Adobe Flash installation on Vista? at DVinfo.net

Dennis Stevens · September 2nd, 2008, 06:44 PM

I'm finding a weird experience with Adobe Flash on my 64 bit Vista machine, running Home Premium. I also have Adobe Production Suite.

Here's the deal: I go to a website that uses Flash. I get a message saying you don't have Flash, go to the Adobe site and install it. I do that.

First the Adobe site says you've successfully installed Flash. Then a message pops up saying the Adobe installer had an error. Go back to the original site, I still get a message I don't have Flash. Repeated attempts at installing, no luck.

I do a little research, and Adobe has identified the issue. Conflicting versions of Adobe, or at least they conflict on Vista. They provide a specific uninstall executable which is supposed to rid your computer of all versions of Flash. Then install as normal.

I went into Premiere Pro, and used the built in utility to make sure I had all Adobe updates. I noticed it install an update for Adobe AIR, their installation utility.

I do the uninstall, install from www.adobe.com/getflash and it worked! All Flash content displays correctly.

Next time I boot up the computer, I get the same problem. Websites saying I don't have Flash. I've verified that I can use the 'uninstall' executable, then install Flash. But when I reboot I have to do it all over again. Apparently the 'uninstall' isn't uninstalling everything, or there is a whole other issue.

Any ideas? Am I the only one having this problem (well, I know I'm not as the problem showed up in a quick Goggle search)?

I wasn't sure what category to put this in, and I find it mysterious, so here it is in fabled Area 51.

Boyd Ostroff · September 3rd, 2008, 08:12 PM

Hi Dennis. I think that many of our computer issues would fit in Area 51, but if you're actually looking for some help, then the PC forum is probably a better place. I've moved this thread there, but left a re-direct in the original forum.

-Boyd

Dennis Stevens · September 5th, 2008, 05:45 AM

Updating my own thread...

I have a somewhat similiar issue with Quicktime on my 64 bit Vista machine. I installed the same version fo Quicktime I had on another machine. Quicktime ran fine.

Then I upgraded to the latest version of Quicktime. If I just launch the Quicktime player I get 'Error 46: ActiveX control not found'.

A little research, and I found an article (don't have the link handy) that when you uninstall Quicktime, it isn't fully removed, and apparently it conflicts with newer versions of Quicktime.

So... apparently Vista has this big problem with installing new versions of software? Can't cleanly uninstall and re-install?

Lars Siden · September 6th, 2008, 06:05 AM

have a look here:

Vista: Getting Adobe Flash Player to Work - Tech-Recipes.com

// lz

Dennis Stevens · September 8th, 2008, 04:56 PM

Tried everything on that link, absolutely no difference.

Problem still unresolved.

thanks anyway.

Lars Siden · September 9th, 2008, 01:11 AM

Dennis,

That was bad - it did the trick for me!

Regarding the QT problems, I belivie you're in deep s*it - some installations of QT "fails" to set the proper rights in the registry. So basically it creates lots(!) of keys which NO-ONE can read or alter. Only way I got around fixing it was to search the registry for Quicktime - take ownership of key, set full access everyone .... for me it was at least 50 keys...

// Lazze

Dennis Stevens · September 9th, 2008, 09:44 AM

Yeah, I'm thinking of getting some registry cleaner utility.

I saw the cover 'MaximumPC' magazine recently, and the cover story was 'Microsoft's Mea Culpa on Vista - what they had to do to fix it'

I think they should have a retraction - it's not fixed! Or at least some pretty major companies cannot write software for it - Adobe and Apple for a few.

I also have a conflict between Adobe Encore and Quicktime - can't use Encore unless I uninstall Quicktime. Yeah, bizarre and big eating up of my time.

Lars Siden · September 9th, 2008, 11:00 AM

I guess the Encore vs QT problems is related to the registry problems!

The fastest way forward may be to re-install windows from scratch...a broken QT can be painfull!

// lazze

Dennis Stevens · September 9th, 2008, 11:47 AM

I notice you have Vista Ultimate - I have Home Premium. Can that be an issue? I wouldn't think so, but obviously I have no clue.

Lars Siden · September 9th, 2008, 12:00 PM

I don't belive the difference in Vista versions should be a problem.

Have you disabled UAC(User Access Control)? Programs not designed for UAC do have problems as a "non admin" user.

// Lazze

September 2nd, 2008, 06:44 PM	#1
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Adobe Flash installation on Vista? I'm finding a weird experience with Adobe Flash on my 64 bit Vista machine, running Home Premium. I also have Adobe Production Suite. Here's the deal: I go to a website that uses Flash. I get a message saying you don't have Flash, go to the Adobe site and install it. I do that. First the Adobe site says you've successfully installed Flash. Then a message pops up saying the Adobe installer had an error. Go back to the original site, I still get a message I don't have Flash. Repeated attempts at installing, no luck. I do a little research, and Adobe has identified the issue. Conflicting versions of Adobe, or at least they conflict on Vista. They provide a specific uninstall executable which is supposed to rid your computer of all versions of Flash. Then install as normal. I went into Premiere Pro, and used the built in utility to make sure I had all Adobe updates. I noticed it install an update for Adobe AIR, their installation utility. I do the uninstall, install from www.adobe.com/getflash and it worked! All Flash content displays correctly. Next time I boot up the computer, I get the same problem. Websites saying I don't have Flash. I've verified that I can use the 'uninstall' executable, then install Flash. But when I reboot I have to do it all over again. Apparently the 'uninstall' isn't uninstalling everything, or there is a whole other issue. Any ideas? Am I the only one having this problem (well, I know I'm not as the problem showed up in a quick Goggle search)? I wasn't sure what category to put this in, and I find it mysterious, so here it is in fabled Area 51.

September 6th, 2008, 06:05 AM	#4
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	have a look here: Vista: Getting Adobe Flash Player to Work - Tech-Recipes.com // lz __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

September 9th, 2008, 01:11 AM	#6
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	Dennis, That was bad - it did the trick for me! Regarding the QT problems, I belivie you're in deep s*it - some installations of QT "fails" to set the proper rights in the registry. So basically it creates lots(!) of keys which NO-ONE can read or alter. Only way I got around fixing it was to search the registry for Quicktime - take ownership of key, set full access everyone .... for me it was at least 50 keys... // Lazze __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

September 9th, 2008, 11:00 AM	#8
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	I guess the Encore vs QT problems is related to the registry problems! The fastest way forward may be to re-install windows from scratch...a broken QT can be painfull! // lazze __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

September 9th, 2008, 12:00 PM	#10
Lars Siden Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sweden, Stockholm Posts: 469	I don't belive the difference in Vista versions should be a problem. Have you disabled UAC(User Access Control)? Programs not designed for UAC do have problems as a "non admin" user. // Lazze __________________ Sony HDR-CX130,Canon 5DMKII,i7 930@4.0, 12gb memory, 3x SSD + 2x1Tb(stripe), Geforce 480, Dual 24", Win 7 x64

September 3rd, 2008, 08:12 PM	#2
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	Hi Dennis. I think that many of our computer issues would fit in Area 51, but if you're actually looking for some help, then the PC forum is probably a better place. I've moved this thread there, but left a re-direct in the original forum. -Boyd

September 5th, 2008, 05:45 AM	#3
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Updating my own thread... I have a somewhat similiar issue with Quicktime on my 64 bit Vista machine. I installed the same version fo Quicktime I had on another machine. Quicktime ran fine. Then I upgraded to the latest version of Quicktime. If I just launch the Quicktime player I get 'Error 46: ActiveX control not found'. A little research, and I found an article (don't have the link handy) that when you uninstall Quicktime, it isn't fully removed, and apparently it conflicts with newer versions of Quicktime. So... apparently Vista has this big problem with installing new versions of software? Can't cleanly uninstall and re-install?

September 8th, 2008, 04:56 PM	#5
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Tried everything on that link, absolutely no difference. Problem still unresolved. thanks anyway.

September 9th, 2008, 09:44 AM	#7
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Yeah, I'm thinking of getting some registry cleaner utility. I saw the cover 'MaximumPC' magazine recently, and the cover story was 'Microsoft's Mea Culpa on Vista - what they had to do to fix it' I think they should have a retraction - it's not fixed! Or at least some pretty major companies cannot write software for it - Adobe and Apple for a few. I also have a conflict between Adobe Encore and Quicktime - can't use Encore unless I uninstall Quicktime. Yeah, bizarre and big eating up of my time.

September 9th, 2008, 11:47 AM	#9
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	I notice you have Vista Ultimate - I have Home Premium. Can that be an issue? I wouldn't think so, but obviously I have no clue.