Update fails with "Could not reach the server"

Symptom

The client works normally, your connection ID is shown and remote connections can be made, but updating fails:

• when you click Settings → Updates → Check, the message Could not reach the server, try again appears, or
• after clicking Update on the update card in the bottom-right corner, it shows Update failed with a download error (İndirme başarısız).

This happens most often on Windows Server and on corporate networks.

Likely causes

Client versions older than 0.9.106 downloaded the update file with a method that relies on Windows' Internet Explorer components. That method:

• is blocked by Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration (IE ESC), which is turned on by default on Windows Server,
• can be held back by Internet Explorer security zone, TLS and proxy policies.

Remote connections use a different channel, so they keep working; only the update download fails.

Version 0.9.106 and later download updates with Windows' WinHTTP component. This method is not affected by IE ESC or Internet Explorer settings and detects the system proxy automatically. So you only need to get past this error once, when updating from an old version.

Checking your version

Look at the version label in the client window (e.g. v0.9.106). If the version is 0.9.106 or newer and the error persists, go to "When to contact support" below.

Fix 1: turn off IE ESC temporarily and update

This method is recommended, including for clients installed in service mode, because it uses the client's own update mechanism.

1. On Windows Server, open Server Manager.
2. Select Local Server in the left menu.
3. On the right, click On next to IE Enhanced Security Configuration.
4. Choose Off for Administrators and click OK.
5. In Polpo Desk, click Settings → Updates → Check; then choose Update on the card in the bottom-right corner and give administrator approval if asked.
6. Once the update has finished and the client has reopened, turn IE ESC back On with the same steps.

Fix 2: install the latest version manually

If you can't change the IE ESC setting (for example, because it is locked by group policy):

1. Download the latest client from the Downloads page. If you can't download it with a browser on the server, download it on another computer and copy the file over.
2. Uninstall the old version and install the new one. For the steps, see Uninstalling the Windows client and Downloading and installing the Windows client.
3. If you use unattended access, check the service mode and permanent password again after installing.

Other update errors

If the update card shows a different message (these messages are currently shown in Turkish):

• Administrator permission not given (Yönetici izni verilmedi): in service mode, updating requires administrator approval. Click Retry and approve the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
• The update file's signature could not be verified (Güncelleme dosyasının imzası doğrulanamadı): the downloaded file isn't signed with the same certificate as the installed version, so it isn't run for security reasons. Check whether your network has an intermediary (proxy, firewall) that modifies files, and get the latest version from the Downloads page.
• The file could not be replaced (Dosya değiştirilemedi - yazma izni gerekebilir): you may not have write permission for the folder the client is in. Get the latest version from the Downloads page and reinstall.

When to contact support

If the error persists on version 0.9.106 or newer, contact us. Attach the %TEMP%\polpodesk-native.log file to your request; lines starting with update: and http: show the cause. To open a support request, see Creating and tracking a support request.