when a company releases a new version of software, like a game or a ps4 or a phone, how does it know that it has to update? how does the company tell the PS4 that it has to update now, and how does it tell every PS4 this?
In: Technology
They can “push” updates by setting flags or sending operating system commands that the game console OS looks for on boot up or connecting to the game servers or PSN.
By being connected to the internet, typically.
When an update is ready, they will send a notification to all devices that an update Is ready. As long as it’s connected to the internet, it’ll get that message. Itll usually than ask you to update, at which point it will actually download and install the update. If you allow auto updating, than it will just start the download whenever conditions are met.
The company has a web page where you can ask “Do I need to update? My version is <something>.”
The web page then replies “no, you don’t need to update” or “yes, you do need to update, here’s a link for the update”
So the PS4 just sends this question to the server every once in a while. If the server responds with “yes” then it downloads and installs the update.
The company doesn’t tell the PS4, the PS4 checks *every time* it connects to the internet and at multple intervals while it is connected.
Essentially it compares a value hosted onl;ine at a specific location with a value stored on the PS$, if that value is different then it knows an update has been rolled out.
I made an auto update application. Here’s the basics:
– application starts up
– checks a file that tells it basic system info (am I installed on the correct hardware? Who owns this hardware? System version?)
– pings the server, does some basic authentication (most apps/OSes won’t respond to pirated versions)
– server sends back latest recommended/stable version info
– ask user to update.
I think the console checks if there’s an update and not the other way around. The company releases the update and the console keeps checking every X amount of minutes/ hours.
I think it will be chaotic if all consoles update simultaneously.
It does not know. It automatically checks. Most likely, it does so both every time it’s booted up, and periodically even if it’s been kept on continuously.
Every device that updates automatically just calls home in intervals, typically ones a day. That is a very easy task. It could call a API URL to get the actual version or calls an API URL and tells his version and got back the answer to update or not.
Slightly related, but does anyone else remember updating the proxy address (or was it DNS server address) on their PS3 so that it wouldn’t update to the latest firmware and kill off the otherOS feature?
An application runs in background on your console and from time to time it connects to a Microsoft server and says “are there any new updates since this date? ” And the remote server replies, ‘yes, there’s version x.y.z of the operating system, you can download the modified files from this location”
It does the same for every game you have installed, depending on your settings. It can check for a specific game before or after you exit the game or a service on a Microsoft server can prepare a list of updates for every console by looking at what the player bought and installed and sends the prepared list to your console.when the console.asks for it.
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