selenium - cannot stop Chrome from updating from 43 to 44

Question

I am using Selenium and Chrome to write a web test, yesterday my Chrome updated to 44 and now my test does not work, I know that it is an issue with Chrome 44 and we need to wait till the new version is given out. So I am trying to go bake to chrome 43, i do:

1) Uninstall chrome 44

2) Install chrome 43

but as soon as the installation is done it automatically opens the chrome and it is 44 again !! I went to Run->Service.msc and disabled my chrome to update automatically, but it does not work. I remove the Update folder in User->Myname->AppData->Local->Google->Update but it does not work, and there is nothing related to updating at chrome://plugins.

I AM STUCK

PLEASE HELP :( I did all sulosion posted on line but non of them worked,

Answer 1

Have spent a loooong time trying to disable updates (literally hours, reading forums and testing various (some exotic) solutions), and this was driving me crazy. But there what seems an infallible solution (see further down).

Even using the official Google page with the templates did NOTHING : https://support.google.com/installer/answer/146164?hl=en

I followed scrupulously the instructions of that page, the keys in the registry are all correct, but still going to the "About Google Chrome" when the program is opened, I can see the wheel going around and a few seconds later the update is forced and done.

I have tried using the standalone installer of Google, on a Windows 8.1 machine 64Bits - and yes all the keys are set to :

Dword: AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes Value: 0
Dword: DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue Value: 1
Dword: UpdateDefault Value: 0
Dword: Update{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96} Value: 0

... both in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesGoogleUpdate AND HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodePoliciesGoogleUpdate since it is a 64-bit machine.

So the radical solution to prevent the auto-update, if that helps anyone, is to just purely sort the program responsible for the updates itself! (Just deleting it, OR saving a copy, OR renaming it OR even better just in case I one day need to do an update: Zip the content for future potential re-use).

Easy solution :
1- Go to "C:Program Files (x86)Google and find the folder "update".
2- There are a couple of options to choose from:

 A) first method: Rename the folder:

- Right click > Rename > from Update.bak to Update2.bak for example.
- Now launch Chrome: NO MORE UPDATES!! since it can not find the update program !! Finished.

 B) second method: Zip the folder:

- Zip the entire folder by making an archive. (Right click the "Update" folder > Send to Compressed (zip) folder)
- A window might ask you to backup/zip and place it on the desktop, click yes. (message: Windows cannot create the compressed folders here. Do you want to be placed on the desktop instead?)
- Move the newly created zip file to the original location. A new window security might pop up > click continue. (message: You need administrator permission to copy this file). [This will be what to unzip if one day you decide to update Chrome - Just remember that when unzipped it will have the following structure : Update > Update > then all the content of the folder. Remember to move everything from inside the second update folder (copy paste) one level up so that is becomes : Update > then all the content of the folder].
- Now that you have a copy just delete the "Update" folder.
- Now launch Chrome: NO MORE UPDATES!! since it can not find the update program !! Finished.

Good luck and Enjoy.