UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 - Four Issues

[ljmacri]

Preliminary Checks

• I use a modern operating system (Windows 7 with SP1 or newer)
• I use the latest version of UCheck available (stable or beta version)
• I checked that the issue I'm reporting was not already reported

Beta Version

• I am reporting an issue for UCheck BETA

What happened?

I have a Win 10 Pro v22H2 laptop and am running the latest v5.5.0.0-BETA2 (released 31-May-2024) from a removable USB stick.

I have found multiple issues with UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2. Most of these problems are related to winget scanning and could likely be solved if UCheck behaved like the previous UCheck v5.3.1.0 (i.e., if "Winget" apps were re-classified as "Community" apps) when winget scanning at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget was turned OFF).

Problem 1: Pre-Loading Previous Scan at Launch Can Display Outdated Information

Pre-loading data for the previous scan when UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 is launched often displays incorrect (outdated) version information, especially for users with a large number of "Community" and portable apps who cannot update most of their outdated software from the UCheck interface. Waiting for this outdated data to load wastes time and this feature should be removed.

Here's a test I ran yesterday with UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2:

1. Clicked SCAN on dashboard, first scan correctly showed MS Edge v125.0.2535.67 browser (rel. 24-May-2024) needed to be updated to v125.0.2535.79 (rel. 30-May-2024).
2. Closed UCheck, launched MS Edge and went to More | Help and Feedback | About Microsoft Edge to update MS Edge to latest v125.0.2535.79.
3. Launched UCheck, previous scan results loaded which incorrectly showed the old MS Edge v125.0.2535.67 was installed and still needed to be updated.

Problem 2: Tunring OFF Winget Scanning Changes the Status of Outdated Winget Apps to "Latest"

For example, if I click SCAN on the dashboard when History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget is turned ON then UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 correctly shows my Windows PC Health Check v3.6.2204.08001 app is a "Winget" app with a Status of "Outdated".

If History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget is turned OFF the Status of Windows PC Health Check v3.6.2204.08001 simply changes to "Latest" even though a newer v3.7.2204.15001 is still detected.

This looks like a "cheat" to fix Issue #50 (Multiple Microsoft Apps Change to "Unsupported" When Winget is Disabled in UCheck v5.4.0.0) but it does not address the root cause of the problem - that many outdated apps will go undetected if winget scanning is disabled in the settings.

As previously noted, it would be much better if turning off winget scanning simply reverted "Winget" apps back to "Community" apps so outdated software could be detected based on telemetry collected from the community. If that isn't possible then winget scanning should be completely removed from the upcoming stable release of UCheck v5.5.0.0, all Winget apps should be hidden from view on the UCheck Installed tab when winget scanning is disabled, or the ability to turn OFF winget scanning should be removed from the settings.

Problem 3: AdwCleaner (Portable) Has Changed from "Compatible" to "Unsupported"

Previous versions of UCheck have always classified AdwCleaner v8.x (a fully portable .exe file that can be run from a removable USB stick) as a fully supported "Compatible" app. UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 now classifies AdwCleaner v8.x as "Unsupported".

From UCheck v5.4.0.0 :

From UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 :

Problem 4: Installed "Winget" Apps With Longer Program Names Are Now "Unsupported"

From UCheck v5.4.0.0 :

From UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 :

UCheck v5.4.0.0 was able to correctly classify winget-supported apps with longer names as "Winget" and find available updates, so I am not sure why the winget issue at microsoft/winget-cli#1653 that dates back to 27-Oct-2021 has been referenced as the reason why these apps are now "Unsupported" in UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2.

When UCheck is looking up Winget apps is it trying to match according to the longer winget NAME [e.g., Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 8.0.6 (64x)] instead of the shorter ID (e.g., Microsoft.DotNet.DesktopRuntime.8)?

---

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4412 * Firefox v126.0.1 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24040.4 -1.1.24050.5 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.4.112-1.0.1244 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA1

ucheck-report

Sample logs for UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 with Winget scanning ON (2 apps outdated):

Winget Scanning ON Scan Log 01 Jun 2024.txt
Winget Scanning ON Debug Log 01 Jun 2024.txt

Sample logs for UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA2 with Winget scanning OFF (1 app outdated):

Winget Scanning OFF Scan Log 01 Jun 2024.txt
Winget Scanning OFF Debug Log 01 Jun 2024.txt

Is the issue reproductible?

Yes

Don't forget to vote !

• Bugs and new features will be treated by priority and popularity.
  Make sure you vote below with a 👍 !

[Tigzy]

Hi,
Problem 1/ I'm not sure to understand the problem here.
Yes loading last scan data can show wrong information if you update some software in between.
It would be exactly the same if you leave UCheck opened and update outside of it.

Information will not be refreshed until you do a new scan, or if you click on "Refresh data" on the items you wish to verify.

[Tigzy]

Problem 2/ I'm not sure to understand the problem either, are you re-running a scan after you turn OFF Winget ? Or is it when you do a reload of the app ?

[Tigzy]

Problem 3/ Found and fixed, thanks.

[Tigzy]

Problem 4/ looks normal to me, for several reasons:

1/ We have now globally excluded all VC++ from Community, due to many false positives.
2/ As explained here:

Please note because of this Winget issue https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/issues/1653 (lots of people complaining, hopefully they do something)
we had to NOT support some of the programs if they have a long name and if there's a similar one on the same machine, for example:

- "Very very long name that would result in Winget truncating the end of it version x86"
- "Very very long name that would result in Winget truncating the end of it version x64"

UCheck would see something like

- "Very very long name that would result in Winget truncating the end..."
- "Very very long name that would result in Winget truncating the end..."

And would not be able to know which one is what, therefore we decided to drop Winget information in this case.
It should be minor cases, but I know for sure most of the Microsoft C++ detections are in this situation.

[ljmacri]

Hi, Problem 1/ I'm not sure to understand the problem here. Yes loading last scan data can show wrong information if you update some software in between.

Hi Tigzy:

Loading data from the previous scan is slow, particularly during the step where it lists all the portable programs I run from a removable USB stick. I would much rather just launch UCheck and immediately click SCAN to start a new scan instead of waiting 10 or 15 seconds waiting for outdated data from the previous scan to load.

Note that the image below showing data loading from the previous scan was captured with v5.5.0.0-BETA3 (released 03-Jun-2024).

[ljmacri]

Problem 2/ I'm not sure to understand the problem either, are you re-running a scan after you turn OFF Winget ? Or is it when you do a reload of the app ?

Hi Tigzy:

Steps followed for problem # 2:

1. Launched UCheck and ran a new scan with History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget turned ON (the default). Captured first set of images.
2. Turned OFF the setting at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget.
3. Closed UCheck.
4. Re-launched UCheck and ran a new scan. Captured second set of images.

[ljmacri]

Problem 3/ Found and fixed, thanks.

Just an FYI that my AdwCleaner v8.x portable app is still "Unsupported" in UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA3 (rel. 03-Jun-2024).

[ljmacri]

Problem 4/ looks normal to me, for several reasons:

1/ We have now globally excluded all VC++ from Community, due to many false positives.

Hi Tigzy:

My main concern is that your global exclusion of Winget apps with "long names" goes beyond the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables. For example, it looks like my Winget app Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 8.0.x (ID = Microsoft.DotNet.DesktopRuntime.8) has also been globally excluded.

Note that the image below was captured with v5.5.0.0-BETA3 (released 03-Jun-2024).

No worries, though. My QuickInstaller app (https://www.quickinstaller.net/) still seems to be able to handle these Winget apps with "long names" correctly.

[Tigzy]

/1 You don't seem to have a lot in portable locations, and I think 10 seconds isn't too much compared to a real scan... Could you let me know how much time it takes for the regular scan ? We'll maybe consider making a setting for scan reloading.
2/ EDIT: found and fixed.
3/ You need to re-launch a scan for it to show supported, your old scan data is outdated.
4/ Could you find that piece of software in the logs and tell me what it said ?

[ljmacri]

/1 You don't seem to have a lot in portable locations, and I think 10 seconds isn't too much compared to a real scan... Could you let me know how much time it takes for the regular scan ? We'll maybe consider making a setting for scan reloading.
2/ EDIT: found and fixed.
3/ You need to re-launch a scan for it to show supported, your old scan data is outdated.
4/ Could you find that piece of software in the logs and tell me what it said ?

Hi Tigzy:

Problems 1, 2, and 3 are fixed in the latest UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA4 (rel. 04-Jun-2024) if UCheck is set to run a new scan when the program starts.

Problem 1: FIXED - Scans are much more consistent when the new setting at History & Settings | General | Auto-Scan is set to Automatically Launch a Scan When Application Starts. NOTE: All my tests below were run with this setting ON - I don't know what bugs might re-appear if this setting was OFF.

Problem 2: FIXED - When I turn winget scanning OFF at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget the majority of my "Winget" apps (e.g., Belarc Advisor v12.x, Intel Driver & Support Assistant v24.x, Windows PC Health Check v3.x, etc.) correctly revert to "Community" apps. However, I'm still having problems with my Microsoft .NET (Core) Runtimes (see Problem 4).

Problem 3: FIXED - My portable AdwCleaner v8.x is once again detected as a fully supported "Compatible" app.

---

Problem 4: I'm still seeing odd behaviour for my Microsoft .NET (Core) Runtimes, depending on whether winget scanning is turned ON or OFF at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget.

Winget Scanning ON

Scan Log Winget ON 04 Jun 2024.txt
Debug Log Winget ON 04 Jun 2024.txt

• Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64) is correctly identified as a "Winget" app
• Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 8.0.6 (x64) is displayed as "Unsupported"

• Both apps are listed in the SCAN log

Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64) (32 bits), version 3.1.32.31915
  [+] Uninstall           : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{784973c8-d618-4ac8-97ed-1fd52c5bdf2f}

Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 8.0.6 (x64) (32 bits), version 8.0.6.33720
  [+] Uninstall           : HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{942f6911-1a02-4186-8c4c-b27eb2b9733d}

• Only Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64) is listed in the DEBUG log

024/06/04 06:21:14:DEBUG	[UCheck::LookupWingetDataImpl] Found exact match candidate for Winget, taking it: Name=Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64), P=Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64)

Winget Scanning OFF

Scan Log Winget OFF 04 Jun 2024.txt
Debug Log Winget OFF 04 Jun 2024.txt

• Microsoft .NET Core Runtime - 3.1.32 (x64) incorrectly changes from "Winget" to "Unsupported" instead of "Community"
• Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime - 8.0.6 (x64) is still "Unsupported"

• Both apps are listed in the SCAN log (as above when winget scanning is ON)
• Both apps are missing in the DEBUG log

[ljmacri]

Problem 1: FIXED - Scans are much more consistent when the new setting at History & Settings | General | Auto-Scan is set to Automatically Launch a Scan When Application Starts

Hi Tigzy:

One additional comment about the Auto-Scan setting in UCheck v5.5.0.0-BETA4.

Your choice to use "mutually exclusive" toggle switches for the Auto-Scan feature seems like an odd design choice.

If the user only has two choices now in v5.5.0.0 (i.e., start a new scan or load the previous scan) I'd prefer to see a single toggle switch labelled "Automatically load last scan when application starts" that is OFF by default. When OFF UCheck would automatically launch a scan when the application starts (my preferred default behavior); when ON UCheck would automatically load the last scan when the application starts.

Ideally you would be using radio buttons for these two options but I seem to recall you said that the software you use to design the UCheck interface dos not allow radio buttons.

[Tigzy]

Hi, could you tell me if some issues are still unfixed by the recent stable release ?

[ljmacri]

Hi, could you tell me if some issues are still unfixed by the recent stable release ?

Hi Tigzy:

Problem # 4 that I documented in my 04-Jun-2024 post <above> for my Microsoft .NET (Core) Runtimes persists in UCheck v5.5.0.1 (Stable). I don't have .NET Runtime 6.0.x, 7.0.x or 9.0.x installed but I assume the same problem occurs for those .NET Runtimes as well.

I currently have Microsoft .NET Core Runtime v3.1 and Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime v8.0 (which includes the Microsoft .NET Runtime v8.0) installed on my computer, and the winget list --name Runtime command shows both are supported by winget.

When winget scanning is turned ON at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan I expect both to be detected as "Winget" apps. Instead, only Microsoft .NET Core Runtime v3.1 is a "Winget" app; Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime v8.0 is "Unsupported".

When winget scanning is turned OFF I expect both to be detected as "Community" apps (as shown below for the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime). Instead, both are "Unsupported".

From QuickInstaller:

---

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4529 * Firefox v127.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24050.7-1.1.24050.5 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.5.116-1.0.1252 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) 0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck Free Portable v5.5.0.1

[ljmacri]

Problem # 4 that I documented in my 04-Jun-2024 post <above> for my Microsoft .NET (Core) Runtimes persists in UCheck v5.5.0.1 (Stable). I don't have .NET Runtime 6.0.x, 7.0.x or 9.0.x installed but I assume the same problem occurs for those .NET Runtimes as well.

Hi @Tigzy

There has been a minor change in the way that the latest UCheck v5.5.0.2 (rel. 18-Jun-2024) detects my Microsoft .NET (Core) Runtimes.

I currently have Microsoft .NET Core Runtime v3.1 and Microsoft Windows Desktop Runtime v8.0 (which includes the Microsoft .NET Runtime v8.0) installed on my computer, and the winget list --name Runtime command still shows both are supported by winget.

Unlike previous versions of UCheck, however, it doesn't matter now if I have the setting at History & Settings | Scan Settings | Winget | Scan for Updates Using Winget turned ON or OFF - both my .NET (Core) Runtimes are always "Unsupported" apps.

In contrast, my Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is correctly identified as a "Winget" app if Winget scanning is turned ON, and as a "Community" app if Winget scanning is turned OFF, which is the expected behaviour.

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.4651 * Firefox v128.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24060.7-1.1.24060.5 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.6.117-1.0.1280 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) 0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck Free Portable v5.5.0.2

[ljmacri]

Hi Tigzy:

Further to Problem 4: Installed "Winget" Apps With Longer Program Names Are Now "Unsupported" documented in my original post:

I ran a scan today with the latest UCheck Free Portable v5.7.1.0 (rel. 14-Oct-2024) and all my Winget apps with longer names (including my Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables and Microsoft .NET Runtime v8.0.x) are no longer classified as Unsupported.

Kudos for the fix. I believe you can now mark this bug report #52 as Closed since all four problems I documented for UCheck v5.5.0.0 have been resolved.

---

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.11.133-1.0.5048 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck Free Portable 64-bit v5.7.1.0

[ljmacri]

Hi Tigzy:

Further to Problem 4: Installed "Winget" Apps With Longer Program Names Are Now "Unsupported" documented in my original post:

Sadly, I spoke too soon when I asked to have this issue closed.

I ran a new UCheck v5.7.1.0 scan today (15-Oct-2024) and the two Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributables that were detected yesterday as Outdated (Type = Winget, Installed, Outdated) are now Unsupported again.

Here are scan logs for both days as well as an excerpt from my debug log.

UCheck v5_7_1_0 Scan Log Two MS Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable Detections 14 Oct 2024.txt
UCheck v5_7_1_0 Scan Log No MS Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable Detections 15 Oct 2024.txt
UCheck v5_7_1_0 Debug Logs 14 and 15 Oct 2024.txt

Winget list of all Visual C++ Redistributables (after 32-bit and 64-bit Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributables updated with Winget from command prompt using winget upgrade --all command):

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v131.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.1.11.133-1.0.5048 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck Free Portable 64-bit v5.7.1.0

[Tigzy]

Yes this is more a Winget limitation than a bug unfortunately.
Winget trims the end of long names, and if by chance (negatively) there's several software with similar names then UCheck will choose to NO Tsupport them with Winget.
I'm closing since it's a known limitation that is linked to Winget. We have no real choice than waiting for them to fix that

[ljmacri]

Yes this is more a Winget limitation than a bug unfortunately. Winget trims the end of long names, and if by chance (negatively) there's several software with similar names then UCheck will choose to NO Tsupport them with Winget. I'm closing since it's a known limitation that is linked to Winget. We have no real choice than waiting for them to fix that

Hi Tigzy:

Are you using the longer winget full Name instead of the shorter ID? My first image in my 15-Oct-2024 post above shows UCheck Free Portable v5.7.1.0 classifying my 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributables as Unsupported, but QuickInstaller is able to detect available updates for these applications.

Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5011 * Firefox v132.0.0 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24080.9-1.1.24080.9 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.0.140-1.0.5073 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783 * QuickInstaller (Preview) v0.3.8859.20616 * UCheck Free Portable 64-bit v5.7.1.0