Insists on installing MLab no matter what

[Searinox]

OS: Windows 10 2004 x64 Pro BiglyBT Version: 2.4.0

From day one of installing BiglyBT over a year ago to this day on every launch BiglyBT attempts to install. "faster downloads", aka m-lab. It does this on every single startup. Despite showing up as installed - but not marked active - in the plugins page. I have removed it.

I have cleared out update.config. I have cleared out the subs directory. No matter what I do ever, BiglyBT insists on installing the plugin on every startup. I have disabled everything I could find remotely resembling updates or subscriptions for the program and its plugins. I've let it install it. It still goes on to install it again on the next startup, showing me the "faster downloads" "please wait while the speed test component is installed" popup, adding a torrent for plugins_mlab_0.5.zip, which never downloads.

It is uninstalled and not showing up in the installed plugins list. It is not present in program files\biglybt\plugins, it is not present in appdata\roaming\biglybt\plugins.

I do not want this plugin. I have no use for this plugin. How do I stop it from trying to install on every single startup? Where is this task saying that mlab has to be installed being fetched from?

[Searinox]

[10:52:22] **** Update check starts ****
[10:52:22] -mlab, id = mlab, version = 0.0, loc = C:\Users\Searinox\AppData\Roaming\BiglyBT\plugins\mlab
[10:52:22] Downloaded plugin info = maxshareratio=1.0/1.0_CVS,azcatdest=1.0/1.0_CVS,azemp=4.3/4.3_CVS,bgchromiumswt=3071.3/3071.3_CVS,vuzexcode=2.0/2.0_CVS,TimedAutoStart=2.0.0.1/2.0.0.1_CVS,vpnpp=1.3/1.3_CVS,azexec=1.4.5/1.4.5_CVS,mlDHT=2.2.9/2.2.9_CVS,aercm=0.8.4/0.8.4_CVS,vpn_helper=5.10/5.10_CVS,azwebtorrent=1.3.2/1.3.2_CVS,rssfeed=1.7/1.7_CVS,azplatform2=1.27/1.27_CVS,azdowndel=1.6/1.6_CVS,azitunes=0.5.1/0.5.1_CVS,xml_http_if=2.0/2.0_CVS,mlab=0.5/0.5_CVS,autopilot=0.6.1/0.6.1_CVS,azmsgsync=0.9.1/0.9.1_CVS,bgspongy=0.1/0.1_CVS,advancedstatistics=2.3/2.3_CVS,azjscripter=0.3.1/0.3.1_CVS,3DView=0.5.5/0.5.5_CVS,azlocprov=0.4.6/0.4.6_CVS,azrating=1.6.9/1.6.9_CVS,azhighchartsstats=0.2/0.2_CVS,scanerss=0.9.9.20180724/0.9.9.20180724_CVS,autostop=2.0.5/2.0.5_CVS,azrsstochat=0.5.4/0.5.4_CVS,aznettor=1.2.5/1.2.5_CVS,GlobalInformationStatusEntry=2.0.0.1/2.0.0.1_CVS,xmwebui=0.9.5/0.9.5_CVS,SpeedScheduler=1.7.8/1.7.8_CVS,azupdater=2.1/2.1_CVS,aznettorbrowser=10.5.4/10.5.4_CVS,azshareexporter=1.1/1.1_CVS,azneti2phelper=1.5.0.1.1/1.5.0.1.1_CVS,azplugins=2.3.1/2.3.1_CVS,azupnpav=0.6.8/0.6.8_CVS,azutp=0.6.4/0.6.4_CVS,azfocus=0.4/0.4_CVS
[10:52:22] Checking mlab
[10:52:22] Plugin: mlab versions (current=0.0, latest=0.5)
[10:52:22] [  Downloading: https://plugins.biglybt.com/update/pluginlist3.php]
[10:52:26]     Description:
[10:52:26]         Internet measurement tools from M-Lab.
[10:52:26]         Measurement Lab (M-Lab) is an open platform for researchers to deploy Internet measurement tools. By enhancing Internet transparency, we aim to help sustain a healthy, innovative Internet - <a href="http://measurementlab.net/about">Learn more...</a>
[10:52:26]     Comment:
[10:52:26]         0.5: Server selection mechanism has changed, updated to work again.
[10:52:26]         0.3: Rework
[10:52:26] 
[10:52:26]         A newer version (version 0.5) of plugin 'mlab' (Measurement Lab (M-Lab)) is available. Download from https://files.biglybt.com/plugins/mlab_0.5.zip

How and why is it doing this when I have updates, and plugin updates, disabled? And why specifically "update" a plugin that isn't even installed?

[Searinox]

This is the state of the azupdater plugin. It won't let me uncheck it. What were to happen if I just ripped the plugin out of its folder? "Uninstall selected" is disabled and with "Unload selected" it returns on next launch.

EDIT: The answer to what would happen is of course, useless. I have forcibly removed the plugin and still it insists on installing mlab on startup. Where is this task coming from? I do not want update checks of any kind on anything within the program, much less the unilateral decision to then force these updates onto my install without my permission.

[Searinox]

Upon more investigating I've also found out that this install is the only one that shows the "initializing core" window on startup just before attempting to download the plugin. Not sure if there's any relation but other installs just don't show this window at all.

[Searinox]

I fixed it.

I had to manually add the setting "e19:SpeedTest Completedi1" into biglybt.config. It seems that if the string is missing, even if you're not using the plugin, BiglyBT insists on running the speedtest and will stomp over any plugin availability or update preferences and proceed to download and install the plugin so it can run the test.

That's not okay and I'm leaving this issue open because I think it's worth addressing this logic. Especially since if you end up in this configuration there are no options in the UI that you can use to put this to an end.

[Seeings]

I saw your post now and have to say that I have a similar problem as you, it installed that plugin and others even though when I installed BiglyBT I only chose Mainline DHT as the only plugin that I wanted.

I created an Issue topic before noticing your post: https://github.com/BiglySoftware/BiglyBT/issues/2329

[msdobrescu]

This is a typical malware activity, pushing stuff regardless the user's decision or without asking for permission.

[parg]

Uncheck the "load at startup" for the plugins that you don't want loading.

No, it isn't "typical malware activity", it is a component of BiglyBT. If you don't like it fork the source and create your own software.

[msdobrescu]

Sorry that I think it is, as long as I unload it, uninstall it and it keeps coming back despite that and to the fact that BiglyBT works without it.

[parg]

Here's the deal. I sit here pretty much every day developing my software, BiglyBT, for free. People are welcome to use it for free. People are welcome to come up with suggestions for improvements and report problems. What they are not welcome to do is some here with inflamatory comments such as accusing me of being a malware developer or distributor.