
== History ==
## History
MAR files were signed beginning in 2014, with ticket #13379. Incremental mar files were implemented in #13324,
== Manually Applying MAR Update ==
## Manually Applying MAR Update
These instructions are based on https://wiki.mozilla.org/Software_Update:Manually_Installing_a_MAR_file
=== Linux: ===
### Linux:
1. We assume the Tor Browser installation directory is `/path/to/torbrowser`, this is the directory normally named `tor-browser_${LOCALE}` (like `tor-browser_es-ES/` and it contains the `Browser/` directory)
1. Create a directory somewhere your user can read/write/execute, such as in your home directory (let's call it `app-update`).
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@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ These instructions are based on https://wiki.mozilla.org/Software_Update:Manuall
1. After this command is executed, an `update.status` file should be created in `app-update/`. If the update was applied successfully, then the file should contain "succeeded".
1. After successfully applying the update, simply delete the `app-update/` directory
=== MacOS: ===
### MacOS:
1. Create a directory somewhere your use can read/write/execute, such as in your home directory (let's call it `app-update`).
1. Open `Applications` and open the context menu of `Tor Browser.app`, select "Show Package Contents`
1. After showing the package content, open `Contents/MacOS/` and copy `Tor Browser Software Update` (`updater.app`) into `app-update` (created above)
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@@ -61,44 +62,45 @@ These instructions are based on https://wiki.mozilla.org/Software_Update:Manuall
1. After this command is executed, an `update.status` file should be created in `~/app-update/`. If the update was applied successfully, then the file should contain "succeeded".
1. After successfully applying the update, simply delete the `app-update/` directory
=== Windows: ===
### Windows:
**NOTE**: These steps assume you installed Tor Browser in the default installation location: {{{%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\Tor Browser}}}. If you have installed Tor Browser somewhere else, you will need to update the commands referencing the Tor Browser installation directory to point to your custom installation path. Also note that {{{%USERPROFILE%}}} expands to the current user's home directory. For most users this is {{{C:\Users\%USERNAME%}}}.
**NOTE**: These steps assume you installed Tor Browser in the default installation location: `%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\Tor Browser`. If you have installed Tor Browser somewhere else, you will need to update the commands referencing the Tor Browser installation directory to point to your custom installation path. Also note that `%USERPROFILE%` expands to the current user's home directory. For most users this is `C:\Users\%USERNAME%`.
1. Ensure that Tor Browser is not running.
1. Open an un-elevated command prompt by {{{Win+R}}}, typing {{{cmd.exe}}} in the resulting prompt, and hitting the {{{OK}}} button.
1. Open an un-elevated command prompt by `Win+R`, typing `cmd.exe` in the resulting prompt, and hitting the `OK` button.
1. From the command prompt, create a temporary directory by:
- {{{mkdir %USERPROFILE%\app-update}}}
1. Download incremental MAR file, such as {{{tor-browser-win64-9.5a6-9.5a7_en-US.incremental.mar}}} (most likely from https://dist.torproject.org/torbrowser/) and save it in your {{{app-update}}} directory.
- `mkdir %USERPROFILE%\app-update`
1. Download incremental MAR file, such as `tor-browser-win64-9.5a6-9.5a7_en-US.incremental.mar` (most likely from https://dist.torproject.org/torbrowser/) and save it in your `app-update` directory.
1. Rename your downloaded MAR file to `update.mar`
1. Copy the {{{updater.exe}}} shipped with Tor Browser to your {{{app-update}}} directory:
1. After this command is executed, an update.status file should be created in {{{%USERPROFILE%\app-update}}}. If the update was applied successfully, then the file should contain "succeeded". You can verify this by:
1. After this command is executed, an update.status file should be created in `%USERPROFILE%\app-update`. If the update was applied successfully, then the file should contain "succeeded". You can verify this by:
- `type %USERPROFILE%\app-update\update.status`
In the event of error, you can examine `%USERPROFILE%\update.log` to troubleshoot the problem.
1. Cleanup the app-update directory
- {{{rmdir /S /Q %USERPROFILE%\app-update}}}
- `rmdir /S /Q %USERPROFILE%\app-update`
=== MAR Troubleshooting
The provided updater program is not very user friendly and will not provide immediate user feedback in the event of failure. If the {{{update.status}}} file says anything besides "succeeded" you can examine the generated {{{updater.log}}} in your created {{{app-update}}} directory for clues. The most likely cause of error is using a MAR file that is not compatible with your Tor Browser installation. Unfortunately there are multiple ways in which you can use the wrong MAR file:
The provided updater program is not very user friendly and will not provide immediate user feedback in the event of failure. If the `update.status` file says anything besides "succeeded" you can examine the generated `updater.log` in your created `app-update` directory for clues. The most likely cause of error is using a MAR file that is not compatible with your Tor Browser installation. Unfortunately there are multiple ways in which you can use the wrong MAR file:
==== CPU an OS Architecture
First, you must be sure that the OS and and CPU architecture match between the MAR file and your Tor Browser installation:
|| **MAR** || **Architecture** ||
|| linux32 || 32-bit x86 Linux ||
|| linux64 || 64-bit amd64 Linux ||
|| osx64 || 64-bit macOS ||
|| win32 || 32-bit Windows ||
|| win64 || 64-bit Windows ||
| **MAR** | **Architecture** |
|---------|------------------|
| linux32 | 32-bit x86 Linux |
| linux64 | 64-bit amd64 Linux |
| osx64 | 64-bit macOS |
| win32 | 32-bit Windows |
| win64 | 64-bit Windows |
You can determine 'bitness' of your Tor Browser installation by launching Tor Browser and navigating through {{{Hamburger Menu -> Help -> About Tor Browser}}}. There should be a line in the resulting pop-up similar to {{{9.5a7 (based on Mozilla Firefox 68.5.0esr) (64-bit)}}}. Please note that it is typically possible to run 32-bit software on a 64-bit OS, so please be sure to check you have this right if your update fails.
You can determine 'bitness' of your Tor Browser installation by launching Tor Browser and navigating through `Hamburger Menu -> Help -> About Tor Browser`. There should be a line in the resulting pop-up similar to `9.5a7 (based on Mozilla Firefox 68.5.0esr) (64-bit)`. Please note that it is typically possible to run 32-bit software on a 64-bit OS, so please be sure to check you have this right if your update fails.
Just because you are running 64-bit Windows or Linux does not mean you need the 64-bit MAR file!
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@@ -106,8 +108,8 @@ The updater.log file will likely complain about mismatched file names if you use
==== Correct Incremental Version
Second, if you are updating using an incremental MAR file (these MAR files end in {{{.incremental.MAR}}}) be sure that the 'from' version matches your Tor Browser installation's version. The incremental mar file's have a filename in the form: {{{tor-browser-$ARCH-$FROM_VERSION-$TO_VERSION_$LOCALE.incrementalmar}}}. For example, an incremental update from the American English 32-bit Windows Tor Browser version 9.5a6 to version 9.5a7 has the filename: {{{tor-browser-win32-9.5a6-9.5a7_en-US.incremental.mar}}}
Second, if you are updating using an incremental MAR file (these MAR files end in `.incremental.MAR`) be sure that the 'from' version matches your Tor Browser installation's version. The incremental mar file's have a filename in the form: `tor-browser-$ARCH-$FROM_VERSION-$TO_VERSION_$LOCALE.incrementalmar`. For example, an incremental update from the American English 32-bit Windows Tor Browser version 9.5a6 to version 9.5a7 has the filename: `tor-browser-win32-9.5a6-9.5a7_en-US.incremental.mar`
You can determine the version number by launching Tor Browser and looking at the top-right hand corner of {{{about:tor}}} (for left-to-right languages). The version can also be found in the {{{About Tor}}} dialog as described in the previous section.
You can determine the version number by launching Tor Browser and looking at the top-right hand corner of `about:tor` (for left-to-right languages). The version can also be found in the `About Tor` dialog as described in the previous section.
The `updater.log` file will likely complain about mismatched file sizes if you use the wrong incremental version.
