AnyDesk installation recommendation outdated?

[falko]

Is this statement from the anydesk package still up to date?

chocolatey-packages/anydesk/anydesk.nuspec

Line 19 in ecf2431

### If you want to install AnyDesk, you can either provide parameters to the [anydesk.portable package](https://chocolatey.org/packages/anydesk.portable) or install the [anydesk.install package](https://chocolatey.org/packages/anydesk.install).

I see that the anydesk.install package is currently outdated since two months (v9.0.2) and hidden from search results.

The only package that is currently up to date is anydesk.portable v9.0.5 but the extra parameter that it needs to perform and actual installation is rather unusual and could break during upgrade.

anydesk has package version 9.0.5 in moderation due to some verification failure.

What is the recommended way to install and get automatic updates in future?

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

Is this statement from the anydesk package still up to date?

That note is not currently up to date.
I was waiting on confirmation from the Software Authors if the MSI version was discontinued or not before updating it.

The only package that is currently up to date is anydesk.portable v9.0.5 but the extra parameter that it needs to perform and actual installation is rather unusual and could break during upgrade.

That is why the package suggests enabling remembered arguments, choco feature enable -n=useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrades

anydesk has package version 9.0.5 in moderation due to some verification failure.

That is a infrastructure issue on the Chocolatey Community Repository end, it should be resolved with a rerun.

What is the recommended way to install and get automatic updates in future?

Install the anydesk.portable (or anydesk) package if you want to run the software in portable mode. Anydesk can run without having to be installed, just run the .exe

Install the anydesk.portable package with the package parameter to install it, if you want to run the software in installed mode.

[falko]

Thank you for the clarification and for maintaining these packages!

[hdatma]

That is why the package suggests enabling remembered arguments, choco feature enable -n=useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrade

C:\> choco feature enable -n=useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrade
Chocolatey v2.4.3
Feature 'useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrade' not found

Install the anydesk.portable package with the package parameter to install it, if you want to run the software in installed mode.

This means uninstalling "anydesk.install", which is available to all users, installing "anydesk.portable", which is only available to you, with an obscure command to trigger installation, hopefully available to all users, then brake the chain at the next update, because choco is not remembering arguments. The end result is that we will stop using anydesk, because the installer will keep breaking.

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

Whoops, looks like I chopped of the last letter. It should be choco feature enable -n useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrades
You can see the available feature flags with choco feature list.

hopefully available to all users

Are you in a business/organizational context?

If so, get the paid version where they still should have the all users MSI installer with customizations inside their customer portal. Then, create and host a package for it internally.

The end result is that we will stop using anydesk, because the installer will keep breaking.

Which is what I did. The security breach they had last year was just IMO inexcusable in it's handling, for a security critical application. I am just maintaining the package for the community, I don't use anydesk myself anymore.

[hdatma]

Whoops, looks like I chopped of the last letter. It should be choco feature enable -n useRememberedArgumentsForUpgrades You can see the available feature flags with choco feature list.

OK

hopefully available to all users

Are you in a business/organizational context?

If so, get the paid version where they still should have the all users MSI installer with customizations inside their customer portal. Then, create and host a package for it internally.

The problem holds in all contexts. When the computer reboots, you need Anydesk to load automatically and show the windows login. If Anydesk is installed for a user only, then the user needs to login first. As you install anydesk from the administrative account, anydesk will never work to assist the real user.

The end result is that we will stop using anydesk, because the installer will keep breaking.

Which is what I did. The security breach they had last year was just IMO inexcusable in it's handling, for a security critical application. I am just maintaining the package for the community, I don't use anydesk myself anymore.

I am ready to jump ship. What's the alternative?

[TheCakeIsNaOH]

The problem holds in all contexts. When the computer reboots, you need Anydesk to load automatically and show the windows login. If Anydesk is installed for a user only, then the user needs to login first. As you install anydesk from the administrative account, anydesk will never work to assist the real user.

That seems like a big oversight on Anydesk's part, if their installer does not allow it to be setup to be used from the login screen. Unless I'm missing something, that would need to be fixed inside their installer.

I am ready to jump ship. What's the alternative?

I ended up with with Meshcentral. It's philosophy and architecture are somewhat different than Anydesk, so it don't know if it would work for you usecase(s), but works great for me.