Stop update checking

[apg6xswhjc]

What I want to do is only check for software updates when I specifically ask for them.

So, in "Software & Updates", in the Updates tab, I have Automatically check for updates set to Never. But, it seems no matter what settings I have, I am always prompted by Software Updater to install software, without asking for software updates.

How can I stop this and only check for updates when I launch the software updater or apt update/upgrade??

[halogen2]

Did you uninstall unattended-upgrades?
Do you have snapd installed?
Do you use a GUI software manager that might be automatically checking for updates when it runs?

[apg6xswhjc]

Did you uninstall unattended-upgrades?

Umm. no? What is it and why wouldn't it honour the configurations settings??

Do you have snapd installed?

snapd.service is enabled/active, but I am prompted for upgrades to only normal packages even when no snaps are updated?

BTW, I would also like to disable any 'automatic' snap checks/updates, should I disable this service?

Do you use a GUI software manager that might be automatically checking for updates when it runs?

Not that I'm aware of.

[halogen2]

Umm. no? What is it and why wouldn't it honour the configurations settings??

unattended-upgrades is a way to automatically update APT packages. By default it's configured to only apply security updates, and ignore non-security updates. (update-notifier will then notify you about the not installed updates by popping up Software Updater.)

I don't know why unattended-upgrades didn't honor the configuration setting. All I know is that ever since I first saw it ignore that setting, I have uninstalled it on all systems where I don't want automatic updates.

I would also like to disable any 'automatic' snap checks/updates, should I disable this service?

You'll have to uninstall snapd. The snapd devs intentionally made it impossible to disable automatic updates.

[ajgreeny]

I have never tried this so proceed with caution, but rather than removing snapd from your system you could attempt removing the execute flag from it with command

sudo chmod -x /usr/lib/snapd/snapd

As I say I have no idea how well this will work, nor if it might create other problems, but it should stop snapd from automatically upgrading any current snap packages installed and will allow you to add in the execute flag quickly with

sudo chmod +x /usr/lib/snapd/snapd

if needed to install a snap without the need to reinstall snapd; just make it executable again.

[halogen2]

I have never tried this so proceed with caution, but rather than removing snapd from your system you could attempt removing the execute flag from it with command

sudo chmod -x /usr/lib/snapd/snapd

As I say I have no idea how well this will work,

How is that any better than disabling/masking snapd via systemctl?

it should stop snapd from automatically upgrading any current snap packages installed and will allow you to add in the execute flag quickly with

sudo chmod +x /usr/lib/snapd/snapd

if needed to install a snap

... and then watch snapd run automatic update as soon as you start it again?

[GhX6GZMB]

Just remove snapd, it won't hurt and it does a lot of good. The idea behind snaps is flawed IMHO.
You might encounter an application or two that only install as snaps. Consider if you really need them.

Just my $0.02

[ajgreeny]

How is that any better than disabling/masking snapd via systemctl?

... and then watch snapd run automatic update as soon as you start it again?

You're probably right, unless you want some snap applications, eg chromium, spotify and probably others that are available only as snaps.

Personally I'm still on the fence about snaps as there are some applications that are not available as PPA packages that I want, but I would certainly prefer .deb versions, and have added a PPA for chromium.

Life was so much simpler before snaps!

[GhX6GZMB]

Spotify is available as debian install, Chromium IDK and IDC.

[monkeybrain20122]

I have uninstalled all snap related stuffs on one of my systems (i don't need it but don't mind it either on 20.04 since it no longer slow down boot like in 18.04). It takes only a few steps and does no harm. There are packages which are not available on apt but they are usually available on flatpak, which I think is better than snap as it doesn't mount a lot of volumes and there is a simple, unified gui to manage file and device access (flatseal)

P.S Chromium is snap only but who cares? Chromium is a poorly maintained alpha which is never a finished product. There are many finished products based on chromium: chrome, opera, vivaldi