Update file not found. Please download the update first.

Error message

Update file not found. Please download the update first.

What it means

Companion guard to the missing-path check: the GitHub fallback stored an update path (extractedPath or downloadPath) but fs.access fails, so the file/directory no longer exists on disk. Thrown before the installer dialog is shown, telling the user the downloaded artifact vanished — typically cleaned by temp-dir policies or deleted manually.

Source

Thrown at ui/desktop/src/utils/autoUpdater.ts:290

  ipcMain.handle('install-update', async () => {
    if (isUsingGitHubFallback) {
      // For GitHub fallback, we need to handle the installation differently
      log.info('Installing update from GitHub fallback...');

      try {
        // Use the stored extracted path if available, otherwise download path
        const updatePath = githubUpdateInfo.extractedPath || githubUpdateInfo.downloadPath;

        if (!updatePath) {
          throw new Error('Update file path not found. Please download the update first.');
        }

        // Check if the update path exists
        try {
          await fs.access(updatePath);
        } catch {
          throw new Error('Update file not found. Please download the update first.');
        }

        // Improved dialog with clearer instructions
        const dialogResult = (await dialog.showMessageBox({
          type: 'info',
          title: 'Update Ready to Install',
          message: `Version ${githubUpdateInfo.latestVersion} is ready to install.`,
          detail: `The update has been downloaded and extracted. To complete the installation:\n\n1. Click "Open Folder" to view the new Goose.app\n2. Quit Goose (this app will close)\n3. Drag the new Goose.app to your Applications folder\n4. Replace the existing app when prompted\n\nThe update will be available the next time you launch Goose.`,
          buttons: ['Open Folder & Quit', 'Open Folder Only', 'Cancel'],
          defaultId: 0,
          cancelId: 2,
        })) as unknown as { response: number };

        if (dialogResult.response === 0) {
          trackUpdateInstallInitiated(
            githubUpdateInfo.latestVersion || 'unknown',
            'github-fallback',
            'open_folder_and_quit'

View on GitHub (pinned to 3810898a74)

Solutions

Re-download the update (download-update) to regenerate the artifact, then install immediately
Check whether the extracted/download directory still exists and isn't on a tmpfs that clears on reboot
Free disk space if extraction failed silently
Install soon after downloading rather than much later

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Before invoking install, verify artifact still exists:
import { access } from 'fs/promises';
// (main process) expose hasUpdateArtifact() IPC:
await access(githubUpdateInfo.extractedPath || githubUpdateInfo.downloadPath!);

Type guard

const updateArtifactExists = async (): Promise<boolean> => {
  const p = githubUpdateInfo.extractedPath || githubUpdateInfo.downloadPath;
  if (!p) return false;
  try { await fs.access(p); return true; } catch { return false; }
};

Try / catch

try {
  await window.api.installUpdate();
} catch (e) {
  if (String(e).includes('Update file not found')) {
    await window.api.downloadUpdate(); // regenerate, then install
    await window.api.installUpdate();
  }
}

Prevention

Download updates to a stable app-cache dir, not OS temp that clears on reboot
Install immediately after download completes
Re-validate artifact existence on app focus if install was deferred

When it happens

Trigger: OS temp cleanup removed the downloaded update between download and install; user or a cleaning tool deleted the file; app restarted mid-flow so the path pointed into a purged temp dir; disk full or permissions changed.

Common situations: Downloads left in /tmp or cache dirs that are vacuumed on schedule; long gaps between 'Update available' and clicking Install; enterprise disk-cleanup agents.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of aaif-goose/goose@3810898a74 (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b016201a827be138. Report an issue: GitHub.