Which VMs should have qubes-update-check in their Services?

[muepa57]

Sorry, after looking at all the topics regarding this, i still don’t understand which VMs should have qubes-update-check explicitly listed and checked.

Is it supposed to be only in Standalones and TemplateBasedVMs connected to NetVMs?

Can VMs that don’t have NetVM access and have their own templates only be updated manually by starting their templateVM?

[tzwcfq]

qubes-update-check service is enabled for all qubes by default:

qubes-update-check

Default: enabled

Notify dom0 about updates available for this VM. This is shown in qubes-manager as ‘update-pending’ flag.

https://dev.qubes-os.org/projects/core-admin-client/en/latest/manpages/qvm-service.html

You can also read this topic:

Disable Qube updates for a specific qube

Note that there is a difference between disabling updates and disabling update checking. There is also a difference between disabling updates for a TemplateBasedVM and disabling updates for the TemplateVM on which the TemplateBasedVM is based. There is also a difference between disabling updates for a VM and making that VM not appear in the Qubes Update tool. Generally speaking, no one should be trying to disable updates for a specific TemplateBasedVM, since that doesn’t make sense. The Templat…

[muepa57]

Thanks! I read those previously, and still don’t understand.

So, even if it’s not listed under a particular qube’s Services in its settings, it’s still enabled?

Is the only reason to ever put it there then to disable it by unchecking it?

[tzwcfq]

@muepa57

So, even if it’s not listed under a particular qube’s Services in its settings, it’s still enabled?

Is the only reason to ever put it there then to disable it by unchecking it?

Yes. Also if you press on Disable All button in Updater checks field in Qubes Global Settings then it’ll add unchecked qubes-update-check service to all your qubes.

[unman]

So, even if it’s not listed under a particular qube’s Services in its settings, it’s still enabled?

Yes - The settings window shows DIVERSIONS from the default.
If a service is enabled by default it will not appear on the services
pane. (“Unlisted services will follow default settings”)
Services will feature in the drop down menu.

Is the only reason to ever put it there then to disable it by unchecking it?

Yes

If you have some qubes that you run regularly you could consider
keeping the service enabled there, and disabling it in less commonly used
qubes, that use the same template.