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Macsterguy Author

Level 1

128 points

Mac App Store updates repeating

I purchased Chopper 2 (Fantastic little .99 game. You can control game play on your Mac with the iPhone)...

Anyway, an update showed up in the MacApp Store. I downloaded the update on all 3 of my Macs... Now on 2 of my Macs the update keeps showing up in the MacApp Store even though the app is up to date.

On my 13" MBP this is not the case.... It is working as it should... weird huh ??

Anybody else?

27" iMac Quad i7, 13" MBP, 24" iMac, and 27 others..., Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Jan 14, 2011 9:01 AM

76 replies

Mar 31, 2011 7:29 PM in response to ajmacipad

This clue solved the problem for me. As a test I used Disk Utility to unmount my backup volume where the App store was finding duplicate copies of all my applications. I stopped and restarted the App Store. The red badge telling me I still needed updates went away. Had I waited for the backup to run over night the updated application would have overwritten its backup copy and I would have achieved the same end. Mac OS X does unexpected things when multiple system volumes are readable at the same time.

sgginc

Level 3

676 points

Apr 1, 2011 2:07 AM in response to Criss Hyde

I believe the App Store uses Spotlight to locate the programs.

Do you have your backup volume listed in Spotlight’s privacy list?

Thanks ... Ken

Apr 1, 2011 9:28 AM in response to sgginc

I do now. That also seems to cure the app store red badge issue. Thanks Ken for another good tip.

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 1, 2011 11:56 AM in response to Criss Hyde

So if I understand this right, if App update sees older versions via spotlight in my backup volume it will keep updating my installed apps? I have read not to turn spotlight off for backup volumes because time machine needs the indexing?

Do I not understand this right?

sgginc

Level 3

676 points

Apr 1, 2011 11:59 AM in response to ssls6

So if I understand this right, if App update sees older versions via spotlight in my backup volume it will keep updating my installed apps?

Don’t know???

I have read not to turn spotlight off for backup volumes because time machine needs the indexing?

Mine is in the privacy pane and TM works fine.

Thanks ... Ken

Apr 1, 2011 12:49 PM in response to sgginc

My Mac has three bootable volumes. The only App Store app I have is FaceTime. FaceTime is on the first and second volumes. When I updated FaceTime recently on my 1st volume the red "update available" flag persisted. I may have restarted App Store several times but my record is weak on this point.

Upon suggestion found in this thread, and while App Store was open, I unmounted the 2nd volume that included FaceTime and the red flag immediately disappeared.

I disabled Spotlight for the 2nd volume and remounted the 2nd volume. The red flag did not reappear. I restarted App Store -- same result. I stopped App Store.

I reenabled Spotlight for the 2nd volume and waited for the index to rebuild. I restarted App Store and the red flag was back.

I clicked the update button and FaceTime was updated on the 2nd volume and the red flag disappeared.

On this skimpy test data I suspect the following:
1. The App Store red flag problem is the result of the app in question existing on more than one volume.
2. The App Store relies on Spotlight to find apps to update.
3. The App Store reliably updates the first found app instance then is confused about what to do with the other instance until some combination of events resets its view of available apps to update. Thereafter the App Store will reliably update the newly first found app instance even when it is not on the boot volume.
4. Time Machine does not rely on Spotlight indexing. (just a hunch)

I expect a future App Store will report all upgradeable app instances found and offer to upgrade each one yes/no.

Meanwhile let's find an easy combination of events that reliable resets App Store without rebooting each volume and updating each instance just to clear a red flag.

Thanks. /criss

sgginc

Level 3

676 points

Apr 1, 2011 4:18 PM in response to Criss Hyde

Great work!

You proved my suspicions.

Thanks ... Ken

ssls6

Level 4

2,879 points

Apr 2, 2011 4:22 AM in response to Criss Hyde

Thanks, that is pretty clear to me. I had read somewhere that adding a time machine backup to the privacy list doesn't actually keep spotlight from indexing it, only searching it. But like a lot of stuff on the internet, every thing must be taken with a bit of skepticism.

Andrew J

Level 3

790 points

Apr 10, 2011 1:21 AM in response to sgginc

Ok, I have success here with rebuilding the spotlight database. http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/RebuildingSpotlightsDatabase/
I also added my TM backup to the Privacy list in the Spotlight preferences
All update notifications have gone. This is a fix........... for now.

Andrew J

Level 3

790 points

Apr 10, 2011 2:21 AM in response to Andrew J

Nope, that didn't last long, notifications returned. I found in user/Library/Application Support/AppStore some files that didn't look right so I deleted all the files in the AppStore folder. Now AppStore is working without false notifications. Fingers crossed, it lasts.......

ryoder

Level 1

0 points

Apr 13, 2011 4:57 PM in response to Macsterguy

I've started having this problem with the Evernote App. After deleting cache, prefs and any other files relating to the App Store with no luck, I tried rebuilding the Spotlight index. Unfortunately this wasn't a permanent fix. I then added all [visible] root folders on my system drive. This solved it. So far, I've been able to allow the user folders with no problem. I've yet to allow indexing of Applications, Library, and System folders. Also of note, this solved an issue with the Growlvoice App not working properly. If I get the problem file/folder narrowed down, I'll post my results. Hopefully, Apple can solve this issue soon.

May 6, 2011 3:45 PM in response to ryoder

I've been running into this issue for a while. I'm wondering. Out of all of those having the repeating app download issue, how many of you have used the Mac App Store app receipt (Right click on the app > show Package Contents > Contents > _MASReceipt) to trick the app store into thinking that you downloaded iWork and iLife from the Mac App Store?

I went back to all of my iLife and iWork apps and removed the _MASReceipt folder that I had manually copied into them to trick the MAS into thinking I had downloaded them from the MAS and suddenly my issue is GONE.

I've restarted the MAS a dozen times, rebooted. Everything. I don't have the issue anymore.

Someone care to try it out and see what happens?

Eric

May 7, 2011 11:36 AM in response to EricMontgomery

24 hours later. Still not seeing a return of the repeating app issue. I've never gone this long without having it reappear. Multiple reboots, app store restarts, etc and no repeats download.

In the words of Tangina from Poltergeist (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/) "This house is clean."

May 15, 2011 11:14 AM in response to advance boy

I have the same problem with twitter. even with it uninstalled the app store keeps telling me there is an update.

Jun 28, 2011 12:39 AM in response to timultuoustimes

Hello everyone,

I've the same issue with evernote. I used Onyx to clear cache and rebuild spotlight indexes with no success.

I uninstalled evernote but mac apple store continues to show evernote update available.

Mac App Store updates repeating