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@MadAreYou MadAreYou released this 25 Nov 12:45
· 29 commits to main since this release
v1.0.5
ade3462

ntchk v1.0.5 - Auto-Update Fix (Portable Mode)

📥 Download & Install

📦 Release Assets (2 files required)

File Description Size
ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip Main application package 1.29 MB
ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip.sha256 SHA256 checksum for verification 64 bytes

⬇️ Download both files from the Assets section below

🔒 Security First

⚠️ Always verify the checksum before running! See the File Verification section below for step-by-step instructions.

🚀 Quick Installation

  1. Download both files above from GitHub releases
  2. Verify the download using the .sha256 file (see verification section)
  3. Extract ZIP to any folder (USB drive, network share, local drive - all supported)
  4. Run ntchk.exe (recommended) or ntchk.bat
  5. Done! No installation, no registry changes, fully portable

🔧 Critical Update - Fixed Auto-Update Mechanism

This release fixes the infinite update loop issue that prevented v1.0.3 users from upgrading to newer versions.

✅ What's Fixed

Portable Update System

  • Updates now download to extracted/ folder in the app directory (no more %TEMP% usage)
  • Two-stage update process:
    1. Download update files to extracted/ folder
    2. Close application to release file locks
    3. Updater script copies files from extracted/ to app root
    4. Restore user settings and restart app
    5. Clean up temporary files automatically

Resolved Issues

  • ✅ Fixed infinite update loop caused by file locking
  • ✅ Fixed failed updates when .ps1 files were locked by running process
  • ✅ Updater now runs in hidden window (no visible PowerShell console)
  • ✅ All update files preserved in app folder (fully portable)

Automatic File Preservation

  • config.json - Your settings are always preserved
  • exports/* - Export history never overwritten
  • Automatic backup and restore during updates

🛡️ Fully Portable & Safe

  • No hardcoded paths - Works from any folder location
  • No TEMP dependencies - Everything stays in app folder
  • Network drive safe - Works on UNC paths and USB drives
  • All paths dynamic - Uses $AppRoot parameter throughout

📋 Detailed Logs

Update process creates two log files for troubleshooting:

  • upgrade-debug.log - Download and extraction details
  • update.log - File copy operations and restart status

🧹 Code Improvements

  • Removed debug message boxes from update workflow
  • Cleaner error messages with log file locations
  • Improved user experience during updates
  • Hidden PowerShell window during update process

📥 Installation

For New Users:

  1. Download ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip
  2. Extract to any folder
  3. Run ntchk.exe (recommended) or ntchk.bat

For v1.0.4 Users:

  • ✅ Auto-update works! Just click the upgrade button when prompted

For v1.0.3 Users:

  • ⚠️ Manual update recommended:
    1. Download v1.0.5 ZIP
    2. Extract to a new folder
    3. Copy your config.json and exports/ folder to the new installation
    4. Future auto-updates will work from v1.0.5 onwards

🔄 What's Included

All features from v1.0.4 plus the update fix:

  • ✅ TCP Port Scanner (real network scanning)
  • ✅ Internet Speed Test (Ookla CLI)
  • ✅ Network Information (IP, DNS, Gateway)
  • ✅ Ping & Traceroute Diagnostics
  • ✅ Export to CSV
  • ✅ Auto-update mechanism (now working properly!)

📦 Technical Details

Package: ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip (1.29 MB)

Contents:

  • ntchk.exe - Policy-friendly launcher (recommended)
  • ntchk.bat - Fallback launcher
  • ntchk.ps1 - Main PowerShell application
  • speedtest.exe - Ookla CLI for speed tests
  • src/ - PowerShell modules
  • ui/ - XAML interface files
  • assets/ - Icons and images
  • config.json - Configuration file
  • README.txt - User documentation

Requirements:

  • Windows 10/11 or Windows Server 2016+
  • PowerShell 5.1+ (built into Windows)
  • .NET Framework 4.5+ (built into Windows)
  • Internet connection for speed tests and updates

File Verification

Verify your download integrity using SHA256 checksums:

File: ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip
SHA256: BE81A6493696C90521452EECD1E78CB1FE5BC633B7837B5DF5876149A6B95969
Size: 1.29 MB

✅ Verification Status: This checksum has been verified against the actual file and matches the published checksum on GitHub.

Quick Guide: How to Verify in PowerShell

Step 1: Download both files from GitHub releases:

  • ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip
  • ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip.sha256

Step 2: Open PowerShell in the download folder:

  • Hold Shift + Right-click in the folder
  • Select "Open PowerShell window here"

Step 3: Run the verification command:

Method 1: Simple Verification

# Calculate the checksum
Get-FileHash .\ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip -Algorithm SHA256

# Compare with the checksum above

The hash should match exactly. If it doesn't, do not run the file - re-download from the official source.

Alternative Verification

You can also verify using the included .sha256 file:

# Read expected checksum
$expected = (Get-Content .\ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip.sha256).Trim()

# Calculate actual checksum
$actual = (Get-FileHash .\ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip -Algorithm SHA256).Hash

# Compare
if ($expected -eq $actual) {
    Write-Host "✓ Checksum verified - file is authentic" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "✗ Checksum mismatch - do not use this file!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

Verify Against GitHub Release

Verify the downloaded file directly from GitHub:

# Download checksum from GitHub release
$githubHash = (Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://github.com/MadAreYou/Network_Check_app/releases/download/v1.0.5/ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip.sha256" -UseBasicParsing).Content.Trim()

# Calculate local file checksum
$localHash = (Get-FileHash .\ntchk-v1.0.5-Portable.zip -Algorithm SHA256).Hash

# Compare
if ($githubHash -eq $localHash) {
    Write-Host "✓ File matches GitHub release - verified authentic" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "✗ File does not match GitHub release!" -ForegroundColor Red
}

🐛 Known Issues

None reported in v1.0.5

📞 Support

If you encounter any issues:

  1. Check upgrade-debug.log and update.log in the app folder
  2. Open an issue on GitHub with log files attached
  3. Include Windows version and PowerShell version ($PSVersionTable)

🙏 Thank You

Thank you for using ntchk! This update ensures a smooth auto-update experience for all future releases.

Upgrade now to get the fix and enjoy seamless updates going forward! 🚀

Assets 3
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