Google Updater Service

I'm a big fan of Google. I don't mind a couple of ads in exchange for free services and software.

Not a single day goes by without me using Gmail, Calendar and Documents, the great SketchUp and - of course - Google Earth.

But that's exactly it: Google Earth. When I was about to download the latest version, something changed...
Instead of downloading the program I got this Google Updater thingy.

I never even thought twice about it: "Cool, an updater that will download just the changed bit and save bandwidth, proceed."
However, this Google Updater Service isn't just a Google Earth Update thing, it is a program that's installed as a service and keeps running on my computer 24/7!

Worst of all, it doesn't ask me if I want it to do that. There's no way to disable it from running.
Now... if I can turn off even more critical Windows Updates, why shouldn't I be able to disable Google from updating its programs?

Ok, some will say I'm being paranoid, that if I trust Google enough to keep all my emails, then I shouldn't complain about a small update service running in my PC.

Well, having an option, would be nice, wouldn't it?


Anyway, there's lots of ways for you to deal with it, manually.

Here's what happens when you install the updater.


1. When you try to download any Google program, you might end up with a Google Updater package installed at: "C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater".


2. This will add a service to your registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\gusvc

This "gusvc" service will be set to automatically start up whenever you boot your PC, causing GoogleUpdaterService.exe to show up on your task manager processes.


3. This means that "GoogleUpdaterService.exe" is always running on your PC for as long as it's turned on. We assume that most of the time it will be idle, doing nothing, and just check for updates every once in a while, but who's to say? Google only info about it is:

The Google Updater Service is a Windows service that updates Google software that users have chosen to install. It ensures users have the most current software available. It is being distributed to ensure users' Google Toolbar search bars are Vista compatible

Well, but I don't even have Vista, and I prefer to do my updates manually, so...?


4. So, what can you do about it? - That's easy. Just head to the task manager, and terminate the "GoogleUpdaterService.exe" service. However, if you reboot your computer, it will be running once again.


5. To make it go away permanentely even after rebooting, you need to execute "services.msc" from the command line and search for the "gusvc" service. Stop it and set it as disabled. The Google updater will still be installed, but it will no longer run when you boot your computer.

6. Of course, you can also uninstall do Google Updater; or dive into the registry delete the key shown on step 2.

7. One last alternative is to simply delete the executable file: "GoogleUpdaterService.exe"


As an added annoyance, after countless Google Earth updates, the one provided by this updater service continuously fails to run and properly update my Google Earth.