Adobe Flash won't play nicely....

[WereBo]

Hi Folks

I've just spent the last several hours trying to install Adobe Flash-player onto my neighbour's HP laptop and got nowhere fast. It's running Win-7 fully updated etc.

I had to do a system-restore yesterday, cos she'd somehow messed it up and her I.E.9 wouldn't play Youtube videos and lots of other sites refused to load, saying Java needed updating. I DL'ed and installed the latest version and the browser kept saying the same thing repeatedly - That's when I gave up and did the system-restore. I still couldn't get Youtube to work, but t'other sites did.

As a workaround, I installed Mozilla Seamonkey an lo, all was well, except I forgot to check Youtube

Today it's telling me it needs Adobe Flash-player and click here to DL, which I dutifully did, saved the file and closed the browser. I remembered to run the install-file as Admin and after clicking the run-confirmation box, the 'Thinking' cursor appeared for a few seconds then went back to normal and the install file deleted itself!!!

After re-DL'ing it, I tried again, only to be told it's already running which, when I checked the processes, it was so I ended it and tried again (ran for a few seconds then deleting the install-file) and again and again and again....... I then finished my mug o' tea and departed, scratching my head.

Oh, I didn't bother DL'ing the install-file each time, I copied it to a temp working folder and ran it from there

Any ideas (other than a shotgun) would be mightily appreciated...

[Glaswegian]

Bo - the latest Java should be v6u29. Have all older versions been uninstalled? Do any show in Add/Remove programs?

[WereBo]

I think that's the version that's showing in the Add/Remove programs bit, along with several earlier versions, I think they're v.26 and possibly v.20 - I'll have a check on Sunday, as I'm out all day tomorrow, 'til sometime in the evening.

Would Java affect the Adobe Flash-Player install?

[Glaswegian]

I'm not sure - but since they are all from Adobe, I take no chances.

Just wondering if a remove and re-install of both Java and Flash would help.

Flash Player plug-in should be at version 11.1.102.55

I use this to get Java - it will tell you what version the system needs.

• Visit this site Java
• Click the 'Free Java Download' button.
• The site will advise if you need an updated version
• Follow the instructions.

Flash should update automatically.

[Glaswegian]

You've probably seen these...

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/837/cpsid_83715.html

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/000/6b3af6c9.html

http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-3648 ... ash-player

[WereBo]

Well, I uninstalled all the Java-versions and re-installed just the latest one (Java 6 update 29) which went well. However, Adobe Flash-Player still won't install and physically deletes the install-file.

When I try to re-run it, I get the message that only 1 instance can run, and it's listed in the Process list.

The Law won't let me have a shotgun, so........

[Deejay100six]

Hiya Bo,

Try this shotgun. Flash Player Uninstaller

Then try installing again.

[WereBo]

Cheers Dave, I'll try it tomorrow when I see 'em again

[WereBo]

Well, I managed to get another look at the laptop yesterday and tried the Flash-Player uninstaller, but still no joy - Running the installer just deletes the program and leaves the process running, with nothing happening, apart from the language getting stronger....

[Glaswegian]

Is there a previous version of Flash installed? Is Adobe Acrobat installed?

One of the links I posted suggests disabling Acrobat first - and using the Flash uninstaller to remove older versions. Then install Flash and re-enable Acrobat.

[WereBo]

There's no Adobe Flash installed, I'm not certain about whether Acrobat-Reader is there, but Adobe-Acrobat itself isn't.

There's no-one in at the moment (I just walked past their window, on the way back from the 'Dog & Bell ), so I'll have a look-see tomorrow. I'll try uninstalling Acrobat-Reader, they try the Flash-Player install again.

[WereBo]

Well, good news and bad news - good news is that IE now works with Youtube, but Mozilla Seamonkey still doesn't - I found an 'Acrobat.com' in the uninstall list, which was promptly removed, then ran the FlashPlayer uninstaller. Rebooted (just in case ) then tried the Flash-installer but still no joy

[Deejay100six]

Hi Bo,

Still looking for a solution and I know this might sound silly but lots have people have found that when they go to manage add ons, flash wasn't enabled. You might want to check that.

I'll not hold my breath though, I'll keep looking.

Edit; This page looks quite interesting. http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/837/cpsid_83715.html

Just realised, Iain already posted that.

[WereBo]

I checked the 'Add-ons' manager and Flash-Player wasn't showing in the list. I'm beginning to think it's a bad Installer-software, especially after DL'ing it several times - I've never known a 'Self-deleting' installation program before....

[Deejay100six]

Not read through this properly yet but maybe you have more time. I'm on a mission to be the second tmec graduate.

http://flashtester.org/

[WereBo]

Thanks Dave, it's got the links to lots of earlier releases, so I can try them working backwards and see how it goes - Good luck with the mission

[WereBo]

Well, after another couple of hours of getting frustrated, I.E. will play Youtube videos and Mozilla's Seamonkey won't but (again, the dreaded 'but'!), neither I.E or Seamonkey will play any of the TV-channels 'catch-up' TV videos. I.E insist that the latest Java (v.10 or later) needs to be installed (It is installed, shows in the program features and I've run the 'Repair' feature several times) and Seamonkey doesn't show any messages, along with no video.

My neighbour finally admitted that the laptop died completely some weeks ago so she took it to an 'Internet Cafe' that also does repairs, run by immigrants who can barely speak English.... They supposedly did a fresh OS re-install and wiped the drive, including all her files, and didn't supply her with a repair CD or anything else. (It's a 2nd-hand laptop and she didn't get any CD's when whatever relative gave it to her )

Anyway, I've given up with it and recommended that she buys a new Win-7 DVD, then I'll back up her bookmarks, address-book, pics etc. and give her a fresh laptop without all the crap that was installed by HP and 'careless' browsing (McAffee Security something that won't go away and Norton something else that I can't track down but still shows warnings)

Thanks for the suggestions and help guys, I'll leave the thread open for a while until everything is finally resolved, but don't hold your breath - She's now thinking the laptop is too small and is considering getting a 'proper' PC - It will also mean she won't have to sit drumming her fingers when it's her hubbies turn to play on it